EU-CONEXUS Enables PhD Call 2025

The EU-CONEXUS Enables project, is a gateway to international collaboration in research within the Alliance! In 2025 the project offers a call for five fully funded PhD positions as part of a 36-month research initiative to develop sustainable solutions for coastal regions. The project is financed by European Research Executive Agency.

Research teams from participating universities are expected to offer a range of interdisciplinary thesis topics, with a special focus on digitalization and Digital Twin solutions, providing an exceptional opportunity for students to contribute to sustainable coastal solutions through international and collaborative research.

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EU-CONEXUS Enables PhD Call 2025

Available PhD topics

  1. Harnessing Algae-Derived Biostimulants to Enhance Crop Resilience and Productivity: A Multi-Omics and Digital Twin Approach
    Collaborating institutions: Agricultural University of Athens and Catholic University of Valencia

  2. Multi-Layered Digital Twin for Sustainable Coastal Built Environment
    Collaborating institutions: Frederick University and University of Rostock

  3. Hiking 4.0: The Digital Transformation of Hiking and its Impact on the Sustainable Management of Natural Parks in Coastal or Peri-Urban Areas
    Collaborating institutions: University of Zadar and Catholic University of Valencia

  4. Development of a Digital Twin for Ship’s Diesel Engine Operating on Alternative Fuels
    Collaborating institutions: Klaipeda University and University of Rostock

  5. Enhancing Energy and Environmental Efficiency through Integrated Parametric and Agent-Based Modelling for Bio-Mimetic Design in Structural Components (E3-BioMod)
    Collaborating institutions: Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest and South East Technological University

5 PhD Positions available
1 per Widening partner

Duration: 36 months

Budget: approx. 100 000 Euro per PhD position as student salary

General agreement and minimum requirements of
EU-CONEXUS PhD Co-tutelle EU-CONEXUS
Doctoral School Framework

Collaboration between top EU universities from Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, and Romania (widening partners) and France, Spain, Germany, and Ireland (non-widening partners)

Timeline

May 1 – May 31, 2025

Call for Applications

Co-tutelle PhD positions for international doctoral candidates are open to apply

June 16 – June 20, 2025

Notifications sent to shortlisted candidates

Only shortlisted candidates will receive notification and will be invited to an interview

July 7 – July 20, 2025

Final Selection of Five Successful Applicants

September / October 2025

PhD Programme Start

Partner Universities

Partner universities Responsible for managing the entire budget (Widening partners):

  • Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
  • Frederick University
  • Agricultural University of Athens
  • Klaipeda University
  • University of Zadar

Co-supervising partner universities (Non-widening partners):

  • La Rochelle Université
  • Catholic University of Valencia
  • University of Rostock
  • South East Technological University

Application Submission

Application documents must be submitted in English. If originally issued in another language, a certified English translation is required.

List of Documents:

  • Download the Application Form, complete it carefully and accurately, save the file, and be ready to upload it in a later step
  • Curriculum Vitae Europass format (CV)
  • Motivation Letter
  • Proof of Identity (passport or national ID for EU countries)
  • Master’s and Bachelor’s Diploma or certificate of expected graduation
  • Transcript of Records for both diplomas
  • Recommendation Letter
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Selection Process for PhD Candidates

The selection process is based on a competitive evaluation that includes two main stages:

Eligibility and Quality Assessment:

  • All submitted applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria (see Selection Criteria section).
    • Applications will be scored out of a maximum of 100 points.
    • Only candidates scoring at least 70 points will pass to the next phase.

Interviews:

  • Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview, held in English.
    • Interviews will be conducted by the co-supervisors for each topic and the EU-CONEXUS selection committee.

The final selection will be based on the combined evaluation of the application package and interview performance.

Requirements for PhD Applicants

  • Master’s Degree Requirement – applicants must have completed a Master’s degree or be expected to complete it by 31 May 2025. A final diploma or official attestation must be submitted by 10 July 2025.
  • Doctoral Program Restriction – applicants must not already hold a PhD or be currently enrolled in a doctoral programme.
  • EU Eligibility – applicants must be eligible to study and work in EU countries.
  • English Proficiency – a minimum B2 level in English is required, demonstrated through a formal language certificate.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.