PhD studentship in Work-integrated Learning – With a specialisation in AI in Teacher Education

University West is recruiting a doctoral student in work-integrated learning for the national graduate school GRAITE: Graduate School for Artificial Intelligence in Teacher Education. GRAITE brings together nine Swedish higher education institutions and constitutes an interdisciplinary collaboration focusing on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the content, practice, and values of teacher education.

We are looking for someone who:

Is ambitious, curious, and has very strong analytical skills. You want to work at the intersection of social sciences, informatics, and work-integrated learning. You are interested in questions concerning how AI influences and challenges education and/or vocational education in various ways. This may, for example, include:

• how AI changes professional practices in education

• how communication between schools, guardians, and pupils/students is affected by AI

• students’ actual use of AI in education

• how digital competence and critical AI literacy develop in interaction with technology

The scientific part of the project

As artificial intelligence assumes an increasingly prominent role in society, there is a growing need for research that deepens our understanding of how this technology reshapes education, work processes, and professional roles, as well as the organizational opportunities, risks, and consequences that accompany its adoption.

The doctoral project seeks to contribute to the advancement of future education through research of high relevance to teacher education and the teaching profession. At University West, this work is closely aligned with the university’s strong profile in work-integrated learning (WIL), where the dynamic interplay between learning processes and professional practice is a central focus.

Doctoral degree program: Work-integrated Learning

Research center:

As a doctoral student in work-integrated learning, you will engage in a rich academic environment with strong national anchoring through the GRAITE graduate school, complemented by a strong local foundation at University West. At University West, you will be part of a vibrant doctoral research environment in work-integrated learning and affiliated with the research cluster Informatics and Media, where digitalisation, learning, and societal development are central themes.

Job description:

The research program includes, in addition to participation in third-cycle courses and other activities, the implementation of independent thesis work. Doctoral students shall primarily devote themselves to their own education. A doctoral student may, however, be engaged to a limited extent in education, research, and administration, mainly within Production Technology. Such duties, before a doctorate has been conferred, may not occupy more than 20 percent of full-time working hours. (Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100) Chapter 5 section 2).

Qualification requirements:

To qualify for appointment as a PhD, two eligibility requirements must be met: 1) basic eligibility and 2) special eligibility.

1. The basic eligibility requirements for doctoral programs as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance are as follows:
   • a degree at master’s level,
   • completed courses totaling at least 240 university credits of which a minimum of 60 at master’s level
     or,
   • substantially equivalent knowledge gained in some other way whether in Sweden or abroad.
     
     
2.  To fulfil the special eligibility requirements for a doctoral degree in Work-integrated Learning, a student must hold a degree at master’s level in a subject relevant to the doctoral degree subject with a thesis project corresponding to at least half a year of study. The eligibility requirements may be fulfilled by studies in Sweden or abroad.

For more information please read 3.1 and 3.2 in General Syllabus for Third-Cycle Studies in Work Integrated Learning, daybook nr U 2021/814. 

Additional Qualifications:

Mandatory:

• very good oral and written communication skills in both Swedish and English.

Other relevant but not mandatory qualifications:

• documented experience of research work and academic writing (previous publications are considered an asset),
• teaching qualification or experience working in schools and/or teacher education,
• experience of designing, implementing, and developing digital environments,
• completion of a second-cycle or first-cycle degree in informatics, information systems, or a related field.

Selection:

The basic factor for selection among qualified applicants is the ability to profit from such a program. For more information, please read 3.3 in General Syllabus for Third-Cycle Studies in Work Integrated Learning, daybook nr U 2021/814. 

Duration and terms of employment:

Employment as a doctoral student shall be on an open-ended basis but not for longer than to a specific point in time and never for a period extending more than one year after receiving the doctoral degree. The initial appointment must not be for more than one year. The appointment may be renewed for no more than two years at a time. A person may be employed as a research student for a total of not more than eight years. The total period of employment, however, may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study at the third level of higher education. (Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100) Chapter 5 section 7). If 20% of the working hours are dedicated to education and administration, this normally means an employment of 5 years.

Application

Applications are to be submitted electronically through the University West web-based recruitment tool, Varbi.

The application must include:

• CV/Personal qualifications
• Personal letter containing
  • Interest in the research topic.
  • Previous experience regarding the proposed research topic and its research          methods and scientific theories.
  • Motive to pursue doctoral studies
• A preliminary research proposal outlining how you intend to approach the dissertation work, including research problem, aim, research questions, theoretical framework, methodological considerations, and the expected scientific and societal contributions of the study.
• Degree project of second level of higher education
• Degree certificate of first and second level of higher education in the original language and in translation
• Diploma Supplement in original language and in translation
• Course list/transcript of all semesters for bachelor's and master's degrees in original language and in translation
• Other documents which the applicant wishes to invoke. If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that makes assessing your degree easier. If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

Approved written languages regarding papers, diplomas, grades and other relevant documents are the Scandinavian languages and English, or translations into those languages. Attach the original when submitting translated documents.

Documents that cannot be sent digitally, should be marked with ref.no R 202X/XX sent to:

University West
HR
461 86 Trollhättan
Sweden

The application should reach University West no later than 2026-03-01. Mark the application with ref.no: R 202X/XX.

The Department of business economics and IT strives for equality and diversity in all professions. We welcome applicants with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For us, it is natural with an inclusive working environment and that our employees can combine work with active parenthood.

Welcome with your application!

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