PhD position in Relational Learning in AI-rich Business Education Copenhagen Business School in Denmark

PhD opportunity at Copenhagen Business School in the Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC): Relational Learning in AI-rich Business Education.

This three-year PhD position is hosted in MSC’s Communication, Organisation and Governance research cluster and begins on 1 February 2027. The project sits at the intersection of management education, pedagogy, and generative AI, asking how AI tools may reshape the relational dimensions of learning in business education. The advertised topic highlights a central concern: while generative AI is often designed for individual, on-demand use, business and management education have traditionally relied on dialogue, disagreement, co-construction of meaning, and classroom presence as foundations for learning.

The PhD project should be independently formulated and address questions such as: how generative AI changes the conditions for relational learning and classroom interaction; how pedagogical designs can preserve collaborative and dialogical learning; how assessment and exam formats can be redesigned to both support learning and credibly evaluate AI-supported, relationally produced work; and what academic ethics issues arise when AI is used for learning. The department especially welcomes applicants from management learning, educational science, organisation studies, psychology, sociology, or related fields, and values genuine interest in both theory and hands-on, design-based experimentation.

The PhD programme at CBS is internationally oriented and includes research training, participation in international conferences, and a visit to another research institution as a visiting PhD student. The position is a PhD scholarship with teaching obligations of 416 hours over the three-year period. The scholarship is fully salaried under the Danish collective agreement and includes tuition fees, office space, and course and travel costs according to the current CBS agreement. The current monthly salary is approximately DKK 30,264 to DKK 36,877 depending on seniority, plus pension contribution.

Eligibility requirements are strict and include a master’s degree (3+2 Bologna equivalent), a master’s thesis grade of 10 or equivalent on the Danish 7-point scale, and either a weighted GPA of at least 8.2 across bachelor’s and master’s degrees combined or 9.5 for the master’s alone. If the GPA threshold is not met, documentation showing you are in the top 40% of the class may be accepted, and the grade requirement may be waived in rare cases. Applicants must have a relevant social-science background and strong academic English. English documentation is not required initially but may be requested later.

The application must include a five-page PhD project description with an original research question, initial theoretical framework and method, proposed empirical material, and a three-year work plan. You must also submit bachelor's and master's diplomas/transcripts, CV, optional publication list, one writing sample such as a master's thesis, and any supporting documentation for top-40% status if needed.

Deadline: 23 September 2026 at 12:00 (Europe/Copenhagen). Applications must be submitted via the online form provided by Copenhagen Business School. Interviews are expected in late November/early December 2026.

Institution: Copenhagen Business School, Frederiksberg, Denmark.