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.
Core Research Areas
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.
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 own 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 these weeks 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 of Science or Master of Arts 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:
- Excellent qualitative and / or quantitative research skills
- 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
The new Call opens on 1 November 2026 and closes on 15 February 2027. 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 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. Native speakers of English and students who received their Bachelor’s or Master’s education in English are exempted.
Approved tests and minimum requirements:
- TOEFL: required minimum level of 100 PBT (or 5 in the new 1-6 scale); Maastricht University’s TOEFL code is 7102.
- IELTS: required minimum is 7.0/7.5
- Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)/C1 Advanced: min. 185
- UN Language Competence level: min. level 4, expert language competence
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
In case you wish to have a look at the full registration form beforehand please download this document which lists all the questions.
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 funding
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
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, strong 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:
Abdoul-Aziz Adama
Adam Adou
Victor Arribas Martinez
Mimoun Berrissoun
Elena Camilletti
Carolina Donnelly
Hannah Gerits
Brian Gillikin
Daniel Hopp
Julie Kamau
Julian Kortendieck
Simone Lombardini
Rodrigo Lopez Barreda
Giovanna Mazzeo Ortolani
Ari Perdana
Maria Pilar Ouro Paz
Abdinassir Sagar
Alexis Salazar
Karin Schmidt Martinez
Kirsten Schuettler
Alicia Grace Stenzel
Pietro Tornese
Chloé Van Damme
Nathan Webb
Carlos Zafra
Edwina Zoghbi
Graduates
2026
Dina Kamal
Field CTO at DataBahn, Ontario
Economic Shocks and Tax Morale
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Eleonora Nillesen, Dr. Kaj Thomsson, Dr. Jona Linde
Dobrina Stoyanova Poirier
Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD, New York
Meaningful E-Participation Outcomes Through the Interplay of Supply and Demand-Side Drivers
Supervisors: Dr. Mindel Van de Laar, Dr. Antonio Cordella
Christine Njoki Kiruthu-Kamamia
Global Health Scientist; Integrated Business & Technical Consultants, Inc, Zambia
Mhealth-Enabled Differentiated Service Delivery for HIV Care: A Case Study of the Lighthouse Trust HIV Clinic in Malawi
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Wim Groot, Prof. Dr. Milena Pavlova, Dr. Caryl Feldacker
Jonas Benjamin Krieger
Associated Partner, RGE & Partner, Munich, Germany
Understanding and predicting risk perception of artificial intelligence, Conceptual, cognitive, and computational perspectives
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Frederic Bouder, Dr. Matthias Wibral, Dr. Jorge Rui Almeida
Abdelrahman Mohamed Nagy Mohamed Hussein
Director of the MENA programme at 3IE, Egypt
Barriers To Employment In Egypt: Gender Norms, Childcare, And Household Dynamics
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Eleonora Nillesen, Prof. Dr. Bruno Crépon, Dr. Adam Osman
Karol Mayerly Rodriguez Cabrera
Senior Economist at PBE (Pro Bono Economics), UK
Economics of children’s outcomes: the role of policy interventions and household dynamics
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Wim Groot, Prof. Dr. Kristof De Witte
Renata Mayer Gukovas
Economist Social Protection & Labor Markets, World Bank Group, Washington
Skills for resilience: Human capital and occupational mobility across dynamic labor markets
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Didier Fouarge, Dr. Fabiana Visentin
2025
Amira Gamal El-Din
Policy Advisor DAI, Egypt
Resilience of Public Organizations: The Case of the Education Sector in Egypt
Supervisors: Dr. Zina Nimeh, Dr. Michal Natorski, Dr. Khaled Amin
Lotte Geunis
Parliamentary Adviser at International IDEA
Why Political Actors Engage Young People in Public Policy: Educational Reforms in Irelands and Flanders
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Mark Bevir, Prof. Dr. Louis Volante, Dr. Ortrun Merkle
Walter Mauricio Hernán Céspedes Quiroga
Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Bolivia
The Challenges of South America’s Lithium Triangle: Industrial Policies for an Emerging Global Value Chain
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Carlo Pietrobelli, Dr. Michiko Iizuka
Olga Rataj
Economist at the United Nations
The Role of Entrepreneurs and Financiers in the Circular Economy Transitions in Differing Geographical Contexts
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. René Kemp, Prof. Dr. Ludovico Alcorta, Dr. Serdar Türkeli
Márcia da Mota Darós
Associate Research Fellow at Institute for Economic Research on Innovation
Innovative capacity in low-tech service firms: An analysis of the Brazilian boutique hotels and pest control sectors
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Denis Pascal de Crombrugghe, Prof. Dr. Ludovico Alcorta
More Information
Contact
PhD Director: Dr. Micheline Goedhuys
Email: phdprogramme@merit.unu.edu
Please note that outside the period of the call, we do not have the capacity to answer individual questions about the call, eligibility and admission.
Consultation hours:
23 November, 16-17h : please register here
4 January 2027, 16-17h: please register here
1 February 2027, 16-17h: please register here
Upon registration, you will receive the link to the meeting.
Address:
Boschstraat 24
6211 AX Maastricht
The Netherlands
Frequently Asked Questions
Doctoral trajectory FAQ
- What doctoral degree will I receive upon completion of the programme?
Upon successfully completing the programme, Maastricht University will grant you the Doctoral degree (equivalent to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy). While UNU-MERIT is part of the United Nations University network and provides academic guidance and support, the degree itself is granted by Maastricht University. - Is there a list of experts or researchers and their respective research fields?
A list of the staff members and research fellows and their research interests is available on the experts' list section of our website. The publications of all staff are available online and freely downloadable, and you can search by staff member to find out if the publications are related to your research interest. - Can an external professor be on my supervision team?
According to the Maastricht University regulations, a supervisory team should consist of two to three people. You should have at least one Full or Associate Professor from Maastricht University or UNU-MERIT, who acts as your promotor and primary supervisor. In addition to your promotor, you can have co-supervisor(s), who should at least hold a PhD, but they do not need to be full or associate professors.
This means it is possible to have members on your supervisory team not working in Maastricht. They need to have a PhD degree from an institution recognized by the Dutch state. Additionally, your primary promoter needs to agree to work with them on the supervisory team. In practice, discussions about your supervisory team will take place after you have been accepted for the second year of the programme. - Should I contact a potential supervisor before applying?
It is not desirable to contact staff members before submitting your application to explore their willingness to act as a supervisor. Our staff members cannot accommodate personal requests for supervision and cannot support you in preparing your application. Candidates apply based on their own merits. The best approach is to thoroughly research the institute's agenda and assess if there is a topical alignment with your own research interests. When you submit your application, the PhD selection committee will evaluate its fit with the institute's focus and determine supervisory capacity.
Admission requirements
- I have obtained an MBA, does that make me eligible?
An MBA is usually not the ideal research master that we are looking for. Please note that at the UM economics faculty you can also do a DBA, doctor in business administration for more applied research, which may be a more logic extension of your executive career. (see https://www.msm.nl/education-programs/executive-phd/intro-executive-phd). If you have demonstrated research education and experience, that may compensate for the less research oriented educational background, we are willing to reconsider. - What are the English language requirements?
As the website indicates, if you are a native speaker or studied in English for your BA or MA, you do not need a TOEFL or other proof.
If you cannot be exempted from the English proficiency requirement, we need proof of your proficiency in English. We accept TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge English Proficiency and UN language competency tests. Minimum required scores are mentioned in the section ‘application procedure’.
The TOEFL code number of Maastricht University is 7102. - My TOEFL has expired, can I still submit it?
An expired copy will do. In case we need an updated one, we will let you know individually after reviewing the documents. - In my country, the next TOEFL exam date is after your application deadline. Can I send the exam results after the deadline?
Yes, you can. In case we select you for the programme, it will be conditional on you passing the English language threshold. - Can I be too young or too old for the programme?
Age is not a hard criterion we consider when selecting Dual Career applicants. - Can I apply if I am self-employed or an independent consultant?
Self-employed candidates or independent consultants can apply to the programme. Instead of an employer support letter, we would like to obtain a description of your company, with 1) its main focus / description, 2) starting date of self-employed/consultancy activities. Independent consultants can be considered self-employed, or employed by various institutions.
Application Procedures
- What are the application deadlines?
The application period for the Dual Career Programme opens on 1 November 2026 and closes on 15 February 2027. All documents must be submitted via the online system within this period. - What are my chances of being accepted in year one?
The selection process is highly competitive as the programme receives many high-quality applications every year. On average for the Dual Career programme over 120 people apply each year, and we tend to select a cohort of up to 15 fellows from them. - What should the research proposal include?
The main objective of asking you to write a research proposal is to get a clear idea of your research interests and background. This will help us find out if we can offer the right supervision for your research project. By giving details on the literature, you plan to contribute to, the research question and the methodological approach you plan to follow, we are in a much better position to assess our supervisory capacity for your topic. Therefore, ideally, the research proposal should include some of the following parts
(1) background to your research topic (relevance, literature to contribute to, gap in knowledge);
(2) research question(s);
(3) theoretical/analytical framework;
(4) methodological approach (eg qualitative/quantitative study; data sources and data collection methods).
Please note that a PhD dissertation can be written as a monograph or a collection of research articles. If you would opt for the latter, you may also readily develop a research proposal reflecting this structure, outlining about three research papers, with a brief description of the research question, theoretical framework, and methodological approach. We are aware that you may not have this fully developed at this stage, and it is indeed part of the first-year programme to develop the proposal in greater detail. However, we encourage you to reflect on your research plans in preparation for your application and share with us your thoughts. - What are the required documents concerning the grades of my Bachelor’s and Master’s?
We need the grades transcript and a document explaining the grading scale (if it is not on your transcript already), as well as a certified copy of the degree. A grades transcript is a document where we can see which courses you followed during your BA and MA, and the scores you obtained. The grading scheme informs us about the grading scales, if your grades were A-B-C, a scale 1-5, 1-10, 1-20 and at what grade you pass/fail. The degree is a copy of the official certificate from your university. In case you do not have such a copy, your university can offer you one or send one directly to us. - I have original copies of my certificates. Will you accept if I make copies and certify them with a notary public for uploading with my application?
For the application, you can just send us regular copies (pdfs) but once admitted to the programme, we will need certified copies or original certificates. We will send them to the verification unit to ensure they comply with the Dutch education system. No need to undertake any action now. Is it possible to apply before I have received all my grades for my Master’s?
It is not possible to start the programme without having fully completed an MA or MSc. If you can submit your grades list and indicate the date of completion, we can nevertheless take your application on board for review. You may be conditionally admitted to the programme. You will be admitted unconditionally as soon as we have received the degree and completion certificate.- How can I know my referees submitted reference letters?
When you use the online application form, you will enter the contact information of your referees. We automatically notify the referees and we directly ask their views on your performance. Once we have received your referee’s feedback, you will be notified that your application is complete. If you do not receive the notification, it is good to remind the referee. He/She can submit the reference letter until 22 February. - Can I schedule a call to explore if the research interests align with the University and have the University review my CV?
Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to schedule individual calls or review CVs at the application process stage. We do have group consultation hours where you can raise particular questions you may still have. The scheduled hours are indicated on the PhD introductory page. We encourage you to apply directly so that your application can be considered on its own merit.
Practicalities
- Can I have a full-time job while pursuing this PhD?
Yes, of course, the programme is designed for professionals. However, you should ensure that you have the time to attend workshops and progress with your research. - Do I need a visa to attend the workshops in Maastricht?
If you are a non-EU citizen, you will need a short-stay visa to attend the workshops. The PhD office will assist with visa letters upon request.
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.