The Faculty Campus Fryslân is accepting applications from prospective PhD students, to work on the Interreg funded project ‘PROWAD LINK PROTECT & PROSPER’. This interdisciplinary research seeks to enhance small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sustainability in the North Sea Region. The project will focus on the development and testing of innovative tools and strategies, using co-creation processes with knowledge partners. The project will be carried out transnationally and implemented in selected pilot areas (Wadden Sea World Heritage Site, Geiranger Fjord World Heritage Site, Wash & North Norfolk Coast European Marine Site).
The PhD studentship may focus on identifying challenges and tensions of day-to-day SME performance and offer instruments that demonstrate how SMEs can improve sustainability performance. The PhD studentship may involve identifying sustainability indicators for SMEs, mapping SME business models of best practice and improvement, as well as assessing ecological and socio-cultural limits of the region to help support SMEs to design their products and services to be truly sustainable without risking overuse of the World Heritage site. Results will be co-developed with local SMEs and stakeholders and integrated into recommendations, brochures, a guidebook, and contribute to an online learning module.
Candidates are asked to write a short research proposal (500 words max) in connection with the broad goals of the Prowad Link project.
The PhD student will be given the opportunity to present results at specialist conferences and co-author articles on the outcomes of their research in international scientific journals. The articles will form the core of the PhD thesis.
During the course of the PhD, the students will develop research and teaching competencies as well as leadership skills. For this, the PhD students will receive a tailor-made programme from the GSCF. The PhD students will be enrolled in our Graduate School Campus Fryslân (GSCF).
The intended start-date for the position is 1st October 2018.
New PhD students are expected to live in Leeuwarden or at a viable commuting distance.
For more information:
Campus Fryslân
www.rug.nl/cf/
Centre for Sustainable Entrepreneurship
www.rug.nl/cf/cse/
Graduate School of Campus Fryslân
www.rug.nl/research/gscf.