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Sustainable Transformations and Wellbeing Chair

PhD Opportunity in Pluriversal Thinking for Sustainability

We are pleased to announce an open call for a PhD position in the Chair of Sustainable Transformations, Transdisciplinary Research, and Wellbeing. This chair is part of a collaborative initiative between the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) under the auspices of SWIFFT (Sustainable World Initiative & Fellowship for Transformation) (https://www.swifft.be/). The Chair is situated within the VUB-HOST and ULB departments, working closely with Professors Cathy Macharis (VUB) and Wouter Achten (ULB).

  • Type of contract
  • Starting date
  • Application Deadline
  • Interviews
  • Four-year doctoral grant (full time)
  • October 15th, 2025 (negotiable depending on availability)
  • August 15th, 2025
  • Mid-September, 2025

The PhD candidate will conduct research within the framework of Pluriversal Thinking for Sustainability. They will work on research questions within one or more of the three axes of the Chair (see infra).

The Chair will lead pioneering research that addresses the evolving dynamics of scientific practices within ecological, social, and institutional contexts. This position is integral to exploring the following key research questions within the axes of:

  1. Reimagining Knowledge: How does the knowledge necessary for driving sustainable transformation differ from the knowledge that has contributed to the current systemic and climate crises? The Chair will explore and develop theoretical and practical approaches that examine the roles, power structures, and influence of various forms of scientific knowledge in sustainability transitions.
  2. Redefining Value: the academic environment is highly competitive and metrics driven, which do not capture all forms of knowledge creation and transfer, or societal or transformation impact, and which might put pressure on well-being. How could a wider range of academic work be evaluated? And, how can well-being be enhanced through new ways to value academic work, impact. And, how could these valuations change the underlying structures.
  3. Rethinking Universities: How can the role of public institutions such as universities reshape to contribute more frontally to socio-environmental dynamics and transformations. And, inversely, how can emerging socio-environmental transformations reshape the role of public institutions such as universities?

We Offer

  • A four years PhD position
  • Doctoral guidance by a team of two professors (mainly SONYA-ULB with prof. Wouter Achten, also VUB-HOST prof. Macharis) and one postdoctoral researcher (Kimberley Vandenhole)
  • A doctoral journey shared with another doctoral researcher who is part of the team
  • Joint PhD (bimatriculation)

Profile description

Foremost we are looking for a very enthusiastic and motivated candidate with a keen and very open interest in the research domain of Pluriversal thinking and knowledge for sustainability, including questions of wellbeing, epistemology, transdisciplinarity and knowledge production.

For this PhD position, we seek someone with a clear and strong motivation to do research, who is able to think beyond their borders of knowledge, who can think critically, who is able to work both individually as in group (we will be at least 5 working together), who can manage their time, who can set intermediate goals, who can write well, and who can develop towards an independent researcher.

SWIFFT being a consortium between a Francophone and Dutch university, a proficient English is a must, knowledge of Dutch and/or French are a valued asset.

Formally, candidates need to hold a master’s degree, and need to have graduated with at least the grade of distinction.

Work Environment

The offered PhD position will be jointly supervised (double diplôme) by Prof. Cathy Macharis (VUB), Kimberley Vandenhole (VUB) and Prof. Wouter Achten (ULB).

At the ULB the candidate will integrate will be part of the Socio-Environmental Dynamics Research Group (SONYA) (https://sonya.sciences.ulb.be/fr) (Faculty of Sciences). SONYA focuses on analytical research of the systemic sustainability links between micro, meso and macro levels (i.e. individuals, groups, companies, economies, states, etc.), and more specifically on the interaction between societal and natural systems. SONYA consists of 3 professors, 5 postdoctoral researchers, 10-15 (PhD) researchers, and hosts expertise on the political, governance and transitions aspects of sustainable development, on social systems’ networks, and on environmental and sustainability impact assessment and management tools.

At the VUB the candidate will integrate in the House of Sustainable Transitions (https://www.house-of-sustainable-transitions.be/). HOST is there to help in acquiring new knowledge, give more insights in the sustainability impact of social and technological innovations and mobilise people to learn together and scale up these niche innovations. To be able to answer these complex challenges, HOST will remove existing academic silos and foster inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations.

How to apply

To apply, you should send an application to Prof. Wouter Achten (wouter.achten@ulb.be).
Your application should consist of:

  • A doctoral research proposal: what do you plan to work on? What are your ideas ? We don’t ask for an elaborated proposal ; instead tell us what questions inspire you and why. What do you want to study ? Do you have any preference for certain methods, fields, concepts, theories, ideas, … ? Describe your ideas and take on Pluriversal thinking which carry away your enthusiasm and strong research motivation. Explain how it fits within the frame of Pluriversal Thinking for Sustainability and the Chair’s axes.
  • A cover letter stating your motivation to pursue a PhD, to pursue it in this domain, and past experiences regarding the content of this vacancy.
  • Extensive curriculum vitae (including the grades obtained in your Master)
  • A digital copy of the best scientific work you produced (a course task, master dissertation, paper).

Application have to be sent no later than Augustus 15th, 2025. Interviews of shortlisted candidates are foreseen mid-September, 2025. Ideal starting date: October 15th, 2025 (negotiable depending on availability).

Please name your documents following this format: SURNAME-NAME_NameOfTheDocument.pdf. (ex.: SURNAME-Name_CV.pdf; SURNAME-Name_MotivationLetter.pdf)

Upload here

For further information on the position or the research project you may contact Wouter Achten (wouter.achten@ulb.be).