Introduction
The PhD programme on Innovation, Governance and Sustainable Development (IEGSD) offers high-quality education, training and supervision to its PhD candidates, leading to a doctoral degree from Maastricht University. Through our disciplinary and multidisciplinary research, our ambition is to contribute to the academic debate and to societal policy and innovation solutions at all stages of the policy process: from the policy agenda setting to the delivery and evaluation of public policy. In meeting these twin aims, we ensure that our research maintains the highest standards of academic and scientific excellence and rigour, while remaining policy relevant.
The PhD programme is part of the UNU-MERIT Graduate School and hosts over 100 PhD fellows working on a doctoral dissertation within the core disciplines of UNU-MERIT:
- The economics of innovation — Topics of interest include: the process of technological change and innovation; the economics of knowledge and new technologies; structural change and economic development; economic complexity and innovation.
- Public policy and governance — Topics of interest include: governance and institutions; migration and development; population, development and labour economics; social protection; poverty and inequality; policy analysis and evaluation.
- Societal transformations — Topics of interest include: innovation and entrepreneurship for sustainable transitions; sustainable innovation and transformation; system transitions; innovation for the ‘base of the Pyramid’
PhD fellows are expected to contribute to the UNU-MERIT research agenda or Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable Development (CI4SD) collaborative research projects.
PhD positions and programmes at UNU-MERIT
There are several types of PhD positions within UNU-MERIT, and Maastricht University more broadly, depending on the type of funding (with an employment contract from Maastricht University, through a research grant or fellowship or using other external sources of funding) and the time available for the doctoral research (full-time versus part-time, in combination with work responsibilities). See also PhD information from Maastricht University.
To accommodate the need for a large community of scholars active in the core areas of the institute and the increasingly hybrid type of PhD positions held to conduct the PhD trajectory, the UNU-MERIT PhD programme is composed of two different PhD tracks, each appealing to PhD fellow profiles with different education and supervision needs, funding alternatives and time involvement.
Full-time track
Typically attracting young fellows as residents to Maastricht to work most of their time (0.8-1.0 fte) on their PhD research, funded by a UNU-MERIT fellowship or an external grant or scholarship.
Part-time (dual career) track
Typically attracting professionals and researchers with full- or part-time jobs that allow them to combine their careers with obtaining a PhD. They secure their own funding and work mainly on their dissertation from the country where they live and/or work and come to Maastricht at least twice a year for training and interaction with peers and supervisors.
Both programme tracks start in September. For both tracks we open a call for applications in November with a deadline at the end of February for candidates starting the following September.
Salaried PhD positions at UNU-MERIT are less common, but not excluded. At UNU-MERIT (salaried) PhD candidates are mainly recruited by way of externally funded projects. Vacancies are, therefore, usually only advertised when a professor obtained an external grant. In coordination with the PhD programme director, these fellows can be allowed to participate in one of the PhD programmes in a flexible manner, depending on their time available for PhD research and training needs.
**DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 28 FEBRUARY 2023**
UNU-MERIT invites applications for new PhD fellows to join the PhD Programme full-time and part-time tracks, both starting in September 2023. Applications are invited from highly-motivated and talented fellows, especially from the Global South, who want to join a thriving and collaborative community of scholars focusing on pressing global challenges, including climate action, the digital transformation, poverty and inequality, and particularly their impact on human and economic sustainable development.
If you need additional information about the full-time PhD track, please contact Julia Walczyk at PhDprogramme@merit.unu.edu
If you need additional information about the part-time PhD track, please contact Soha Youssef at PhD-parttime@merit.unu.edu
