PhD Fellowships in Innovation and Regional Studies

15th April 2024
Languages
English

• Norsk Bokmål
• English

English
PhD Fellowships in Innovation and Regional Studies
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Job description

The University of Stavanger invites applicants for two PhD Fellowships in Innovation and Regional Studies at the UiS School of Business and Law, Department of Innovation, Management and Marketing. The position is vacant from 1. August 2024.

This is trainee positions that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development through a PhD education leading to a doctoral degree.

The hired candidates will be admitted to the PhD program in Social Sciences. The education includes relevant courses amounting to about six months of study, a dissertation based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant academic communication, a trial lecture and public defence. Read more about the PhD education at UiS on our website.

The appointments are for three years with research duties exclusively.

The positions are funded by the European Union as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network on Smart and Sustainable Host UniverCities: leveraging city-university interactions to further the twin green and digital transition (SUNSET), grant agreement no. 101119845. See www.sunsetproject.eu for more information on the project and the other PhD positions in the network.

Research topic

The selected candidates will be part of the SUNSET Doctoral Network built around a community of leading scholars and 10 doctoral candidates. They will examine how universities and their host cities can collaborate and interact to achieve the digitalization and sustainability goals set out by current European and global policy agendas. The network is purposefully international, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary. It consists of 6 academic and 16 non-academic partners in 5 European countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and Estonia). SUNSET emphasizes cooperative research and includes international mobility and intersectoral secondments to maximize the career potential of all doctoral candidates.

One PhD position will focus on how cities and regions with fewer R&D and higher education capabilities will manage the transition to a green knowledge economy. The objectives are to (1) examine the spatial distribution of university R&D and higher education capabilities across European regions and its evolution over time, (2) analyze the relationship between these capabilities and regions’ ability to enter into green and/or knowledge-based industries, (3) analyze the relationship between these capabilities and the geography of discontent, and (4) examine cases of peripheral regions which have significantly improved their university R&D and/or higher education capabilities with a view to analyzing the causes of such improvements and its consequences. A successful project will result in an assessment of the consequences of unequal R&D and higher education capabilities for the development of spatial inequalities in the green knowledge economy, and an improved understanding of how cities and regions with fewer R&D and higher education capabilities will manage the envisaged transitions.

The second PhD position will focus on diverse, inclusive, sustainable co-production in UniverCities through exploring three objectives. These objectives are to (1) investigate how, and when, to engage typically underrepresented groups that are often “left-behind” in city planning co-production processes (i.e. children, elderly, immigrants, as well as considering ‘intersectionality’ (such as focusing on immigrant females vs. Immigrant males)) when planning, and implementing sustainable city projects, (2) assess the inclusion/exclusion of (selected) citizens across a (selection of case) regions; (3) analyze in which ways these are included by focusing on methods of inclusion and their outcomes and the role of universities in sustainable city co-production. A successful project will result in an assessment of the barriers and opportunities for creating diverse, inclusive, sustainable co-production in UniverCities through the creation of guidelines on how to strengthen equal opportunities and access for citizens to all provisions and services in the city; development of tools and solutions to improve inclusiveness.

Both positions involve two periods of secondment for three months at partner institutions, with dedicated co-supervisors and mentors from the host institution. In Winter 2025/26, the first PhD position will work at the City of Stavanger, while the second PhD position will be at the cluster organisation Nordic Edge. In Autumn 2026, both PhD positions will be at the Public Governance Institute and Leuven Urban Studies Institute at KU Leuven, Belgium.

Project proposal

As an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project proposal for a doctoral project within the subject area, which explains the problem, relevance, theoretical and methodological approach. Your preliminary project proposal will be included in the application assessment. The proposal must be a maximum of one page.

During the first three months of the employment period, the project proposal and progress plan will be further developed in cooperation with your supervisors and completed for the final plan for the PhD-project. A project proposal template can be found here.

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Qualification requirements

We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree (3+2) within political science, human geography, public governance, economics or a related social science field, preferably acquired recently; or who possess corresponding qualifications that could provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate. Specializations in regional and/or innovation studies will be beneficial.

Candidates cannot have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status are not taken into account. Candidates cannot hold a doctoral degree.

To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master’s thesis and the weighted average grade of your master’s degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade. If you finish your education (masters degree) in the spring of 2024 you are also welcome to apply.

Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than sp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subjects that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales  to calculate your points for admission.

Emphasis is also placed on your:

• ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative data
• interest in urban studies, the digital and green transitions, and European public policies
• motivation to participate in network-wide training events, international mobility and public dissemination activities
• professional and personal skills for completing the doctoral degree within the timeframe
• motivation and potential for research within the field
• ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative
• ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload
• having a good command of both oral and written English

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Requirements for competence in English

A good proficiency in English is required for anyone attending the PhD program. International applicants must document this with a valid test certificate from one of the following tests:

• TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT). Minimum result: 90
• IELTS – International English Language Testing Service. Minimum result: 6.5
• Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge
• PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic. Minimum result: 62

The following applicants are exempt from the above requirements:

• Applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA
• Applicants with an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma
• Applicants with a completed bachelor's and / or master's degrees taught in English in a EU/EEA country
• Applicants who are exempt based on NOKUT's GSU list

We offer

• a PhD education in a large, exciting and societally important organisation
• an ambitious work community which is developing rapidly. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure
• access to Lifekeys , a digital service for the preservation of personal mental health and well-being
• salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 532 200 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• additional Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions contributions, including mobility allowance and, if applicable, family allowance and special-needs allowance
• automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund , which provides favourable insurance- and retirement benefits
• favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club at campus
• employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
• "Hjem-jobb-hjem" discounted public transport to and from work
• as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
• relocation programme

Diversity

Diversity is a resource in the working and learning environment at UiS. When we have different backgrounds and experiences, we can approach challenges from multiple perspectives and find better solutions.

At UiS, we are committed to showing respect for each other's differences and accommodating employees with disabilities. We take into consideration your needs and your situation in various life phases.

If you find the positions interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, cultural background, or whether you have been out of the workforce for a period.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in their CV, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups for an interview. If you fall into any of these categories, feel free to indicate it when applying for the position.

Learn more about the criteria for being considered an applicant in these specific groups here .

Contact information

More information on the position (and project description) can be obtained from Head of department Silje Haus-Reve, tel: +47 51832782, email: [email protected] or Professor Rune Dahl Fitjar, tel: +47 51831562, email: [email protected] .

Information about the appointment procedure can be obtained from Senior HR Advisor Helene Engelsgjerd Figved, tel: +47 51831558, e-mail: [email protected] .

UiS via Unsplash UiS
Application

To apply for the positions please follow the link "Apply for this job". Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In your application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.

The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:

• project proposal, a project proposal template can be found here . 
• CV with a full summary of your education and experience
• references, certificates/diplomas and other documentation that you consider relevant
• Diploma Supplement or similar and a confirmed conversion scale if this is required
• documentation on competence in English if this is required
• publications or other relevant research work

Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation. 

The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.

Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act . If your request is not granted, you will be notified.

UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.

General information

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. If your application is considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter legislation, it will be rejected without further assessment.

Employment as PhD Fellow is regulated in "Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow and research fellow, research assistant and resident ".

Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.

The appointee will be based at the University of Stavanger, with the exception of secondments at KU Leuven and at the City of Stavanger or Nordic Edge.

It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.

The positions has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the Norwegian text takes precedence.

The EU Researcher Allowances will be used to cover both the employee’s and the employer’s mandatory charges.

Morten Berentsen via Unsplash Morten Berentsen
UiS - challenge the well-known and explore the unknown

The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for green and sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.
In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.

The University of Stavanger School of Business and Law carries out research and offers study programs across all areas of business. The study options include bachelor programs in Business Administration, Accounting & Auditing, and Law. The school also offers master programs in Business Administration, Accounting & Auditing, and Executive MBA, as well as research education (PhD). The Centre of Innovation Research is part of the school. There are currently 120 employees and 1,400 students at the school. The UiS School of Business and Law is organized in three departments; Department of Innovation, Leadership and Marketing, Department of Accounting and Law and Department of Economics and Finance.

Questions about the position

Silje Haus Reve

avdelingsleder

+47 51832782

[email protected]

Helene Engelsgjerd Figved

senior HR-rådgiver

+47 51831558

[email protected]

Rune Dahl Fitjar

professor

+47 51831562

[email protected]

Apply for this job
Deadline

15th April 2024

Employer

University of Stavanger

Municipality

Stavanger

Scope

Fulltime (2 positions) Fulltime (%)

Duration

Fixed Term

Place of service
Adresse mangler, 4036 Stavanger
Ullandhaug, 4021 Stavanger

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