PhD in Economics and Circular Economy: Collaborative Consumption Models (Fully Funded) University College Cork in Ireland

A fully funded PhD scholarship is available at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, within the Cork University Business School (CUBS), Department of Economics. The project focuses on supporting and scaling collaborative consumption models—such as sharing, swapping, renting, and gifting—to accelerate Ireland’s just transition to a circular economy. The research aims to identify the most effective collaborative models, the enablers (policy, technology, social factors) that aid their adoption, the incentives for users and providers, and the types of organizations that can scale these models while ensuring fairness, sustainability, and inclusion.

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary supervisory team led by Dr Bernadette Power, with co-supervisors Dr John Eakins, Prof Geraldine Ryan, Dr Gordon Sirr, and Dr Jack McCarthy (Rediscovery Centre). The position is fully funded for three years, offering a stipend of €25,000 per annum, research and travel support, and tuition coverage, funded by the EPA. Applicants should hold an honours degree (First or 2:1) and ideally a Master’s in Economics or a related field, possess strong quantitative and communication skills, and demonstrate English proficiency (IELTS ≥ 6.5).

The PhD is part of UCC’s Structured PhD programme, providing interdisciplinary supervision, coursework, fieldwork opportunities, publication prospects, and international networking. The position is based in Cork, Ireland, and the application deadline is 11 December 2025. For more information or to apply, candidates should visit the provided link and may contact Dr Bernadette Power at [email protected].