PhD Scholarship

PhD Scholarship in Sovereignty Implications of European Open Data at the University of Galway, in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission.

This doctoral project sits at the intersection of computer science, information systems, political science, law, and public policy. The successful candidate will investigate the sovereignty implications of European open data, including the trade-offs and frictions between sovereignty and openness, and possible pathways to balance them. The research will use impact assessments, toolkits, taxonomies, decision matrices, and roadmaps, with a strong link to real-world EU policymaking and the European Competitiveness and European Data Union Strategy.

The PhD is part of the Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships programme and is designed to train doctoral researchers at the science-policy interface. The student will spend 2 years at JRC in Ispra, Italy and 2 years at the University of Galway, working with a multicultural research team in the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics and the Data Science Institute.

Funding: stipend plus fees.

Eligibility highlights: at least a 2.1 (Hons) degree and/or a Masters in a relevant field; final-year students may apply if they will graduate in summer; desirable experience/knowledge in open data, data governance, AI governance, digital transformation, data spaces, and mixed-method approaches. Candidates must also meet nationality/residency requirements and be admitted to the PhD programme in the College of Science and Engineering.

Deadline: 14 May 2026.

How to apply: email a cover letter and CV to Edward Curry at [email protected]. Include “Sovereignty Implications of European Open Data” in the subject line. Full details are available via the linked post.