The University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for green and sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.
In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.
The University of Stavanger School of Business and Law carries out research and offers study programs across all areas of business. The study options include bachelor programs in Business Administration, Digital Service Leadership, Accounting & Auditing, and Law. The school also offers master programs in Economic Transformation and Innovation, Business Administration, Accounting & Auditing, Service Leadership in International Business and Executive MBA, as well as research education (PhD). The Centre of Innovation Research is part of the school. There are currently 130 employees and 2,200 students at the school. The UiS School of Business and Law is organized in three departments; Department of Innovation, Management and Marketing, Department of Accounting and Law and Department of Economics and Finance.
Job description
The University of Stavanger invites applicants for a position as PhD Fellow in Cultural Heritage Tourism at the UiS School of Business and Law, Department of Innovation, Management and Marketing. The department examines sustainable heritage tourism as part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network project titled "HERITOUR - Enchanching collaborative synergies between Cultural HERItage and TOURism". The position is vacant from October 1, 2026.
This is a trainee position that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development through a PhD education leading to a doctoral degree.
The successful candidate will be admitted to the PhD program in Social Sciences. The programme includes relevant courses amounting to about six months of study, a dissertation based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant academic communication, a trial lecture and public defense. Read more about the PhD education at UiS on our website.
The appointment is for three years with research duties exclusively.
A career plan will be prepared that specifies the competencies that the Research Fellow will acquire. Access to career guidance will be provided throughout the doctoral education.
The position is part of the HERITOUR project and is externally funded by the European Commission - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (PR-11370).
Research topic
The PhD Fellow will be affiliated with the research project HERITOUR - Enhancing collaborative synergies between Cultural HERItage and TOURism.
HERITOUR is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network that examines how the cultural heritage and tourism sectors can collaborate more effectively to address shared challenges and reduce the negative impacts of tourism. Cultural heritage represents a major segment of contemporary tourism yet increasing touristification and overtourism have intensified debates about environmental degradation, social disruption, and pressures on heritage sites. Although European and international policy frameworks promote ethical and sustainable tourism, heritage and tourism governance remains fragmented, with sectors operating under different institutional structures and priorities. HERITOUR investigates how current collaborations function and how cross-sectoral policies can be developed within a democratic and regenerative governance model. The project focuses on hybridisation, sustainability, resilience, and democratisation, and provides interdisciplinary training for Doctoral Candidates.
HERITOUR is a collaboration between Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Stavanger, Middle East Technical University, University of Aruba, Mid Sweden University, and the University of Granada.
Successful Doctoral Candidates will be seconded at heritage and tourism organisations for the total duration of three months during the employment period.
A total of 10 PhD vacancies is available across the six universities. For more information, check out the individual vacancy pages of the universities, or check out the project website.
Research project
The PhD Fellow (DC5) will explore how collaboration between the heritage and tourism sectors can support the governance of sustainable intangible heritage linked to popular culture tourism, such as events, storytelling traditions, and cultural practices shaped by film, literature, television, or digital media. The project focuses on how cross-sectoral partnerships can create synergies that promote sustainable community involvement, diversified policymaking, and resilient heritage tourism practices across local, national, and European contexts. The research is centred on how stakeholders from heritage institutions, tourism organisations, policymakers, and communities can work together to strengthen the sustainable management and promotion of popular culture heritage tourism. Particular attention is given to collaborative governance approaches that support heritage preservation while fostering meaningful visitor experiences and long-term community benefits. The supervisory team consists of Professor Christine Lundberg,Dr Luc Alofs, and Associate Professor Kristina Lindström.
The PhD Fellow is expected to be involved in Research (1.0 fte):
Publishing and presenting research results in the form of articles in international peer reviewed journals and papers at international conferences.
Participating in intensive training schools as part of the HERITOUR training framework.
Writing a dissertation within the appointment duration of three years.
Partake in two secondments at Region Stavanger in Norway and Gaaltije in Sweden.
Taking part in seminars, workshops etc. that are organised by The University of Stavanger School of Business and Law, and University of Stavanger, as well as the HERITOUR consortium.
Project proposal
As an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project proposal for a doctoral project within the research topic, which explains the problem, relevance, theoretical and methodological approach. Your preliminary project proposal will be included in the application assessment.
During the first three months of the employment period, the project proposal and progress plan will be further developed in cooperation with your supervisors and completed for the final plan for the PhD-project. A project proposal template can be found here.
Qualification requirements
We are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree within cultural heritage, tourism, governance, policy making, sustainability, management, media studies and/or another relevant field, preferably acquired recently; or who possess corresponding qualifications that could provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate.
To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master’s thesis and the weighted average grade of your master’s degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade.
Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than sp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subjects that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales to calculate your points for admission.
You can not:
have resided or carried out your main activity in Norway for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the starting date of this employment, unless as part of a compulsory national service or a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention.
already be in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment. If you have successfully defended your doctoral thesis, but not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree, you are not eligible.
You must have:
professional and personal skills for completing the doctoral degree within the timeframe.
familiarity with and keen interest in research methods.
independent thinking and critical analytical skills.
motivation to carry out high level research and publish in top peer reviewed international journals.
excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
good collaboration skills and ability to join interdisciplinary and intercultural academic communities.
ability to work independently and in a team, be innovative and creative.
ability to work structured and handle a heavy workload.
Requirements for competence in English
A good proficiency in English is required for anyone attending the PhD program. International applicants must document this with a valid test certificate from one of the following tests:
TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT). Minimum result: 90
IELTS – International English Language Testing Service. Minimum result: 6.5
Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge
PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic. Minimum result: 62
The following applicants are exempt from the above requirements:
Applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA
Applicants with a completed master's degrees taught in English in a EU/EEA country
Applicants who are exempt based on HK-dir's GSU list
We offer
a PhD education in a large, exciting and societally important organisation
an ambitious work community which is developing rapidly. We strive to include employees at all levels in strategic decisions and promote an informal atmosphere with a flat organisational structure
free Norwegian language courses if you do not have proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish at level A2 at the time of employment
access to Lifekeys, a digital service for the preservation of personal mental health and well-being
salary in accordance with the State Salary Scale, l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 550 800 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
living and mobility allowances as part of the MSCA DN Fellowship. If you have a family, they may be eligible for a family allowance as part of the MSCA Fellowship
favourable membership terms at a gym and at the SIS sports club at campus
employment with an Inclusive Workplace organisation which is committed to reducing sick leave, increasing the proportion of employees with reduced working capacity, and increasing the number of professionally active seniors
as an employee in Norway, you will have access to an optimal health service, as well as good pensions, generous maternity/paternity leave, and a competitive salary. Nursery places are guaranteed and reasonably priced
Diversity is a resource in the working and learning environment at UiS. When we have different backgrounds and experiences, we can approach challenges from multiple perspectives and find better solutions. At UiS, we are committed to showing respect for each other's differences and accommodating employees with disabilities. We take into consideration your needs and your situation in various life phases.
If you find this position interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, cultural background, or whether you have been out of the workforce for a period.
If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in their CV, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups for an interview. If you fall into any of these categories, feel free to indicate it when applying for the position. Learn more about the criteria for being considered an applicant in these specific groups here.
The university aims to recruit more women within the subject area. If several applicants are considered to have equal qualifications, female applicants will be given priority.
Contact information
More information on the position can be obtained from Head of department, Silje Haus-Reve, tel +47 51 83 27 82, e-mail: silje.haus-reve@uis.no, Local Project Leader Christine Lundberg, tel +47 51 83 12 28, e-mail christine.lundberg@uis.no or HERITOUR Principle Investigator, e-mail: heritour@eur.nl.
Information about the appointment procedure can be obtained from senior HR advisor Helene Engelsgjerd Figved, e-mail: helene.e.figved@uis.no.
Application
To apply for this position please follow the link "Apply for this job". A short application text, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here.
The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:
CV with a full summary of your education and experience, including publication list (if applicable)
references, certificates/diplomas and other documentation that you consider relevant
Diploma Supplement or similar and a confirmed conversion scale if this is required
documentation on competence in English if this is required
publications or other relevant research work
proof of not having resided in Norway (not resided or carried out main activity in Norway more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the starting date of this employment - 1 September 2026)
the names and contact details of two potential references (no letters of recommendation are required at this stage).
Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation.
The application and all documentation must be available in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 100 MB, they must be compressed before upload.
Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act. If your request is not granted, you will be notified.
UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.
General information
The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology.
Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. The interviews will be conducted on July 15th and 16th 2026. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.
The appointee will be based at the University of Stavanger. It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at, and available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.
The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the English text takes precedence.
