PHD Position CO

PhD position to co-design, implement and evaluate vocational training programmes for the circular economy within the RECEBA project.

The candidate will lead research on challenge-based learning and co-creation processes with educators, industry experts, and policymakers, and assess how regional contexts and stakeholder dynamics influence adoption and scalability of training programmes.

• A (Research) Masters degree in pedagogical sciences, business & management, entrepreneurship, or a closely related field.
• Keen interest in sustainability, circular economy, and innovation in education.
• Experience in academic writing, strong analytical thinking, creativity, and openness to innovative pedagogies and tools.
• Fluency in English, demonstrated by an English proficiency test.
• Good proficiency in Dutch or willingness to learn.
• Excellent and demonstrated organisational skills and a collaborative spirit.
• Willingness to move and reside in the Netherlands.

• Conduct interdisciplinary applied research on co-creating, implementing, and evaluating circular economy VET programmes.
• Design and validate 12 modular training programmes (EQF levels 5–8) grounded in Challenge-Based Learning.
• Investigate the effectiveness of challenge- and work-based learning and the role of micro-credentials in recognising skills.
• Facilitate and analyse transdisciplinary co-creation workshops with VET educators, industry experts, and regional policymakers.
• Design and deliver capacity-building (train-the-trainer) programmes for VET teachers and industry mentors, including industry immersion experiences.
• Publish research in scholarly journals and present findings at international conferences.
• Engage in teaching activities as part of doctoral training and complete and defend the PhD thesis within four years.

• Temporary full-time appointment for four years, starting 1 September 2026; initial twelve-month appointment followed by an assessment after nine months.
• PhD training programme and enrolment in the faculty Graduate School, including participation in a Career Perspectives Series and a tailor-made development programme.
• Maximum teaching load of 350 hours per year; the fourth year is teaching-free to finalise the thesis.
• 232 vacation hours per year (based on a 38-hour workweek) with options to adjust working hours in exchange for free hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development and an emphasis on worklife balance.
• In case of visa application, at least three months are allowed for administrative procedures after selection.

A European research university with interdisciplinary research and close collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organisations.

Campus Fryslân is the youngest faculty, located in Leeuwarden, offering a small-scale community that connects teaching, research, and practice on themes such as circular society and economy, sustainable environment, and responsible governance and technology.

The PhD researcher will be employed at Campus Fryslân and join the Center for Transformative Education, a hybrid research group collaborating with a university of applied sciences, supervised by members from both institutions and joining an international community of PhD candidates.