Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija, University of Rijeka as a science, research and education focused institution creates knowledge about tourism, hospitality industry and sustainable development. Through the established creative partnerships with the business sector, public sector and civil society the faculty offers scientifically based solutions in response to the economic and social challenges. It encourages excellence, and accordingly, all the activities are performed in compliance with the principles of ethics and social responsibility. This implies a strong support to the scientific and research work as well as institutional care for the development of research careers and increase of scientific productivity. Starting from such an approach the postgraduate (doctoral) studies are conceived as one of the fundamental instruments used in adapting a community to the needs imposed by the development of a society of knowledge.

Postgraduate (doctoral) study of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Opatija Business Economics in Tourism and Hospitality Industry and Management of Sustainable Development are carried out as a three-year study (180 ECTS-credits) for candidates with a completed appropriate four-year undergraduate university study, graduate university study or integrated undergraduate and graduate university study according to the Rulebook on postgraduate university studies (doctoral studies). PhD students of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management , Opatija gain the highest level of competences through a systematically organized scientific research and high-quality mentoring. Learning outcomes and competences acquired upon the completion of doctoral studies offer the possibility to continue with the scientific research work, with postdoctoral training or to get employed in the public or private sectors. Through acquired skills and competences the PhD students are enabled to carry out independent scientific research in the area of business economics in tourism and Management of sustainable development.

Based on the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers the Faculty takes systematic care of research careers on all levels. During doctoral studies special attention is given to young scientists with focus on monitoring their progress so that a stimulating environment is established in order to support their development and scientific promotion. Dynamic development of society and knowledge in the 21st century implicates that gaining a doctoral degree is not the end of the scientific engagement, on the contrary, it just opens a new cycle of a continuous acquisition of new knowledge.

Admission to postgraduate (PhD) studies in Business Economics in Tourism and Hospitality Industry and Management of Sustainable Development is carried out on the basis of a public tender announced by the Faculty Council.