Scholarship opportunity
Campus Fryslân invites applications for a four-year PhD scholarship candidate to complete a dissertation on the topic of innovative business models in agriculture. Within Campus Fryslân, you will be joining the Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy department in which senior scholars and PhD researchers develop a wide variety of research lines and projects including leadership, business models, innovation, and societal impact (http://www.rug.nl/cf/cse).

Agriculture is important for the Northern region of the Netherlands. However, the financial forecasts of farmers is challenging and the social appreciation of current business models has declined. The efficiency farming business models is at the end stage of its life cycle among others because of the large-scale negative ecological effects. As a result, niche farmers in the region innovate and develop new business models based on the opportunities and limitations of nature. These new business models have systemic implications for value chain partners, government policies and consumer behaviour. The new business models directly contribute to the triple bottom-line performance of farmers and their context.

The PhD research enables farmers to identify farm-specific quick wins and systemic new ecological and social added value (including water quality, nitrogen and biodiversity). The farmers will learn how to capture these new added value propositions derived from their stand-alone firms or in collaboration with regional co-stakeholders and colleague farmers. The PhD research will analyse the success factors of the design, implementation, management and regional dissemination of new farming business models.
Broad topics of interest of the doctoral research include (but are not limited to):

• What are the barriers and the success factors of innovative business models?
• What is the added value of innovative business models for farmers and the region?
• How can new value chains for innovative business models successfully be developed and implemented?
• How can regions develop ecosystems for innovative business models?

You will benefit from the large business networks with regional and national innovative farmers and existing programs on new business models (https://uvhn.maglr.com/inspiratieboek/universiteit-van-het-noorden). You will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Campus Fryslân. You will be co-supervised by Prof. Gjalt de Jong (promotor) and Dr Niels Faber (co-promotor).

The PhD candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School Campus Fryslân (GSCF). If interested, the PhD candidate could also have a role to play in the Master program Sustainable Entrepreneurship.

The candidate should meet the following requirements:

• Required is a Master’s or a Research Master’s degree in (Sustainable) Entrepreneurship or (Sustainable) Agriculture or a similar degree
• For a general (Research) Master’s degree in Economics, Business or Management, proven expertise or affinity with sustainability and/or agriculture is a requirement
• Required is qualitative research experience
• Required is native Dutch and/or Frisian language
• Very good individual and collaborative working skills
• Demonstrated organisational and planning skills
• A strong motivation to complete a PhD dissertation in four years.

We consider the following qualifications as additional assets:

• Regional and/or agricultural experience
• Very good command of spoken and written English.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

The PhD Scholarship student will be enrolled in the PhD Scholarship Programme and receives a scholarship of € 2,249 per month (gross) from the University of Groningen. For more information on the RUG PhD scholarship programme and its benefits please check the website at https://www.rug.nl/education/phd-programmes/phd-scholarship-programme/conditions-application/

The PhD Scholarship contract is offered for four years. Prolongation of the contract after year 1 is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the contract period is to be expected.

A PhD training programme is part of the agreement and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of the Faculty. As part of the programme, the PhD student will take part in the Career Perspectives Series, which provides a thorough preparation on the career after the PhD, inside or outside academia. During the course of the doctorate, the student 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 intended starting date is 1 September 2022. An earlier start is possible by mutual consent.

Campus Fryslân

Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 36,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.

Campus Fryslân is the ambitious eleventh and newest faculty of the University of Groningen, located in Leeuwarden. Campus Fryslân is an interdisciplinary faculty that works closely together with regional, national and international partners on worldwide (sustainability) challenges and local solutions. The sustainable development goals of the United Nations thus serve as an important guideline.

We offer challenging bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degree programmes. The research institute covers six research domains: Governance & Innovation, Global and Local Governance, Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy, Knowledge Infrastructures, Language, Technology & Culture and Sustainable Heath. In the summer of 2019, Campus Fryslân has moved to the new faculty building De Beurs: the first all-electric, monumental educational building in The Netherlands.