PhD student in Education - the Research School FYSALIS

The Department of Education announces 1-2 vacances within the PhD program in Education as part of the FYSALIS research school.

The Department of Education is looking for applicants who want to pursue doctoral studies in education with a focus on vocational teaching, vocational teacher education, and vocational learning – both in the classroom and in workplace settings.

The doctoral positions are part of the national research school for vocational didactics and the collaboration between school, working life, and teacher education (FYSALIS). The research school is a partnership between Linnaeus University (host university), Stockholm University, Kristianstad University, Malmö University, and Umeå University.

The Department of Education is one of the largest departments at Stockholm University within the Faculty of Social Sciences. Education is an academic discipline in which formal and non-formal education, development, and learning are studied in relation to cultural and societal contexts. Research at the department is conducted within various research groups and research subjects, which are presented on Department of Education under Research subjects.

In being a part of the national research school, you will be part of and attend courses in both the PhD programme at the Department of Education and specific courses and activities within the national research school. 

Project description

The Research School for Vocational Didactics and the Collaboration Between School, Working Life, and Teacher Education (FYSALIS) will, during spring 2026, admit a total of nine doctoral students at five universities: Linnaeus University, Stockholm University, Kristianstad University, Malmö University and Umeå University. The positions at each institution will be announced at slightly different times – keep an eye on the respective university websites!

In a world marked by rapid societal, political, economic, and technological change, vocational teachers and vocational teacher education must navigate complex societal challenges arising from, for example, climate change, threats to the resilience of democracy and the rule of law, social sustainability and gender equality, the digital transition, and artificial intelligence. Against this backdrop, the aim of FYSALIS is to explore vocational teaching, vocational teacher education, and vocational learning in collaboration, based on three interconnected themes: Vocational education from historical, societal, and international perspectives (policy, governance, educational models), processes of socialization and identity formation (vocational cultures, gender, class, ethnicity) and vocational didactics and social practices for vocational teaching and learning (vocational knowledge, workplace-based learning, assessment).

The planned start date for the research school is September 1, 2026. Courses within the research school will be given in Swedish respectively in English. To benefit from the content of the courses, a good knowledge of both languages is required.

The research school aims to strengthen the research foundation of vocational teacher education programs, with a focus on research related to vocational didactics, vocational knowledge and cultures, subject integration and teacher collaboration, workplace learning, and the assessment and validation of competence.

For further information about the focus and activities of the research school, see:
The FYSALIS research school, Linnaeus University

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

In order to meet the specific entry requirements, the general syllabus for doctoral studies in the field of Education stipulates that applicants must have completed courses equivalent to at least 90 ECTS and a thesis of at least 15 ECTS in one of the following subject areas: education, international and comparative education, didactics, subject-specific didactics, child and youth studies, special education, pedagogical work,

or a teaching degree equivalent to at least 180 ECTS, including a thesis of at least 15 ECTS,

or a Bachelor of Arts in Study and Career Guidance, including a thesis of at least 15 ECTS,

or completed courses equivalent to at least 90 ECTS within another Social Science or Humanities subject area, including a thesis of at least 15 ECTS.

In all cases, the thesis must address research questions relevant to educational issues, theories, and methods.

In addition, the applicant must have excellent spoken and written English language skills, which will be tested during the admissions round.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training provided at the PhD level. Experience in teaching vocational education is an advantageous qualification.

Special attention will be given to results from previous studies, documented in the form of one independent research project/thesis at the Master’s level. The degree project/thesis must be written originally in either English or Swedish (or an official translation into one of these languages). A degree project/thesis written in Swedish must include a 1-page summary in English. The applicant may also supplement their application with one published peer-reviewed article.

The applicant’s research plan should tie into the aim of the research school and also describe how the research will contribute to it. In the research plan, the applicant should develop a well-supported research question and argue in favor of possible choices concerning theory and methods for the study. The research plan and previous academic texts provide the basis for assessing the applicant’s capacity to benefit from the PhD programme.

The quality of the submitted research plan will be a major factor in the selection and ranking of applications.

Applications are made anonymous before they are assessed and an assessor with a conflict of interest (such as a previous supervisor) will then not assess that application.

Applications are assessed by the departmental committee of PhD supervisors, and then ranked, in relation to the following criteria:

• Stringency of the research question and analysis of earlier work and of the research plan
• Familiarity with the research area of the intended research plan
• Methodological and theoretical understanding and the degree to which reflexivity is reached in the texts
• The qualities of planned research in relation to what it contributes to the discipline
• Demonstrated ability to consider research ethics in relation to the research study
• Ability to express themselves both written and verbally in an academic setting
• The planned study’s feasibility within the allotted time.

References will be checked and short-listed candidates will be interviewed – including a test of their written and spoken English.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

The PhD programme is a campus-based programme.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information, please contact the Director of Research Studies, Åsa Broberg, phone: +46 8 12076387, asa.broberg@edu.su.se, the Administrator of Research Studies, Erika Södersten, phone: +46 8 163650, forskarutbildning@edu.su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.