PhD position: “Informal Social Support and Human Capital Development in Developi

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Belonging to the best research universities of Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.



Faculty of Economics and Business

The Faculty of Economics and Business offers an inspiring study and working environment for students and employees. International accreditation enables the Faculty to assess performance against the highest international standards. It also creates an exciting environment of continuous improvement. FEB's programmes, academic staff and research do well on various excellence ranking lists.



FEBRI, the graduate school and research institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business has available



One PhD position in the field of “Informal Social Support and Human Capital Development in Developing Economies”



Project description

Institutions for solidarity are crucial in providing a safety net for individuals and communities to cope with adversities such as child disability, health crises, natural disasters or economic shocks. In developing countries, formal support systems such as comprehensive social security systems, unemployment benefits, public healthcare and government-funded education are often relatively weak. People therefore rely more on informal support to cope with adversities. The aim of this project is to investigate how informal institutions like family networks, community-based organizations, religious groups or mutual aid associations help to address adversities in the areas of education and health.



Organisation

The PhD position is embedded in the research unit Development Economics of the research programme Economics, Econometrics, and Finance of FEB’s Research Institute. The project will be supervised by a team with extensive experience using primary and secondary data, namely Sarah Grace See, Mark Treurniet and Robert Lensink.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate is ambitious, highly motivated and wishes to make a career in research. He or she has a thorough training in research skills, speaks and writes English fluently and has obtained excellent results in the master phase.

The PhD candidate should have a background (MSc, research master) in economics (with focus on development economics, health economics, economics of education or applied econometrics) or related disciplines. Applicants with quantitative skills and an interest in interdisciplinary research are highly encouraged to apply.

Salary Benefits:

The full-time appointment is temporary for a period of four years, under the condition of a positive assessment at the end of the first year. The gross monthly salary is € 2,901, which increases yearly to a maximum of € 3,707. Based on the gross salary you will receive an additional 8% holiday allowance each year in May, and an additional 8.3 % end of year bonus in December. PhD candidates contribute 20% of their time to teaching in years 2-4.



Starting date: Preferably per September 1, 2025.



An assessment may be part of the procedure, consisting of psychological tests and an interview.

38 hours per week

Broerstraat 5