Previous research indicates considerable additional costs of both job search and recruitment of personnel across the border. From an economic point of view, when borders are abolished an optimal re-allocation of skills results into productivity increases. The PhD candidate is expected to study the impact of various additional costs that are involved with cross-border mobility due to for example:

• Informational and network costs on job search and recruitment across the border.

• Commuting costs due to lack of adequate transport infrastructure when crossing borders.

• Costs involved with different tax, pension and social security systems between neighboring countries.

• Costs involved with impediments in diploma recognition between neighboring countries.

• Costs due to different cultures and languages across the border.

Furthermore, the PhD candidate is expected to estimate to what extent previous study, work and other experiences at the other side of the border are associated with lower costs of cross-border mobility. Finally, we would like to know to what extent these experiences increase the likelihood of cross-border careers.

The PhD is based at the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA) of the School of Business and Economics (SBE), and is expected to collaborate with researchers from the Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross border cooperation and Mobility (ITEM) and the Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration and Development (MACIMIDE).

The PhD candidate will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Frank Cörvers (ROA).

Candidates will be judged on the basis of the requirements outlined below. To be considered, candidates should make sure that their application letter demonstrates how they meet these requirements: 

• Successful completion of a (Research) Master degree in Economics, Economic Geography, Demography, Econometrics, or similar studies.
• Advanced skills in research design and relevant quantitative analysis, as demonstrated in education and/or work so far.
• Strong analytical skills.

Salary scale: PhD (Dutch University Salary Scales)

Employment basis: Temporary for specified period

Duration of the contract: 3 years, with a possible extension of one year

Maximum hours per week: 38

Additional duties: restricted involvement as a teacher in tutorials

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO), supplement with local UM provisions. For more information on terms of employment, please visit our website http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 16,300 students and 4,300 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

The Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Maastricht University School of Business and Economics

The Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA) is a research institute of the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, established in 1986. Through its research the institute aims to improve the understanding of the relationship between education and the labour market. The overarching research theme of ROA is the acquisition and depreciation of human capital over the life course in relation to the dynamics of the labor market. This is studied in four research programmes: Education and occupational career, Training and employment, Dynamics of the Labour Market, Human capital in the region.