PhD on Integrating Sustainability and Systems Thinking in Engineering Education (CLEAR Initiative) University of Twente in Netherlands

The University of Twente invites applications for a PhD position focused on integrating sustainability and systems thinking within engineering education, as part of the CLEAR initiative (Chemistry Learning for Environmental Action and Responsibility). This innovative programme is embedded in the Chemical Science & Engineering curriculum and aims to equip students with the skills and mindset needed to address complex global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and greenwashing. By embedding systems thinking into the curriculum, CLEAR enables students to approach sustainability challenges holistically, considering environmental, social, and economic factors in their solutions.

As a PhD candidate, you will explore how sustainability, systems thinking, and essential skills are currently embedded in the engineering curriculum, and investigate ways to align these elements more effectively. Your work will involve close collaboration with lecturers, students, and researchers to analyse educational practices and identify opportunities for improvement. You will design and test new educational interventions, working alongside teaching staff to enhance learning activities, assessment methods, and course design. The project offers a multidisciplinary team environment, with collaboration across chemistry, engineering, educational science, and educational management.

The Chemical Science & Engineering (CSE) programme at the University of Twente provides a collaborative, international working environment, prioritising innovation in education. You will join colleagues actively engaged in developing new approaches to learning and teaching. The Faculty of Science & Technology (Technische Natuurwetenschappen, TNW) comprises around 700 staff and 2000 students, with research spanning chemical technology, applied physics, biomedical technology, sustainable energy, process technology, materials science, nanotechnology, and technical medicine. The faculty collaborates intensively with industrial partners and researchers both nationally and internationally, and research is conducted within three multidisciplinary UT institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centre, and Digital Society Institute.

Applicants should submit a cover letter (max 2 pages), CV with courses and grades, two recommendation letters (one from bachelor’s and one from master’s supervisor), and a one-page personal reflection addressing how engineering education should evolve to address sustainability challenges and how systems thinking can be integrated into the curriculum. Applicants with a non-Dutch qualification and who have not had secondary and tertiary education in English must provide an IELTS score of at least 7.0 or TOEFL-iBT score of at least 100. Demonstrated experience is prioritised, and applicants who do not address the proposed questions in detail will not be considered.

Applications must be submitted via the University of Twente careers portal by 5 June 2026. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to educational innovation and sustainability in engineering, working within a dynamic and supportive academic environment.