Wexsus and Chalmers University of Technology are taking the next step towards establishing an international doctoral network in sustainable development, in collaboration with partner universities within the IDEA League and from African countries. With support from a planning grant, a full application to the EU programme Horizon Europe MSCA is now under development.
Wexsus and Chalmers University of Technology have jointly been awarded a planning grant to develop a proposal for Horizon Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Doctoral Networks. The goal is to create an international doctoral network focused on sustainable development, in collaboration with partner universities within the IDEA League and from African countries.
The proposed network will result in a Joint Doctoral Network application. Its aim is to educate early-stage researchers in interdisciplinary methods with high relevance for the green transition, particularly in areas such as energy and urban environments. The research will be carried out in close cooperation between African and European universities, with strong connections to real-world sustainability challenges in Africa, Europe, and beyond.
The network is planned to include around ten doctoral projects and a joint training programme. Each doctoral project will be developed under the supervision of a team consisting of two European and one African researcher, with the objective of creating interconnected projects that combine academic excellence and societal relevance.
A dedicated course package will be developed to be included in the doctoral research training. The course package will provide doctoral candidates with advanced skills in transferable competences, interdisciplinary approaches, sustainable development, and gender perspectives in both academia and the workplace. The training programme will include physical meetings and a shared webinar series.
A distinctive element of the programme is the integration of work-based learning, in collaboration with University West, industry, civil society, and public sector organisations. The doctoral candidates will be offered placements in various sectors, where they will engage with real-world issues related to sustainable development.
The planning grant now enables the development of a complete application to the EU programme, with the aim of announcing and appointing doctoral positions once the main project is funded.
The project is led by Associate Professor Magdalena Eriksson at Wexsus and Professor Erik Ahlgren at Chalmers University of Technology.
