项目介绍

2026年5月22日

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 58 000 students and 6800 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies (IDPP) is one of the strongest educational research environments in the Nordic countries. At the department, there is a shared interest in developing knowledge that contributes to a more equitable and sustainable society through education and research. Work at the department includes teacher education and research on education, the teaching profession, instruction, and learning, as well as development initiatives relevant to school practice. At the undergraduate level, the department is responsible for the primary teacher education programme and the supplementary teacher education programme (KPU), and contributes to the subject teacher education programme. For more information, please visit: https://www.gu.se/en/pedagogical-curricular-professional-studies

Are you a teacher or teacher-trained professional interested in how teaching can be developed through research? Would you like to deepen your expertise in your subject while contributing to school development? Then a doctoral position within the research school Best Practice (BEPPE) may be the next step in your professional career.

The University of Gothenburg is seeking a doctoral candidate with a subject didactic focus on mathematics for the BEPPE research school, with admission to the doctoral subject area Subject Matter Education with Specializations or Educational Work.

Research School on Subject-Specific Didactic Models in Early Primary Education (BEPPE)

The BEPPE research school aims to contribute to more systematic knowledge about how several scientifically established but different subject-didactic models function across subjects and school contexts, and how they can be integrated into teacher education and compulsory school years F–6. This means that, as a doctoral student, you will conduct research on concrete teaching practices in the early years of compulsory school, closely connected to teacher education and school practice.

The research school is jointly organised by Karlstad University and the University of Gothenburg, with a total of nine doctoral students.

Applications are welcomed from teacher educators, school teachers, or others interested in researching teaching and learning within the advertised specialisations. You may be at the beginning of your professional career — what matters most is your interest in teaching, learning and school development. The BEPPE research school offers a dynamic environment with opportunities to establish international networks, participate in conferences, and undertake research stays abroad. For further information about the graduate school and its focus: BEPPE

Research Environments

An important aspect of the research is contributing to both theoretical and practical development in schools and teacher education. As a doctoral student, you will be affiliated with one of the following specific subject-didactic research environments:

• Didactic Classroom Studies, where teaching, learning, and the content of these processes are examined together:
  Didactic Classroom Studies

• Phenomenography, Variation Theory, and Learning Study, focusing for example on how students’ opportunities to learn specific subject content can be improved. The research investigates content-related conditions necessary for learning and how these can be created in teaching through practice-based research together with teachers: Phenomenography, Variation Theory and Learning Study

Duties

As a doctoral student, you will primarily devote your time to your doctoral education. Doctoral studies consist of 240 higher education credits for a doctoral degree and 120 credits for a licentiate degree. This is an opportunity to study while receiving a salary, combined with work and the possibility of beginning an academic career.

As a doctoral student, you are expected to work independently and contribute in various ways to the work and development of the subject area and department. You will have the opportunity, together with others, to deepen your knowledge within your areas of interest. By agreement, participation in teaching and administration — known as departmental duties — may become relevant. Such duties may comprise a maximum of 20% of full-time employment.

The position offers significant freedom to plan and organise your work, which requires commitment, initiative, and the ability to structure your work in order to successfully complete a dissertation. To contribute to a good working environment and support both the organisation’s and your own development as a researcher, you are expected to be present and actively participate in daily activities and the academic community.

Eligibility and Admission

Eligibility for Educational Work

Applicants are eligible for doctoral studies in Educational Work if they meet both the general and specific entry requirements and are otherwise considered capable of completing the programme.

General eligibility requires:

• a second-cycle degree, or
• completion of at least 240 higher education credits, including at least 60 credits at second-cycle level, or
• equivalent knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad.

Specific eligibility requires one of the following:

• A teaching degree at second-cycle level, alternatively a teaching degree plus an independent degree project of at least 15 credits at second-cycle level.
• At least 90 higher education credits focused on educational professional practice or child and youth activities, or equivalent, including at least 30 credits at second-cycle level and an independent degree project of at least 15 credits.
• Equivalent knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad.

In addition to the general and specific eligibility requirements, good knowledge of a Scandinavian language is required due to the nature of the research.

Eligibility for Subject Matter Education with Specializations

To be admitted to doctoral studies in Subject Matter Education with Specializations, applicants must fulfil the general and specific eligibility requirements and be considered capable of benefiting from the programme.

Specific eligibility requires one of the following:

• A teaching degree including courses corresponding to at least 60 higher education credits in a relevant subject-didactic field, and an independent degree project of at least 15 credits at second-cycle level.
• At least 90 higher education credits, including at least 30 credits at second-cycle level, in a relevant subject-didactic field, including an independent degree project of at least 15 credits.
• Equivalent knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad.

In addition to the general and specific eligibility requirements, good knowledge of a Scandinavian language is required due to the nature of the research.

Assessment Criteria

Particular emphasis will be placed on:

• the quality of the qualifying degree project/thesis
• the quality of the submitted research proposal and its relevance to the research school’s focus

Great importance will also be attached to:

• willingness to participate actively in the research environment
• personal qualities such as independence, perseverance, initiative, and collaborative ability
• good proficiency in English

Teaching experience is considered an asset, primarily within compulsory school and secondarily within other educational settings.

Terms of Employment

Following admission to doctoral studies, employment as a doctoral student will be offered in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 5, Section 3. The position comprises four years of full-time study devoted solely to research. If teaching or other departmental duties become relevant, the employment period will be extended correspondingly, up to a maximum of five years full-time.

The initial appointment is limited to one year and may thereafter be renewed for up to two years at a time, in accordance with Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The employment starts on October 1 or as agreed.

Salary follows local collective agreements with fixed salary progression for doctoral students.

Admission is subject to the necessary formal decisions being made.

Application

Applications must be submitted through the university’s web-based recruitment system ReachMee.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement, that documents in languages other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, or English are translated, and that qualifications are documented in a way that enables objective and qualitative assessment. Complete applications must be submitted before the application deadline. Incomplete applications may result in qualifications not being fully assessed.

The application must include:

• A cover letter describing the background to your interest in the position (maximum 1 A4 page)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Degree certificates and transcript of records
• Thesis/degree project of at least 15 credits at second-cycle level, and, if available, one additional research-related text (e.g. article or report)
• A preliminary research proposal describing the intended dissertation project (maximum 5 A4 pages, font size 11 excluding references), including background and purpose, previous research, theoretical framework, methods, and references
• Two references, for example from teachers, supervisors, or previous/current managers
• Any additional merits relevant to the position

All documents and publications to be included in the application must be uploaded directly to the digital application (not provided as links). Each uploaded document should be clearly named.

Documents that cannot be submitted digitally may be sent to:

Department of Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies
Attn: Katarina Grönbäck
University of Gothenburg
Box 300
405 30 GOTHENBURG
SWEDEN

Please mark the envelope with reference number PAR 2026/453.

Application deadline: June 21, 2026