CUBS PhD Scholarship 2026 Management & Marketing

At a glance

• Cork University Business School PhD Scholarships offered
• Value: Scholarships to include EU fee + €25,000 stipend. A fee-waiver for non-EU portion will be applied if non-EU awardee

• Questions about the scholarships can be directed to Prof. Lawrence Dooley l.dooley@ucc.ie 

Cork University Business School (CUBS) is offering a PhD scholarship to commence in October 2026/January 2027. The scholarships are open to both Home/EU and international students and will cover fees (EU/non-EU) and a monthly stipend for a 4-year period.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must meet the entry threshold and other requirements for PhD in CUBS, including the minimum English language entry requirements (e.g. IELTS minimum overall score of 6.5 and a minimum of 6 in each band).

In addition, applicants must have obtained a standard of at least Second-Class Honours Grade I in a relevant Undergraduate degree (e.g. Business, Marketing, Strategy, Innovation). Completion of a taught Master’s degree and previous experience of research methods (especially qualitative methods) is desirable. Candidates due to complete their master’s degree in coming months are eligible to apply for the scholarship and should indicate expected result (these will have to be verified ahead of any formal offer being made).

Apply:

Applicants for the PhD scholarship are asked to prepare an application related of the following areas:

I. Organisational innovation Management (including Open Innovation),

II. Innovation Strategy & Competitive Advantage

III. Innovation value appropriation (including venture start-up and scaling, technology development and entrepreneurial ecosystems).

IV. Organisational Capabilities & New Product Development (including disruptive innovation)

V. Grand challenges, ESG & Green Innovation

VI. Entreprenruial University and its ecosystem

The lead supervisor of the research is Prof. Lawrence Dooley. To learn more about staff in the Department of Management and Marketing, click here.

Applicants will be asked to submit:

1. Completed online application form (with attached research proposal)*.

2. CV (max. 2 pages)

3. Sample of recent academic writing/work that you authored (e.g. published paper, essay, section of thesis)

4. Evidence of satisfying the English language requirements (if English is not your first language).

5. A short personal statement on your personal development objectives and motivation for pursuing a PhD

*Applicants must outline the project's aims, objectives, and central research questions (including hypotheses, if applicable), demonstrate how existing literature informs the proposal and theoretical framework, and explain its contribution to existing knowledge.

Applicants must also detail their proposed research design and methodology, including data sources, methodological approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) and overall research plan. A short personal statement on applicant’s personal development objectives and motivation for pursuing a PhD.

Deadline:

The deadline for submission of the scholarship application is 5 p.m. (GMT) Monday, 3rd August 2026.

Selection and Interview:

Applications for the Scholarship will be reviewed by the Head of Department and faculty in the relevant field.

A shortlist of candidates will be drawn up following the closing date for applications, and these shortlisted applicants will be called for an interview. The decisions of the Head of Department on the selection, interview and awarding process is final.

The successful scholarship awardee will then have to submit a formal application through the University application system.

Once registered, the recipient is expected to actively contribute to the progression of the project and their professional development by engaging in scholarly activities, including conference presentations and submissions to high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

The recipient will be expected to satisfactorily complete their annual progress reviews and the required credits of coursework and training in line with UCC GSC policy.