PhD scho­lars­hip on Com­mu­ni­ca­tion, Or­ga­ni­sa­tion and Gover­nan­ce in Ti­mes of Glo­bal Tur­moil at the De­part­ment of Ma­na­ge­ment, So­cie­ty and Com­mu­ni­ca­tion (MSC)

Copenhagen Business School invites applications for a vacant PhD scholarship on Communication, Organisation and Governance in Times of Global Turmoil at the Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC). The expected start date is 1 September 2026. 

MSC carries out multidisciplinary research on the relationship between business and society. Its faculty explore the conditions and practices of responsible management, organisation and governance in a globalising world, sharing a particular concern with culture, communication and context as lenses to understand the interaction and interdependencies of business and society. MSC’s contribution to the study of responsible business and governance is organised around various research environments.

Further information is available here: https://www.cbs.dk/research/department-management-society-and-communication.

The PhD scholarship on Communication, Organisation and Governance in Times of Global Turmoil seeks to deepen understanding of how global upheavals, democratic crises, and geopolitical shifts reshape the interplay between communication, organisation, and governance. Projects may centre on communication, organisational practices, governance, or their intersections. Possible themes include, but are not limited to:

• Communication, discourse, and representation in times of crisis - how narratives, imaginaries, and visualisations shape organisational and societal responses, public debate, cohesion, and struggles over legitimacy.

• Organisational and governance practices under polarisation and instability – how participation, accountability, and authority are negotiated within communicative and organisational processes amid upheaval.

• Markets, cultures, and everyday life disrupted – how cultural, perceptual, and linguistic differences are managed in communication, branding, and labelling when crises unsettle trust, livelihoods, and consumer relationships.

• Education, leadership, and collaboration for social and environmental change – how pedagogies, curricula, and partnerships (with communities, NGOs, public bodies) support decolonisation, inclusion, responsible management, and effective leadership.

Applicants are required to develop a theoretically grounded research proposal with a clear empirical focus. We welcome applicants from across the social sciences and humanities, including but not limited to organisation and business studies, communication studies, cultural studies, education, anthropology, sociology and political science. We particularly encourage proposals that include non-Western perspectives or Global South empirical contexts. 

The successful PhD applicant will be a member of the Communication, Organisation and Governance Research cluster (COG). It is required that the applicant indicates how the planned PhD research can contribute to this research environment.

About the PhD programme

The three-year PhD programme at CBS gives you the opportunity to conduct research under the supervision of CBS’s associate professors and professors, supported by research related PhD courses. The programme is highly international, and you are expected to participate in international research conferences and to spend time at another research institution as a visiting PhD student. See the CBS homepage for more information about the PhD programme, https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/phd-programme.  

CBS PhD graduates are held in high esteem not only in academia and research institutions but also in government and business where their research qualifications are in high demand.

CBS is committed to ensuring excellence, transformative and relevant teaching and research. Candidates who wish to join us must be interested in working in an organisation of this type and it is expected that the applicant shows an interest in joining the department's research environments. You can read more about the department's research here: https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/department-management-society-and-communication.

Application and admission requirements

The department will give priority to applicants with high grades from their universities.

To be considered the applicant must

• have a basic education at master's level (corresponding to the 3 + 2 Bologna process)

• have received the grade of 10 (or equivalent) for the master's thesis according to the Danish 7-point grading scale (https://ufsn.faellesweb.dk/english/education/recognition-and-transparency/)

• have a weighted grade point average of at least 8.2 on the Danish 7-point grading scale for the bachelor's and master's degree combined or alternatively a weighted grade point average must be at least 9.5 for the master's degree alone. If the grade point average is not met, documentation for being in the top 40% of the class is also accepted. In rare cases, the grade requirement can be waived.

• have a relevant educational background in the social sciences

• have completed the master's programme before the application deadline

• be in command of master academic English at a high level in writing and speaking

The application must include a five-page PhD project description. The project description must include:

• a presentation of an original research question

• a description of the initial theoretical framework and method

• a presentation of the proposed empirical material

• a work plan for the three years

More information can be found here: https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/phd-programmes/admission

In addition to the project description, copies of the following must be included:

• diploma for bachelor's and master's degree or other certificates at an equivalent level as well as the grade transcripts

• documentation for being in the top 40% of the class (if grade requirements are not met)

• a concise curriculum vitae (CV)

• If relevant, a list of articles and publications (if applicable)

• one example of a selected written work (e.g. master's thesis)

• documentation of English language skills is not required for the application but may be requested if the applicant is shortlisted for interviews.

The PhD student is enrolled in the CBS PhD School. Further information about PhD scholarships and the PhD programme can be found at https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/phd-programme.

For further information about the call, please contact PhD Coordinator and Associate Professor Thilde Langevang, email tla.msc@cbs.dk, and specifically for administrative matters, HR Coordinator Rikke Petersen, email rpe.msc@cbs.dk

Employment and salary
A PhD scholarship runs for a period of three years and includes teaching obligations corresponding to 416 work hours. The scholarships are fully salaried positions, according to the national Danish collective agreement. The monthly salary is currently approximately DKK 29,691,75 up to DKK 36,180 depending on seniority and a pension contribution totaling 18,07 %. The scholarship includes tuition fees, office space, course and travel costs (according to the current CBS agreement). 

Salary level and employment take place in accordance with the Ministry of Finance's agreement with the Academics' Central Organization.

Recruitment procedure 

The Recruitment Committee shortlists at least two-five applicants to be assessed by the Assessment Committee. Applicants are informed whether their application has proceeded for assessment.

Applicants selected for assessment will be notified about the composition of the Assessment Committee and will receive their personal assessment later. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview. Please note that a positive assessment does not automatically result in an interview. Once the recruitment process is completed each applicant will be notified of the outcome of their application. 

The application must be sent via the online link below. 

Copenhagen Business School must receive all application material, including all appendices (see above), by the application deadline.

Details about Copenhagen Business School are available at www.cbs.dk/en.