PhD candidates

PhD candidates

A PhD is a globally recognised academic degree and represents the highest level of academic education possible.

At Simula, PhD candidates are hired on three- or four-year contracts and integrated into the research groups, where they work closely with their supervisors and colleagues to perform cutting-edge research. As Simula is not a degree-awarding institution, PhD candidates hired at Simula are awarded their degrees through one of Simula's partnering universities

What is a PhD in Norway?

The standards for completing a PhD in Norway are consistent with other European countries; however, the conditions for a PhD candidate in Norway differs in some aspects.

A paid job with employee rights.
As a PhD candidate in Norway you are an employee, meaning you receive a salary and benefits, pay no tuition fees, and have employee rights (like performance reviews) at your place of employment. You are typically hired on an existing research project.

Highest academic education.
Doctoral training resulting in the highest level of academic education awarded on satisfactory completion of the education component, an approved scientific dissertation and satisfactory performance on the PhD examination (trial lecture and public defence).

Supervision and training.
PhD candidates receive scientific supervision and formal training, which together will enable them to conduct their own research and become independent researchers.

An education programme.
A doctoral education programme with a stipulated length of three (or four) years full-time studies that includes 2,5 years of independent research work (the doctoral thesis) and 0,5 years of an educational component (30 ECTS). Candidates with four year contracts have an additional year of other obligations, such as teaching. 

Interested in becoming a PhD candidate at Simula?

PhD education

PhD candidates receive discipline-specific training through their research and course work, becoming increasingly specialised in their respective fields. Our candidates are also encouraged to broaden their network by taking part in international conferences and research visits to other labs.

In addition, PhD candidates at Simula have access to a host of training opportunities, some of which are specific to research and others that apply more generally to a broad range of careers. This combination of transferable and research-specific skills prepare Simula researchers for wide range of career paths, academic as well as non-academic.

Researcher trainings for PhD candidates at Simula

Below is a sample of the type of educational activities tailored to PhD candidates at Simula. And as employees of Simula, our PhD candidates also have access to broader researcher training and professional development.

Timely topics - Annual retreats are organised for Simula's PhD candidates and focus on topics that are particularly relevant in any given year. Previous topics have included overcoming impostor syndrome, developing good supervisor-student relationships, writing scientific articles, and career workshops.

Supervisor and leadership training - Simula Academy organises a number of courses and workshops dedicated to developing the skills for excellent supervision. Newer supervisors are also encouraged to gather practical experience in supervision as part of co-supervisor teams for master's students and summer interns.

Communicating research training - An essential component to building a career in research is communicating the work, not only to make the research more accessible but also to build an scientific profile that is interesting for future funders, partners, or employers. Simula Academy offers a variety of opportunities to develop written, verbal, and multimedia communication skills.

Grant support - Acquiring funding is an important part of establishing a career in research. Simula supports grant applications through an internal Quality Assurance Process, and provides training for the managers of newly funded projects.

The Academy is Simula's hub for researcher training and continuous professional development at Simula. The aim of Simula Academy is to provide excellent training opportunities for all our employees to develop the skills they need to do their best work.