University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
The Department of Political Science and Public Management at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applications for one or two PhD scholarships starting November 1, 2026. The call is open to self-proposed research projects within the department's research areas — political science, public administration, international and regional politics, welfare studies, and journalism studies. Not directly a Space position, but students could propose topics on space policy, governance and conflict research. Importantly, this is an open proposal call: applicants define their own research agenda, making it directly accessible to candidates wishing to pursue doctoral research in space governance, space security, arms control in outer space, the politics of commercial space, or the international relations of emerging space powers. Projects would be hosted within the International and Regional Politics (IRP) research section, which covers comparative politics, public policy, and international relations — all frameworks directly applicable to the governance of outer space activities. SDU PhD students are expected to spend three to six months at a university abroad, participate in PhD courses, contribute to teaching, and engage with the department's international scholarly networks. The department has established exchange relationships with leading institutions including Stanford, Oxford, and the University of Amsterdam. For space policy researchers seeking a European academic base with strong international relations faculty, this open call represents a flexible entry point into doctoral study. Applications must include an anonymised project proposal of no more than 12,000 keystrokes.
Master's degree in political science, international relations, public administration, or a closely related social science discipline High academic level and original, clearly articulated research project proposal (max 12,000 keystrokes, anonymised) Strong motivation for independent doctoral research Capacity to contribute to teaching and supervision of undergraduate students Priority given to candidates with backgrounds in political science, international relations, journalism and communication, or social sciences Application submitted via SDU's online portal including application form, project proposal, and supporting documents