Doctoral scholarship holder in Artificial Intelligence: Continual Graph Learning University of Antwerp in Belgium

The University of Antwerp is offering a full-time doctoral scholarship holder position in Artificial Intelligence, focused on continual graph learning. The project sits within the Department of Electronics and Information and Communication Technology in the Faculty of Applied Engineering and is connected to IDLab research on continual graph learning. The research explores how graph neural networks can learn from a sequence of evolving tasks, graphs, or distributions while retaining previously learned knowledge.

This PhD project is suitable for candidates interested in machine learning, deep learning, graph-based learning, and applied AI. Potential application areas mentioned in the call include gesture recognition, human activity recognition, and energy forecasting in smart grids (such as demand, supply, and flexibility forecasting). The doctoral researcher will publish scientific articles and perform a limited number of teaching and research support tasks.

The position is based at the University of Antwerp, with work mainly at City Campus (The Beacon) and Campus Groenenborger. The university describes itself as a dynamic, internationally oriented institution with strong research activity and a broad doctoral training environment through the Antwerp Doctoral School.

Eligibility highlights include a master’s degree in Computer Science, Informatics, Mathematics, or a closely related field, excellent academic results, strong English proficiency, experience with deep learning, and Python coding experience with toolkits such as PyTorch. Applicants are also expected to show strong analytical, problem-solving, and collaborative qualities.

Funding is provided as a doctoral scholarship for one year, renewable annually for up to three additional years after positive evaluation. In addition to the scholarship amount, the package includes eco vouchers, an internet-connectivity allowance, and either a bicycle allowance or full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.

The application deadline is 16 August 2026 at midnight Brussels time. Applicants must submit a motivation letter, academic CV with transcript, two reference letters, an English proficiency certificate, and a research proposal of up to four pages excluding references. The proposal should cover the problem statement, expected novelty and impact, brief approach, evaluation plan, and alignment with IDLab’s research.