Doctoral Position “City-university twin transition partnerships” at KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, Belgium

The KU Leuven Public Governance Institute (www.publicgov.eu) conducts research into different aspects of public governance from a public administration and political science perspective. This PhD-project aims to understand the learning and knowledge dynamics in collaborative approaches for urban sustainability, with a particular focus on the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

In the face of growing sustainability challenges that require the participation of diverse stakeholders and the integration of their knowledge, cities use various approaches to operationalize collaboration and problem-solving, such as citizen science initiatives, Living Labs, and citizen climate assemblies. They also adopt collaborative governance tools and models at the city level to tackle these challenges. This research project will explore local collaborative approaches and structures from a knowledge and learning perspective, as well as how HEIs are mobilized therein.

We offer a full-time position as PhD researcher (doctoral scholarship) for one year, which, upon positive evaluation, will be extended with two additional years. The selected candidate will be part of the SUNSET Doctoral Network (www.sunsetproject.eu) delivering insights into how universities and their host cities collaborate to achieve digital and sustainable transition.

You can apply for this job no later than November 24, 2025.

More information can be found at: KU Leuven Vacancies | Doctoral Position City-university twin transition partnerships