We are looking for a PhD candidate in Informatics/Digital Learning

In a society increasingly characterized by AI, both teacher educators and future teachers need to understand, use, and critically relate to new technology.

This PhD position is announced in collaboration with the national graduate school GRAITE – The Graduate School for Artificial Intelligence in Teacher Education. GRAITE's mission is to create knowledge about how AI affects teacher education and the teacher's professional role. An important starting point in GRAITE is that Swedish teacher education should contribute to teacher students developing both technical, pedagogical, and subject didactic competence, while also safeguarding the school's democratic mission. A second starting point is that teacher educators can understand, use, and critically relate to AI technologies – while also preparing future teachers for teaching in a school and society increasingly characterized and permeated by AI.

The PhD project will address AI in teacher education, preferably with a particular focus on the natural science subjects and technology (STEM). Central issues may range from policy levels to being close to practice. This may involve studies that concern an organizational and management perspective as well as studies of teacher educators' teaching practices and teacher students' learning with AI within the STEM field.

The PhD candidate will be linked to the research program LeaDS, which focuses on learning and digitalization in various societal contexts.

The PhD project may, for example, address how digital technology (e.g., virtual reality, digital simulations, GenAI) can be used in schools and teacher education to develop teaching and learning of contemporary and future STEM issues.

This may involve research projects that deal with, for example, simulation and visualization in teaching STEM subjects or the use of generative AI, virtual laboratories, and AR/VR in teaching, both in schools and in teacher education. Applications related to interdisciplinary issues within education connected to digitalization, AI, and STEM are welcome.

Content and Responsibilities

Eligible for employment as a PhD candidate is someone who is admitted or has already been admitted to a doctoral program at a university (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 5, Section 3).

To be admitted to doctoral education, the applicant must have basic eligibility and the specific eligibility required by the subject, as well as being assessed to have the ability otherwise needed to benefit from the education.

Basic eligibility for doctoral education (according to HF Chapter 7, § 39) is held by those who:

• have obtained a degree at an advanced level
• have completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at an advanced level, or in some other way, within or outside the country, have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge

Specific Eligibility

• For eligibility to be admitted as a student to doctoral education in informatics digital learning at Halmstad University, the student must have obtained a degree at an advanced level (or completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at an advanced level) in informatics, information systems, interaction design, computer science, educational science, or another area deemed relevant to the doctoral education subject.

Furthermore, the applicant should have good knowledge of speaking and writing in Swedish and English.

Teacher education and/or professional experience as a teacher is meritorious.

Selection Criteria

In assessing eligible candidates, the applicant's ability to benefit from the education will be evaluated. Consideration will be given to the applicant's independence, ability to collaborate, planning, and ability to complete previous work; the applicant's ability to formulate research and problem areas, both in previous work and in the research plan for the planned dissertation work; the degree of methodological and scientific maturity in previously completed work, as well as in the research plan, and the ability to communicate, both in writing and orally. The relevance of the planned research direction in relation to the graduate school's prioritized areas will also be assessed.

A statement of purpose of a maximum of four A4 pages must be attached to the application. The statement of purpose should contain a reflection on the problem area and questions that the applicant considers interesting and relevant to research in relation to the graduate school's orientation.

Research Environment

The Academy of Learning, Humanities, and Society at Halmstad University (https://www.hh.se/om-hogskolan/akademier/akademin-for-larande-humaniora-och-samhalle.html) educates the teachers of the future from preschool to upper secondary education.

As a PhD candidate, you will be linked to the research program LeaDS LeaDS (https://www.hh.se/forskning/forskningsprogram/leads---larande-i-ett-digitalt-samhalle.html).

The research program offers a stimulating multidisciplinary research environment with about 30 senior researchers and about 10 PhD candidates.

As a PhD candidate, you will be linked to the graduate school GRAITE GRAITE (https://www.miun.se/kontakt/press/nyhetsarkiv/2025-11/ny-forskarskola-ska-rusta-larare-for-ai-samhallet/).

Inquiries

For questions about the graduate school and doctoral education: Contact person for the PhD position and for the Graduate School GRAITE, Professor Pernilla Nilsson, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), tel. 0708 352772

For questions about the employment: Contact person for the Department of Learning, LHS: Kalle Jonasson, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), tel. 0729 773821

Salary

Salary according to the agreement on salary scale for employed PhD candidates at Halmstad University.

Application

Apply here (https://www.hh.se/om-hogskolan/jobba-hos-oss/att-soka-jobb-hos-oss.html). Please note that in addition to the information on the link above regarding how to structure your application, a statement of purpose of a maximum of four A4 pages must also be attached to the application. The statement of purpose should contain a reflection on the problem area and questions that the applicant considers interesting and relevant to research in relation to the graduate school's orientation.

Other

We value the qualities that a balanced gender distribution and diversity bring to the organization. We therefore welcome applicants with different backgrounds, genders, abilities, and life experiences.

Facts about Halmstad University (https://www.hh.se/om-hogskolan/fakta-om-hogskolan.html)

Work with us (https://www.hh.se/om-hogskolan/jobba-hos-oss.html)

Welcome with your application!

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