Full-time Doctoral Scholarship Position in Sport Management and Policy at UCLouvain and KU Leuven

The Sport Management at UCLouvain and the Policy in Sports & Physical Activity Research Group at KU Leuven are looking for applicants for a full-time PhD position. Candidates should have a particular interest in the field of sport management/policy. The successful candidate will prepare a doctoral thesis within a timeframe of four years.

The Sport Management at UCLouvain and the Policy in Sports & Physical Activity Research Group at KU Leuven have systematically achieved high rankings for research and educational quality by independent accreditation committees. They have an extensive international and national network in the academic, governmental and non-governmental (sport) world, as well as a supportive work environment.

PhD research description

Sport has an impact on the natural environment, and in turn is affected by the natural environment. It is critical to study environmental sustainability in sport because of this mutual relationship between sport and the environment. Sport Environmental Sustainability (SES) is an underdeveloped research field that is dominated by international professional sport organisations, sport facilities and major sporting events. Given their social role and reach, non-profit sport organisations (NPSOs) are powerful avenues to influence their stakeholders’ behaviour (e.g., participants, consumers, employees, investors, suppliers, communities). However, little is known about how NPSOs manage their stakeholders’ expectations to implement environmental sustainability actions. Therefore, it is vital to gain a better understanding and assist in the successful deployment of pro-environmental changes by NPSOs.

Job description

• conduct scientific research in the aforementioned domain to obtain a PhD from both institutions in accordance with the Joint PhD regulations
• participate in doctoral school courses
• present results at international scientific conferences
• publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals
• participate in teaching and research activities of the respective research groups (Sport Management UClouvain) and Policy in Sports & Physical Activity Research Group at KU Leuven) and affiliated research centres (Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organizations - LouRIM)
• be based in Belgium for the duration of her/his PhD and will spend two years at each partner university
• work in a social, tolerant, and constructive working environment that offers many and diverse opportunities for personal and academic development
• form and extend a large personal network with people in both the academic world and the field of sport
• earn a decent salary (conform to the official university scales).

Profile of the candidate

We seek a highly motivated candidate with a MA and/or MSc degree obtained by the start of the contract with honours (magna cum laude as a minimum) in sport/movement sciences (sport management/policy), applied economics, management, political sciences, psychology, sociology, or any other relevant discipline. Specifically, we are looking for a candidate who:

• shows an interest in conducting fundamental and applied research
• is familiar with social science methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative
• has excellent scientific writing and presentation skills
• is proficient in communicating and writing in English. Knowledge of Dutch and/or French is an asset as regular contacts with organisations in the field of sport in Belgium will be required
• has a strong sense of ethics, teamwork, combined with the necessary skills to work independently and respecting deadlines.

Offer

We offer a full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment. The successful candidate will be employed initially for two years, with a possible two-year extension provided after a positive evaluation. The job position has a starting date of October 1, 2022. Successful completion of the PhD programme will result in a doctoral degree from both KU Leuven and UCLouvain. The two universities are committed to creating a diverse environment with emphasis on equal opportunities.

Application process

Qualified applicants should send their application (a single PDF document containing all files) by email to Prof. Géraldine Zeimers (geraldine.zeimers@uclouvain.be) and Prof. Jeroen Scheerder (jeroen.scheerder@kuleuven.be). The application should contain:

1. A letter presenting the candidate’s motivation and eligibility for the position
2. A CV showing the candidate’s past experience and expertise in the research area
3. A short 1-page proposal for a research plan relevant to the position and PhD research described.

Applications are to be received by August 15, 2022, at the latest. The call will be closed as soon as we have found the right candidate.

A job interview will be organised with the pre-selected candidates and Prof. Géraldine Zeimers and Prof. Jeroen Scheerder in August 2022, preferably in person.