(Apologies for cross posting)


Call for applications (deadline 10/3/2015)


2 PhD fellowships in the field of Caspian Studies (social sciences and economics)


Tallinn University of Technology, Department of International Relations


http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/jobDetails/33977837



In the frame of the Marie Sklodowska Curie Innovative Training Network project


Around the Caspian: a Doctoral Training for Future Experts in Development and Cooperation with Focus on the Caspian Region (2015-2019)


Funded by the REA of the European Commission in the frame of the Horizon 2020 Programme



The Department of International Relations, at the Tallinn School of Economics and Business Administration is looking for perspective candidates with a background in economics/social sciences and with an interest in the Caspian region (Russia, Caucasus, Central Asia, Iran). Ideally, they should know one of the regional languages but willingness to learn it as part of their fellowship is also acceptable.


Successful candidates will be employed as junior researchers and enrolled as PhD students to complete a PhD thesis related to one of the following two topics within the contract period of 3 years. They will also undergo complementary training in two of our project partners and will have a budget to work on their personal development.



Topic 1 is intended to critically engage with Western-based definitions of welfare and social policies to discuss whether current models of welfare and neoliberal approaches can be imported to the region or if new approaches, which offer a nuance of existing theory, show an alternative way of conceiving social policies in the region.



Topic 2 should focus on formal and informal mechanisms to manage marketing, business, investment and risk in the Caspian region.



Methodology for both topics can be negotiate and may range from qualitative to quantitative but can also be mixed.



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Description of the PhD and training programme

CASPIAN (2015-2019) is an Innovative Training Network that has received 3.8 Million Euro under a Marie Sklodowska Curie Scheme funded by the Research Executive Agency of the European Commission with the goal of training the next generation of experts on the Caspian region.


The training will have three main components:


Academic training: the students will have to undergo an extensive academic training. Based at Tallinn University of Technology they will attend regular network events and will have access to a network of excellent universities where to receive complementary training.


Private sector training: in the course of their fellowship, our fellows will have the chance to spend a period in one of our partners to get a work experience and learn how to use academic skills for non-academic sectors.


Worldwide vision on the Caspian region: fellows will be encouraged to spend a research period in one of our non-EU university to gain an alternative, and non-Eurocentric, vision on the Caspian region.



The successful candidates will be involved in a large training programme benefiting from participation of the following partners:


Full partners (beneficiaries)

Non-academic partners

Academic non-EU partners

1. Dublin City University (Coordinator)

2. Tallinn University of Technology

3. Oxford Brookes University

4. University of St Andrews

5. University of Coimbra

6. University of Ghent

7. Forschungstelle Osteuropa

1. Eastern Partnership Advancement Centre

2. Kimmage Development Studies Centre

3. Ainouras Research

4. Finnish Institute of International Affairs

5. Centre for Social Studies

6. Levada Centre

7. Transitions online

1. Renmin University of China

2. Jawaharlal Nehru University

3. Marmara University

4. Harvard University

5. Moscow Higher School of Economics

6. Hanyang University



Eligibility and technical information


Candidates of any nationality and residence are eligible to apply as long as they meet the following criteria




To apply send an application package containing:



To: [log in to unmask]


The same address can also be used if you need an answer to a specific question that is not findable on the Marie Curie website or this announcement.


Deadline for receiving the documents is 10 March 2015



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Information about the Marie Sklodowska Curie actions is available at


http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/


http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about-msca/quick-guide/index_en.htm



Financial and other technical information is available at


http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/doc/call/h2020/h2020-msca-itn-2015/1622613-itn_2015_-_guide_for_applicants_v1_en.pdf


Tallinn School of Economics and Business Administration (TSEBA) at Tallinn University of Technology has been providing high quality education in economics and business administration since 1941, greatly benefiting from being an integral part of Tallinn University of Technology, which is one of the largest universities in Estonia. TSEBA is generally accepted to have not only the highest reputation but also the largest student body studying business at the university level in Estonia. A wide selection of economics, business and international relations programmes are provided on bachelor`s, master’s and doctoral levels, all of which benefit from national and international accreditations and recognition.



The Department of International Relations has 22 faculty members who deal with International Relations and European and/or Asian studies or closely related fields. There are 3 PhD students and close to 100 MA students. The Department has participated in the Erasmus, Leonardo and other European programmes. The Department teaches its programmes in English and it has recently established a Research Centre for Asian-Pacific Studies. About one fourth of the student body are international students. Recent projects of the department include: