Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Education

Job description

Applications are invited for a four-year position as PhD Research Fellow affiliated to the Department of Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo. The position will be connected to the research environment for studies in higher education and work, currently named HEDWORK. The area of research for the PhD is collaborative learning in higher education or work.

Collaboration in educational and work contexts holds immense potential for learning. Collaboration is generally seen as a meaningful form of activity, which often combines the learning of new knowledge and development of competences with problem solving, project-based work, or creative tasks in authentic contexts. Collaborative learning can take many forms; from short-term interactions during structured discussions, team-based simulation sessions or problem-solving tasks to long-term collaborative work on open-ended projects. Often, collaborative work or tasks are supported or mediated by digital tools, which partake into complex collaboration ecologies. The rise of intelligent technologies, such as generative AI tools, has placed the spotlight on new forms of collaboration, between human and non-human agents. There is an urgent need for research on how collaborative practices evolve with these powerful tools, and support learning in disciplinary or interdisciplinary contexts. In addition, the nature of the interaction between human and machine triggers new questions about the locus of agency and learning these emergent collaboration ecologies. Such examinations may require in-depth qualitative analyses but also mixed-methods approaches, possibly enabled by emerging AI-enhanced techniques. 

The PhD project should overall contribute to a better understanding collaborative learning in higher education work context. The candidate is expected to conduct empirical studies and analyses of rich datasets, and in particular, interaction data, with a focus on examination of collaborative learning processes and practices. The PhD position can be connected to ongoing projects with a focus on collaborative learning and practice (especially, TeamLearn or CORPUS), and make use of projects’ datasets. The project description is expected to elaborate on the research problem of the prospective PhD project, how it is embedded in the research literature and which theoretical perspectives as well as methodologies are considered. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the listed contact persons for further information. 

More about the position

The fellowship period is 3 years. There exists a possibility for extending the contract period to 4 years, depending on the institute’s need to teaching staff and the selected candidate’s teaching competences. In the case of a 4-year contract, 3 years are devoted to research work and training required for obtaining the PhD degree, and 1 year (or the workload corresponding 25% of the position) will consist of teaching and supervision in the institutes study programmes. 

The research fellow must take part in the Faculty’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the project within the set fellowship period. The main purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. 

For more information, please see our web site. 

Qualification requirements

Applicants must satisfy the requirements for admission to the faculty´s PhD programme. 

This normally includes:

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in education or another field with relevance to higher education research (e.g., educational sciences, educational psychology, social or behavioral sciences)
• A Master’s degree (120 ECTS) with a minimum grade B (ECTS grading scale) or equivalent. The master’s degree must include a thesis of at least 30 ECTS, with a minimum grade B.
• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade C (ECTS grading scale)
• For 5-year studies, the average grade must be C or better for the first three years, and B or better for the last two years (ECTS grading scale). The Master thesis must have been graded with a minimum grade B.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English and Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language)

In the assessment of applications, emphasis will be placed on:

• The quality of the project description, the description of the research topic’s relevance to educational issues, the specific problems to be studied, the choice of scientific theory and method, and the proposed implementation plan for the stud. It is important that the topic and the methods in the PhD project are aligned with relevant research on collaborative learning and practice, and theoretical perspectives that allow interpretation of collaboration in context.
• The applicant’s experience, personal suitability and motivation for the post, including the ability to collaborate and to form part of a cross-disciplinary academic community
• The applicant’s academic attitude and motivation regarding completing the research training program
• Documented experience with research within the educational field, preferably learning sciences or educational psychology. 

Personal skills

In the assessment of applications, emphasis will be put on the applicants’ academic and personal qualifications for completing the research training program personal suitability and motivation for the position good ability to collaborate nationally and internationally. 

We offer

• Salary NOK 550 800 – 594 000 per annum depending on qualifications in a position as PhD Research Fellow, (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply and what to include in your application

The application must include:

• Cover letter, including statement of motivation and research interests
• A project description, including progress plan (5-7 pages). Please see our guidelines. 
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work)
• Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only). Foreign applicants must attach an explanation of their grading system
• Documentation of English proficiency (for information on required documentation, see information on this webpage)
• Master thesis
• A complete list of publications and academic works
• List of reference persons: 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail, and phone number)

Incomplete applications will not be assessed.

Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link: “Apply for this job”. 

When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the project description and the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. Applicants may be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The appointment may be shortened/given a more limited scope within the framework of the applicable guidelines on account of any previous employment in academic positions.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

Apply for this job

Questions about the position

• Crina Damsa (Professor), +47 22840725, crina.damsa@iped.uio.no
• Monika Bærøe Nerland (Professor), +47 22858172, m.b.nerland@iped.uio.no