项目介绍

2026年2月6日

Do you want to research and develop artistic and art-based approaches to address the challenges of regenerative economies? Situated at VU and HvA, this position will be part of the JUST ART consortium on art & climate justice.

Your function

As one out of ten PhDs within the JUST ART consortium, and one of the two positions located at VU/HvA, the focus of this PhD will be on regenerative economies. 

A climate-just approach to the production of life sustaining goods is crucial for all societal groups. It must ensure that these essential goods are produced and distributed equitably and sustainably. This PhD position is intended to explore solutions for the challenges that entrepreneurs face when they want to produce life-sustaining goods in a regenerative manner. Regenerative practices require business models supported by an organizational design structure that focus on restoring nature and communities, creating products that do not deplete but enhance the earth and social systems.

You will thus work in co-creation with entrepreneurs to develop artistic and art-based approaches to address the many challenges entrepreneurs find on their path to regeneration. You will closely collaborate with entrepreneurs of the Network Regenerative Practices, hosted by the Centre for Economic Transformation at Amsterdam University op Applied Science (Hogeschool van Amsterdam/HvA). You will explore how more-than-human agents can become active co-creators in regenerative entrepreneuring. Examples for research areas are regenerative business models (how to create, deliver and capture multiple forms of value – economic, social, and environmental, human and non-human – in a regenerative context); entrepreneurship (sensing and seizing opportunities for regeneration, fostering innovation and resilience in their practices); fair economic ecosystems (analyzing and visualizing the life cycle of life-sustaining goods, with a focus on ensuring traceability, transparency, and accountability across the entire value chain). Candidates are encouraged to motivate which of these focus areas aligns best with their expertise and interests, and why. Please, feel free to add a research area that is not listed above.

Your duties

• you actively contribute to the JUST ART Consortium community through participation in and organization of workshops with project partners, and participate in the JUST ART School’s writing retreats and other activities and the VU Graduate School training programme
• you write a doctoral thesis that complies with theVU Doctorate Regulations and integrates an artistic/art based research format (e.g., exhibition, workshop)
• you engage with societal partners, e.g. organise collaborative knowledge exchange as well as educational and dissemination activities
• you present your research in academic, artistic, and societal context (e.g. conferences, exhibitions, workshops, community gatherings) and publish at least one peer-reviewed article or book chapter and contribute to other writing projects as required (including JUST ART website)
• you take on teaching tasks in year two and three of your PhD
• due to the collaborative nature of the project, regular physical presence is expected

Your profile

• you must hold a relevant second-cycle degree (MA or equivalent) from an art school or university, aimed at the intersection of art, design, entrepreneurship and/or social sciences
• applicants with an active artistic or social design research practice – and ideally, established engagement with climate justice and/or environmental questions more broadly — are strongly encouraged to apply
• you can work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and intercultural research environment, including fieldwork
• you are enthusiastic about communicating research to academic and non-academic audiences
• you have excellent writing and speaking skills in English and Dutch

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 3.059,00 (Promovendus / PhD) and maximum € 3.881,00 (Promovendus / PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• a full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge