Postdoctoral Position in Education

University of Gothenburg

Reference number: PAR 2026/86

About the University

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. With 58,000 students and 6,800 employees, the university is a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Education and Special Education (IPS) is one of four departments within the Faculty of Education. Central areas of interest include education and society, educational systems, school development and leadership, adult education, inclusion, learning, language and assessment, and grading. The department offers courses and programmes at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.

Positions

The Department of Education and Special Education is recruiting three or more doctoral candidates within the framework of the graduate school ASSESS III in the third-cycle subjects:

  • Education

  • Educational Work

  • Subject Matter Education with specialisations

For more information about the subjects: https://www.gu.se/en/learning-leadership-health/doctoral-studies

About the Subjects

  • Education: Focuses on education, teaching, upbringing, socialisation, formation, and learning, including the relationship between the individual and society.

  • Educational Work: Addresses work within educational institutions, focusing on teachers’ and students’ work, educational practices, and policy implications.

  • Subject Matter Education with Specialisations: Focuses on teaching and learning in relation to specific content or school subjects, including language education, multilingual, and second-language conditions.

Doctoral School ASSESS III

Funded by the Swedish Research Council, ASSESS III focuses on assessment, educational measurement, and development of teacher education. Coordinated by the University of Gothenburg in collaboration with Stockholm University and Umeå University, ASSESS III offers a strong national network for doctoral candidates.

The doctoral school combines advanced quantitative analyses of large-scale datasets with multi-method approaches, integrating large-scale analyses with local data and practice-oriented perspectives. Doctoral students are expected to develop projects that clearly contribute to teacher education and the understanding of assessment in school practice.

Possible Thematic Foci for Doctoral Projects

  • Relationship between grades and national tests; differences between student groups, schools, and contexts

  • Reliability and validity in assessment and educational measurement

  • Summative and formative functions of assessment, and their consequences for learning and motivation

  • Assessment practices and grading in teaching, including links to organizational conditions and teachers’ professional dilemmas

Doctoral projects are supported by the FUR (Prerequisites, Education, Results) and LUBS (Learning, Teaching, and Assessment in Languages) research environments, and access to the UGU longitudinal database for student educational development.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must meet general and specific entry requirements according to the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 7, Section 35).

General Entry Requirements

  • Awarded a second-cycle qualification or equivalent knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad

Specific Entry Requirements

  • Education: 90 higher education credits in Education, including 30 second-cycle credits and an independent project of at least 15 credits

  • Educational Work:

    • Option A: Second-cycle teaching qualification, including independent project

    • Option B: 90 credits with specialisation in pedagogical vocational activities or child and youth activities, including independent project

  • Subject Matter Education with Specialisation:

    • Option A: Teaching qualification with courses of at least 60 credits in relevant area, including independent project

    • Option B: 90 credits, including 30 second-cycle credits, in relevant area, including independent project

Assessment Criteria

Selection is based on:

  • Quality of the qualifying degree project

  • Quality of submitted research plan relative to the graduate school’s thematic focus

  • Personal suitability and collaborative ability (assessed via references/interviews)

Additional merit: Familiarity with statistical software (SPSS, SPAD, R), experience with quantitative and qualitative analyses, and knowledge of Swedish teacher education.

Employment

  • Form of employment: Fixed-term, four years full-time

  • Extent: 100%

  • Place of employment: Department of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg

  • Starting date: 1 September 2026 or as agreed

Employment follows Ordinance SFS 1993:100 and may include up to 20% departmental duties.

Selection Process

Applications are assessed by an admissions committee. Decisions are made by the Head of Department. Interviews may be conducted (normally in Swedish). Previous education or professional experience may be credited but does not give priority over other applicants.

Contact Information

Union representatives: https://www.gu.se/en/work-at-the-university-of-gothenburg/how-to-apply-for-a-position

Application

Applicants should apply via the University of Gothenburg recruitment portal. Applications must be complete and submitted digitally before the deadline.

Include:

  1. Personal letter (max 1 page)

  2. Curriculum vitae

  3. Study documentation (LADOK extract or equivalent)

  4. Thesis/degree project (≥15 credits) and one additional research-related text

  5. Preliminary research plan (max 5 pages, 12-pt font, excluding references)

  6. References

  7. Any additional merits

Specify subject: Education, Educational Work, or Subject Matter Education (include specialisation if applicable).

  • Preliminary research plan should relate to Swedish teacher education and the ASSESS III focus

  • Personal letter and research plan preferably in Swedish; other documents may be in Swedish or English

  • If publications are not digital, send clearly marked references to:

    University of Gothenburg
    Department of Education and Special Education
    Ivana Nikolic
    Box 300
    SE-405 30 Gothenburg
    Sweden

Application deadline: 6 March 2026

Apply