PhD student in Education with focus on school leadership

Malmo

Reference number P 2025/2614

Malmö University is an innovative, urban, and internationally oriented academic institution that, thanks to its committed and experienced staff, contributes to societal development. Here, teachers, researchers, and other employees with various competencies work together to conduct high-quality education and research. All professional categories and roles are important. You are welcome to apply for a job with us!

Here you can read more about what it's like to work at Malmö University: Job opportunities

We are looking for
PhD student in Education with focus on school leadership in one of the educational system's school forms at the Faculty of Education and Society, Department of School Development and Leadership. The research project will be linked to the complex tasks and roles of principals.

Work duties
A doctoral student should primarily devote himself or herself to his or her own doctoral education. However, a doctoral student may work to a limited extent with education, other research or artistic research and administration, but not more than 20 per cent of full working hours (Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 5, Section 2). The intended degree is a Doctor of Philosophy, which corresponds to four years of full-time postgraduate education.

Qualification
To be admitted to doctoral studies, the applicant must have general entry requirements and the specific entry requirements required by the subject, and that the applicant is deemed to have the other abilities needed to benefit from the programme.

To meet the general entry requirements for doctoral studies (according to Chapter 7 § 39 of the Higher Education Ordinance), the following must be:

• have completed a second-cycle degree,
• have completed course requirements of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are at second-cycle level, or
• has acquired essentially equivalent knowledge in some other way within or outside the country

Specific entry requirements for doctoral studies must be those who have successfully aired an independent project of at least 15 credits at advanced level within the third-cycle subject or equivalent knowledge that Malmö University deems to be equivalent.

Selection criteria
Selection among applicants who have general and specific entry requirements shall be made with regards to their ability to benefit from the education (Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 7, Section 41).

General selection criteria, in accordance with the general syllabus for doctoral education for the subject.

The basis for selection among eligible applicants is the degree of ability to benefit from the education and achieve its goals. When assessing eligible applicants' ability to benefit from the education, consideration is given to the applicant's independence and planning of previous work, the applicant's previously demonstrated ability to complete work adequately, the applicant's ability to formulate areas of investigation and problem, both in previous work and in the research plan for the planned thesis/thesis work, degree of methodological and scientific understanding in previous work, as well as in the research plan, and the ability to communicate, both in writing and orally. This is assessed through review of the doctoral student's submitted documents and during interviews.

The scientific discipline of education
Education is a scientific discipline that involves the study of education, upbringing and learning and how these relate to and are shaped by the institutional, economic, political, cultural and social contexts in which they are a part. The doctoral subject in education at Malmö University is founded in a societal context that focuses on educational, teaching and educational processes in preschool, school and adult education as well as non-institutionalised contexts. Knowledge formation and meaning-making in everyday life and education are seen as relational and interwoven processes. The subject of education at Malmö University is characterised by practice-based research and professional affiliation based on value perspectives such as democracy, diversity and inclusion.

The Faculty of Education and Society
The Faculty offers professional education for school, culture, leisure and sports. The faculty runs one of Sweden's largest teacher education programmes, where students choose one of four qualifications: preschool teacher, primary school teacher, subject teacher or vocational teacher. In addition to education for sports scientists, teachers, special educators, special education teachers and study and career counsellors, there are freestanding courses, doctoral education, further education and contract education. The faculty is characterised by an innovative approach to the design of the programmes and collaborations with schools, municipalities, organisations and the business community. Our research is conducted in close collaboration with the surrounding community. Since 2005, we have been in the Orkanen building, at Hjälmarekajen next to Malmö Central Station.

The Department of Educational Development and Leadership
The doctoral student positions in education are located at the Department of School Development and Leadership (SOL). The department has more than 35 employees who conduct research, teaching and collaboration. The research at the department has high relevance for and proximity to education, education, school development and leadership in all forms of education as well as for adult education and academia, including the education given at the department. Non-institutional pedagogical contexts are also researched. The department's educational offerings include special education and special education teacher training, education in leadership and school development, vocational teacher programs, supervisor training and courses in educational sciences.

Within the department's research environment, issues of high societal relevance are studied – from policy to practice – primarily related to school development, leadership, special education and professional skills. More specifically, research is conducted on issues of equality, diversity and human rights, as well as more subject-specific and didactic studies in special education and/or related to professional skills, leadership and professions in different forms of schooling. Ongoing studies forcus, for example, mathematics, language and communication development, identity formation, racism or people's differences and health. Furthermore, issues of quality work and documentation, work environment and/or other organizational and relational conditions for development are studied.

The research environment is characterized by versatility and inter- and multidisciplinary collaborations that in different and common ways address questions that are explained and understood through a variety of theoretical perspectives and empirical methods and materials. The research moves between theoretical and empirical approaches.

Information
Contact person for the Department of School Development and Leadership: Head of Department Ann-Louise Silfver, [email protected], +46(0)40-665 74 75.

Contact person for the Department of School Development and Leadership: Research Director, Linda Palla, [email protected], phone +46(0)40-665 80 29.

Contact person for the subject of education: Director of Studies Anna Jobér, [email protected], +46 (0)70-442 40 11.

In the recruitment process, Malmö University has taken a stand on the issue of recruitment channels and marketing. Hence, any offer of advertising or recruitment help in connection with this advertisement will be declined.

Application
You apply for the position via Malmö University's recruitment system by clicking on the "Apply" button. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions below and that it is received by the University no later than 30 January 2026. Your application must be written in Swedish, English or one of the Scandinavian languages. As an applicant, you are responsible for translating your application and its appendices if necessary.

The application must include:

• A certified curriculum vitae

• Degree certificates, study certificates and other relevant certificates
• A brief research plan that presents the research focus and thesis idea and how it relates to the specific call (max 4 pages). The research plan must contain an overall purpose, questions that the project intends to answer, an account of the methodological approach, a description of the collection of material and the type of research material, and an account of the theoretical framework
• Your independent second-cycle work
• Any other publications you wish to include (a maximum of 3 research reports or academic articles or the equivalent)

Miscellaneous
This is a temporary full-time position in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance Ch. 5, section 7.

Malmö University is an academic workplace characterised by an open and inclusive approach, with an equality and equal opportunity policy constituting an added value for our organisation.

As part of this:

• Applicants of the underrepresented gender are given priority in admission, if they have an equivalent ability to benefit from the education.
• Doctoral students with long-term disabilities are given the opportunity to receive support and adaptations during their studies, with the aim of everyone being able to study on equal terms in a good study environment.

Malmö University applies salary setting for doctoral students in accordance with a local agreement on salary setting of doctoral students.

If the admitted person needs a residence permit to reside in Sweden and pursue his/her studies, the University reserves the right to revoke the admission decision if the admitted person cannot present a valid residence permit required for the studies at the date of study start.

Work samples are carried out in connection with a job interview and are intended to test the applicant's language and other academic skills and abilities.

During his/her studies, the doctoral student is expected to actively participate in international and national conferences and seminar activities within and outside the faculty, as well as actively participate in the research environment's seminar activities. The expected extent of attendance and contributions to the research environment must be written into the individual study plan.

Start date
1 September 2026

Union representatives
SACO Emma Lundin, [email protected]
Sveriges lärare Charlotte Paggetti, [email protected]
ST/ORF Lutfi Zuta, [email protected]

PhD Student Union representative
Johan Deltner, [email protected]

We look forward to your application!

You apply no later than 30/01/2026 by clicking the apply button.