Apply now! Fully funded PhD position in Tallinn University
The School of Governance, Law and Society at Tallinn University is seeking to recruit a highly motivated and talented PhD Student to join the ERA Chair in Sustainable Futures project (SustainERA, DOI: 10.3030/101186958). The project is led by Prof Anu Realo and Prof Kai Pata and is funded by the European Commission's Horizon Europe “Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence” programme.
Running from 2025 to 2029, SustainERA will combine high-level research with the development of innovative solutions to promote a sustainable mindset and practices. By integrating expertise from multiple disciplines and fostering international collaboration, the project also aims to enhance Tallinn University’s research excellence and capacity. Four doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers will be recruited through an international competition to complement the existing research team.
This PhD project, titled “Policy Development for Governing Sustainability Transitions,” will be supervised by Prof Leif Kalev (main supervisor) and Dr Tarmo Pikner (co-supervisor).
The project will examine key actors in policy design, development, and implementation across different levels of governance. It will examine how national policymakers adopt European Union regulations, adapt them to local context, and understand the implementation process and practices. The project will investigate how these perspectives align with the views of other actors, such as local governments and governance partners, and how they, in turn, relate to the understandings of citizens and communities. Where possible, the research will identify ‘good’ and ‘bad’ political and governance practices in terms of effectiveness, feasibility, legitimacy, and other relevant aspects for research and dissemination. Special attention will be given to societal acceptance and co-governance of sustainability policies and solutions, as well as to the agency and democracy of citizens and communities. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to implement their own research plan, focusing on policy development for governing sustainability transitions, particularly within Estonia and the EU. The candidate is encouraged to propose a specific focus that aligns significantly with the overall objectives of the project and will be subject to negotiation.
The successful candidate should hold an MA in Political Science, Policy Studies, Governance, Law or a related field (or be near completion). They should have a strong background in qualitative text analysis methods, particularly for document and interview analysis, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Knowledge of Estonian, as well as experience with elite interviews and the analysis of policy and legal documents, would be considered an advantage.
