BI Norwegian Business School’s Department of Communication and Culture is inviting applications for a four-year doctoral scholarship with special focus on human-centered data governance, privacy and smart environments, starting on 1 January 2027 or earlier on mutual agreement.
The PhD scholarship is linked to the DECODE research project, co-led by Professor Dr. Aurelia Tamò-Larrieux at the University of St.Gallen and Professor Dr. Christoph Lutz at BI Norwegian Business School, with Professor Dr. Simon Mayer at the University of St.Gallen as the project partner. DECODE is a Swiss National Science Foundation-funded interdisciplinary project spanning legal, social sciences, and technical perspectives. It aims to develop more human-centered data governance solutions for smart environments. The project responds to a growing mismatch between complex, often opaque data processing in smart environments and individuals’ ability to understand and exercise their privacy rights. Drawing on privacy-enhancing technologies, computational law, human-computer interaction, communication research, personalization research, and evidence-informed policymaking, DECODE investigates how design- and code-based approaches can support more actionable privacy protection. The project will develop regulatory strategies, policy prototypes, and best practices for relevant stakeholders such as data protection authorities.
The PhD candidate’s research will have a particular focus on the communication and user dimensions of human-centered data governance in smart environments. Possible areas of focus include individuals’ understanding of data processing in smart homes, user perceptions of privacy-enhancing technologies, transparency in smart environments, personalization and tailored privacy protection, regulatory communication, or the role of design and interface choices in supporting privacy rights. The successful candidate is expected to develop an independent PhD project that fits within the broader aims of DECODE and contributes to the project’s interdisciplinary research agenda.
BI’s Department of Communication and Culture, where the candidate will be based, is home to about 50 faculty members, including doctoral candidates, lecturers, senior lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, full professors, and teaching professors. The department is highly international in its faculty composition and research profile. It hosts research groups within Internet and society, the creative industries, corporate communication and education management. Ongoing research in the department is concerned with topics such as digital transformation, privacy, artificial intelligence, the future of work, communication technologies, corporate social responsibility and business ethics, arts and creative industries management, language management, and innovation in education.
The candidate will join BI’s four-year doctoral programme, which is designed for talented students who wish to pursue an international academic career and contribute to the international research community through high-quality publications. The recruitment of PhD candidates is an important element of the department’s research agenda and contributes to BI’s vision of being one of the leading business schools in Europe.
Eligible applicants must have completed a Master of Science degree with thesis work, a research master’s/M.Phil. degree, or a comparable degree relevant for the specialization in Communication by the time they start. Relevant disciplinary backgrounds include, but are not limited to, communication, media studies, human-computer interaction, information systems, sociology, psychology, law and technology, science and technology studies, management, political science, or related social science and interdisciplinary fields. An MBA degree does not fulfil the requirements for admission.
Given the scope of the DECODE project, any of the following qualities would additionally be viewed as favourable:
- Knowledge of privacy, data protection, digital governance, or technology regulation
- Interest in smart environments, smart homes, or connected devices
- Knowledge of human-computer interaction, user studies, interface design, or digital media use
- Interest in privacy-enhancing technologies, computational law, personalization, transparency, or explainability
- Skills in qualitative and/or quantitative research design, data collection, and analysis
- Experience with experimental, survey-based, interview-based, participatory, or mixed-methods research
- Interest in interdisciplinary collaboration across communication studies, law, computer science, design, and policy
- Strong academic writing skills and motivation to publish in international peer-reviewed journals
The accepted applicant will be offered close supervision and follow-up by research faculty. The PhD candidate will work closely with Professor Christoph Lutz at BI Norwegian Business School and will be integrated into the broader DECODE project team, including funding for research stays in Switzerland and international conferences.
The four-year scholarship is currently 623,200 NOK per year and will be adjusted according to applicable regulations. The position provides automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens Pensjonskasse). The scholarship includes 25% teaching responsibilities equivalent to a full-time professor position. The PhD candidate will have their place of work at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway.
Additional information about the doctoral programme, admission requirements, and the application process can be obtained from the Doctoral Administration at BI Norwegian Business School (Email: [email protected]) and the PhD specialization in communication website (https://www.bi.no/en/programmes-and-individual-courses/phd/communication/).
Candidates are asked to upload the following information with their application:
- Certificate of a Master of Science degree or equivalent, including transcripts of grades. Eligible applicants must have completed a Master of Science degree with thesis work or a research master's/M.Phil degree, or a comparable degree by the end of the summer of 2026, with a grade point average of B or higher. An MBA degree does not meet the admission requirements.
- Certificate of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, including transcripts of grades. Please note that BI requires a two-year master’s programme and average grades of B and above to be eligible
- A Diploma Supplement or a similar document describing in detail the study and grade system and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree
- Other relevant certificates and transcripts
- An original project proposal of 2-3 pages, including topic, proposed method, schedule, and relevant literature, that falls within the above-mentioned themes of the DECODE project. If generative AI is used to generate any text, this needs to be clearly stated and cited.
- CV
- At least 2 letters of recommendation from relevant employers, professors, or supervisors providing evidence of the applicant’s skills as a researcher
- Certificates from previously completed courses at the doctoral level, if requesting approval of these for the PhD programme at BI Norwegian Business School
- A complete list of all publications and/or other documented relevant activities
- Signed verification document
Applicants must take either TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum standards for test scores acceptable for admission are:
- TOEFL: a total score of 575 points for the written test, 233 for the computer-based version, or 90 points for the internet-based test
- IELTS: a score of 6.5
Exemptions are made for applicants:
- whose native language is English
- who have two years or more of higher education where the language of instruction was English
- from a country that is a member of the EU/EEA and/or the Council of Europe/UNESCO-CEPES, who have English as the first foreign language taken over a period of at least seven years in primary school, secondary school, and upper secondary education
Under certain circumstances, applicants may request a waiver for the TOEFL or IELTS when applying for admission. TOEFL/IELTS scores must be from within the last two years. The codes for BI Norwegian Business School are as follows: GMAT 0529, TOEFL 0529, GRE 7365. For IELTS, copies are accepted as long as the TRF number is visible.
Please note that all documents must be uploaded in the electronic application system. Documents may not be submitted by e-mail. Furthermore, documents submitted after the application deadline will not be considered. Exceptions will only be made for students who are completing their master’s degree in 2026 and do not have a final certificate when applying. Please note that applicants will not be able to revise their application once it has been submitted.
Candidates may, at a later stage, be asked to forward further information and/or be called in for an interview.
Candidates who are accepted for the programme must provide a more detailed progress plan with milestones and courses for the four years of study.
More information
Further information about DECODE and the PhD position can be obtained by contacting Professor Dr. Christoph Lutz, Department of Communication and Culture, BI Norwegian Business School, Email: [email protected]
Questions about the PhD specialization in Communication can be addressed to Associate Dean Prof. Dr. Christian Fieseler: [email protected]
Application deadline: 6 September 2026
