Profiles of our dual career PhD fellows
Introduction
UNU-MERIT’s Dual Career PhD Programme offers a unique opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in Innovation, Economics, Governance, and Sustainable Development, in combination with a professional or research career. This flexible programme enables researchers to develop and execute a high-quality research project that culminates in a doctoral degree from Maastricht University, while balancing their existing career responsibilities.
The dual-career track offers personalized supervision from experts in a wide range of fields related to innovation and new technologies, public policies, governance and global development outcomes. With access to UNU-MERIT’s rich academic resources and a supportive community, candidates can explore cutting-edge topics while continuing to grow professionally. The institute currently hosts about 50 dual career PhD candidates, who are an integral part of the UNU-MERIT research community.
PhD fellows contribute to the core areas of the UNU-MERIT research agenda focusing on:
The economics of Innovation and Technology:
Topics include the microeconomics of innovation at the firm level, structural change, trade and industrial policy, the transition to sustainable and green technologies, circular economies, and the role of science in development.
Public Policy and Governance:
This area examines the impact of various public policies—including social, migration, labour, and food policies—on development outcomes. It also explores governance challenges in fiscal and foreign policy, the effects of corruption, and coordination issues in areas like migration and sustainable governance.
The programme encourages the adoption of novel metrics and computational methods to address these complex research questions. It emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach, contributing to both academic discourse and the development of actionable policy solutions throughout the entire policy process—from setting the agenda to implementation and evaluation.
Programme information
In the first year, participants undertake part-time research while engaging with staff members and potential supervisors to develop their PhD research proposal in detail and identify a suitable supervisor for their PhD trajectory.
To support these objectives, the programme includes two mandatory two-week workshops in Maastricht (a total of four weeks: two weeks in September and two in March). During the workshops, participants attend key events such as the annual UNU-MERIT Internal Conference in September and the PhD Research Week in March. These events are pivotal milestones in the PhD journey, bringing together the entire research community, including full-time PhD fellows and senior staff. The workshops provide invaluable opportunities for networking, allowing participants to connect with scholars who share similar research interests. Doctoral fellows also attend peer presentations, training sessions, and lectures designed to enhance their research skills and guide them through the proposal development process.
The workshops require a full-time commitment during the two-week periods, and it is recommended not to combine workshop participation with work duties. Workshop dates are fixed and cannot be adjusted based on individual preferences. The detailed content of course modules and the workshop programme will be communicated at the start of the academic year.
By the end of the first year, fellows are expected to prepare a detailed PhD proposal, which will be presented during the Maastricht workshops and in online sessions. The proposal will be reviewed by a committee based on academic quality, alignment with the institute’s research focus, the presence of a strong supervisory team, and the feasibility of the study. The decision on whether to continue in the programme is based on this assessment.
In the subsequent years, doctoral fellows mainly work on their dissertation at their pace and in collaboration with their supervisors, meeting online on a regular basis and exchanging ideas and work through predefined modes of interaction, online, by email or in person. They attend two full-time workshops of one week each in Maastricht every year. During this week they actively participate in the internal conference at UNU-MERIT in September and in the PhD presentations in March. They spend time working with the supervisor(s) and attend seminars, skills training, master classes and PhD defences of higher-year fellows. Progress is monitored and evaluated twice a year after each workshop.
Graduation time depends on the time fellows can actually spend on their research and expertise before joining the programme. Our fastest graduate completed the degree within 3 years and our slowest graduate took 8,5 years. Average graduation time is 5 years (including the first year).
In addition to the compulsory modules designed for the dual career track, our dual career fellows are welcome to attend and participate, depending on their time and logistical constraints, in the PhD courses of the full-time PhD track and the seminar series with weekly seminar speakers. They can be visiting PhD fellows for a somewhat longer period e.g. to finalise a chapter or prepare for the defence.
Programme flexibility
The dual career PhD programme allows for maximal flexibility, without jeopardising academic rigour and standards. To allow individual participants to combine their coursework with their professional life or with their research ambitions and needs, the PhD Programme Director can make adjustments to the programme which may include rearrangement or replacement of programme elements. This flexibility does not include the option to move face-to-face workshops, nor to participate in workshops online. It does however include the option to be waived certain courses based on existing knowledge as well as fast completion of the first year based on a fully developed and approved proposal at any point in the first year.
From the second year onward, programme milestones and processes are agreed on by participants and the supervisory team on an individual basis – with as the only requirement participation in the 2 workshops in Maastricht each year.
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Selection criteria
Admission requirements for our dual career PhD programme:
- A Master’s degree from a relevant academic field, including economics, political science, social sciences, computational social sciences, with a strong academic background in one of the core disciplines of the institute.
- Documented theoretical and practical understanding of one or more of the topics of interest specified in the introduction.
- Education requires spoken and written fluency in the English language, to be demonstrated through an approved test (see the application process section) for applicants from non-English-speaking countries.
- Approval and support from the candidate’s current employer to participate in the PhD programme is needed.
Desired qualifications:
- Knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Knowledge of the design, development and/or use of data, modelling and simulation methods and their application on a topic of interest
- Proficiency in academic writing
- Access to a complementary professional network or unique data is an asset
- Candidates who conduct research in their job are encouraged to apply
- Candidates from the Global South are encouraged to apply
Application process
Every year, we open a Call for applications in November, with a deadline for applications on 15 February. Applications are invited from highly motivated and talented fellows, especially from the Global South. Applicants for our dual career PhD programme must complete this online application form to apply for the programme.
In addition, applicants must submit the following:
1. Application letter (1 page) concerning your motivation for undertaking a PhD
2. Research proposal (2-3 pages) where you present the idea for the PhD project you would like to carry out, including theoretical and methodological approach. The proposal’s focus must be linked to the above core disciplines of UNU-MERIT, but the emphasis within this is up to the candidate to suggest.
3. A complete CV with information on education and previous research experience
4. A copy of your passport (PDF or JPEG)
5. Electronic copies of certified certificates and grades, and an explanation of the grading system. Upon selection, hard copies by postal mail will be requested.
6. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must document English skills by an approved test. Approved tests are TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). We require a minimum level of 600 PBT / 240 CBT / 100 IBT for the TOEFL, 7.0 for the IELTS, B for CAE and C1 for CPE. Maastricht University’s TOEFL code is 7102. Native speakers of English and students who received their Bachelor’s or Master’s education in English are exempted.
7. A letter of support (in English only) from your current employer and an indication of ways that they will support you during your PhD
8. One letter of recommendation (in English only) by a current or former professor or employer
For questions related to application documents or the application process, or questions you would like to have clarified before applying to the programme, we kindly refer you to our FAQ section.
Application deadline: 15 February at midnight CET.
All applications will be reviewed within two months, and a shortlist of candidates will be made based on the above selection criteria. All applicants will be notified of the outcome, and whether you are on the shortlist, by the end of April. Unfortunately, due to the high number of applications, we cannot give detailed feedback on your application.
Tuition and scholarships
To enrol in the DC PhD programme for the upcoming academic year, the following tuition fees apply:
Year one: € 9000
Subsequent years: € 7000
The tuition fees include all programme-related costs. It does not include costs associated with books, specific research costs, travel costs, visa and accommodation.
Scholarships
Currently, UNU-MERIT does not offer any scholarships for joining the dual career programme.
If you wish to apply for a scholarship, we will gladly assist you in this effort after you have been accepted into the programme, with recommendations and proof of enrolment. Before you have been accepted in the programme however, we can only indicate that you have applied for the programme, and confirm your eligibility to participate in a PhD programme to the funding institute (i.e., we cannot offer letters of acceptance or letters of recommendation).
Students from the USA
Students from the USA are now entitled to use the USA direct loan system when they apply to Maastricht University education programmes. This concerns Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD students. For more information, please visit this link.
Profiles of our Dual Career Phd fellows
We welcome researchers with a master’s degree who have strong academic records, professional and/or volunteer experience, affiliation with academic research and a special interest in the core disciplines of UNU-MERIT.
Participants in the dual career PhD programme have external work responsibilities, leaving them with less time for PhD research. Our participants – who may be policy analysts, researchers and academic consultants from the public and private sectors, international organisations and research institutes – have jobs that allow them to spend a minimum amount of time on research activities that eventually lead to a PhD degree. Ideally, the employer of the participant supports the researcher actively by allocating time and facilitating research work (e.g. by providing data, support, related assignments, etc).
Since the application requirements not only include educational degrees but also relevant work experience and endorsement of the employer, the average profile of a dual career PhD fellow is rather different from the average profile of a full-time PhD fellow – they are typically early to mid-career professionals.
Learn more about some of our current dual career PhD fellows:
Adam Adou
Mohamed Ag Alhousseini
Elena Camilletti
Hannah Gerits
Abdelraham Hussein
Julian Kortendieck
Rodrigo Lopez Barreda
Giovanna Mazzeo Ortolani
Ilsa Meidina
Ari Perdana
Cristina Perricone
Dobrina Poirier
Olga Rataj
Karol Rodriguez
Abdinassir Sagar
Alexis Salazar
Karin Schmidt Martinez
Pietro Tornese
Joyce Treptow
Chloé Van Damme
Edwina Zoghbi
Graduates
2024
Alejandro Álvarez-Vanegas
Professor at Universidad EAFIT
Moving universities towards Education for Sustainable Development
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Shyama V. Ramani, Prof. Dr. Louis Volante & Dr. Carlos Cadena-Gaitán
Philipp König
Head of Unit Dispute Resolution at the European Investment Bank
Towards Collaborative Accountability
Changing Patterns of Accountability in International Development Finance
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Mark Bevir & Dr. Mindel van de Laar
Claudia Roethlisberger
Economist and Advisor to Deputy Secretary-General at UNCTAD
Essays on the contribution of personality traits and social norms and the effectiveness of a policy intervention
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Franziska Gassmann, Prof. Dr. Wim Groot, Dr. Bruno Martorano
Ricardo Morel Berendson
Program Director at Innovations for Poverty Action
Beyond money metrics: Essays on Multidimensional Poverty
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Franziska Gassmann, Dr. Bruno Martorano & Dr. Nyasha Tirivaya
Jacqueline Rose Mary Salguero Huaman
Officer at International Trade Centre (UN/WTO)
Making Trade Work for Gender Equality: Essays on The Trade and Gender Nexus in Developing Countries
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Shyama V. Ramani, Dr. Neil Foster Mcgregor
Maria Antonieta Collazos Ortiz
Assistant Professor at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
On the Political Economy of Resource Rents Distribution: Insights from a Developing and Decentralized Country
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Eleonora Nillesen, Prof. Dr. Arjan Hille Schakel & Dr. Pui-Hang Wong
2023
Carmine Paolo de Salvo
Sector Senior Specialist - Rural Development at Inter-American Development Bank at Inter-American Development Bank
Agricultural policies and agricultural performance in Latin America and the Caribbean
Casty Njoroge
Lecturer at Technical University of Kenya
The Impact of Land Registration on Agricultural Productivity in Kenya
2022
Emanuela Sirtori
Partner, Senior Researcher at Csil
LED there be light The evolution in LED technology and dynamics of entry into the LED lighting market
Erich de la Fuente
Professor at Florida International University
Limiting Media Freedom in Democratic States: How Governments Use Instruments to Curtail News Media Freedom
More Information
Contact
PhD Director: Dr. Micheline Goedhuys
PhD Coordinator: Soha Youssef
Phone: (+31 43) 388 4449
Email: phdprogramme@merit.unu.edu
Address:
Boschstraat 24
6211 AX Maastricht
The Netherlands
Tel:+ 31 (0)43 388 4400
Consultation hours:
In case you have questions about the respective programme tracks you can attend our online consultation hours on:
• December 9, 2024
• January 23, 2025
at 16.00-17.00h (GMT+2 Amsterdam time).
Please send an email to phdprogramme@merit.unu.edu to register and receive the meeting details.
Accomodation
For short stays, we recommend comparing options on hotel and hostel websites like Booking.com, Hostelworld, or even Airbnb.
• Bastion Hotel: Conveniently located across from our building, Bastion Hotel offers a discounted rate. When booking, mention the corporate agreement with Maastricht University. Please note that discounted rates are subject to availability and may not always be guaranteed. We suggest checking if regular bookings on their website or hotel comparison platforms offer a better price.
• The Social Hub: Another great option for short-term stays, The Social Hub offers a vibrant environment, popular with students and professionals. You can request the Maastricht University corporate rate here as well, though availability is not guaranteed.
Please use your Maastricht University email address if you would like to request a booking benefiting from the corporate agreement. If you encounter any difficulties in securing discounted rates, please reach out to the PhD office for assistance.
To ensure availability and the best prices, we strongly suggest booking your accommodation as early as possible.
Other useful resources for housing:
• MyMaastricht: A portal with information about living in Maastricht, tailored to international students and PhD candidates, including housing options.
• Maastricht Housing: Primarily for long-term rentals, but some short-term options may be available. Requires registration.
• Pararius: A platform that aggregates apartment listings from various agencies.
• Housing Anywhere: A platform for students sub-renting their rooms while on exchange. Ensure you verify the legitimacy of the listing before booking.
• Facebook Groups: Several groups feature short-term sublets in Maastricht. Be cautious and follow safety guidelines to avoid scams.
Code of Conduct
The code of conduct for the recruitment of researchers consists of a set of general principles and requirements that should be followed by employers and/or funders when appointing or recruiting researchers. These principles and requirements should ensure observance of values such as transparency of the recruitment process and equal treatment of all applicants, in particular with regard to the development of an attractive, open and sustainable European labour market for researchers, and are complementary to those outlined in the European Charter for Researchers.
Institutions and employers adhering to the Code of Conduct will openly demonstrate their commitment to act in a responsible and respectable way and to provide fair framework conditions to researchers, with a clear intention to contribute to the advancement of the European Research Area.
UNU-MERIT adheres to the European Charter for Researchers as well as the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice.