Together with the Industrial postdoc, the Industrial PhD constitutes Innovation Fund Denmark’s industrial research programme and contributes to meeting Innovation Fund Denmark’s goal of creating growth and employment in Denmark.

Read more about the rules and regulations for the industrial research programme here:
https://innovationsfonden.dk/da/programmer/erhvervsforsker#accordion2955

Can I take an Industrial PhD?

Innovation Fund Denmark has various criteria for Industrial PhD admissions, including grade point average and grade for the Master’s thesis/final project. For details, see: https://innovationsfonden.dk/da/programmer/erhvervsforsker#accordion2955

GSTS (the Graduate School of Technical Sciences) has various criteria for PhD admissions, and these also apply to Industrial PhDs. You can read more at the GSTS website: https://phd.tech.au.dk/for-applicants/

How do I get started?

You can read more about the Industrial PhD programme here:

Innovation Fund Denmark: https://innovationsfonden.dk/da/programmer/erhvervsforsker#accordion2955

GSTS: https://phd.tech.au.dk/programmes/

You can contact a potential supervisor in the department, e.g. your former thesis supervisor, a supervisor working in a particular research area or a supervisor who has previously supervised Industrial PhD students, and inquire as to whether he/she is interested in supervising an Industrial PhD student. Link to the department’s homepage: https://cas.au.dk/

You can contact a company working within your area of interest and ask whether they would consider employing an Industrial PhD student.

Who can be my supervisor?

An Industrial PhD student has at least three supervisors. A supervisor at the university, who must be tenured at minimum as an associate professor or senior researcher, and a supervisor and co-supervisor in the company. Additional supervisors can be affiliated with the project if it makes scientific sense to do so. The supervisor at the university is the principal supervisor and is formally responsible for the project.

How do I find a supervisor?

You can contact a potential supervisor at the department, for instance:

• Your thesis supervisor
• A supervisor who works in a specific research area that you find interesting or
• A supervisor who you know has previously supervised Industrial PhD students

and ask whether he/she would be interested in supervising an Industrial PhD.

How do I find a company?

You have various options:

• A potential supervisor may have contacts to interested companies
• You may contact a company yourself
• You can join Innovation Fund Denmark's LinkedIn group. Here, interested companies can post Industrial PhD positions, and you may post something yourself: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3828085/profile  

Guide to the application process

The company must apply to Innovation Fund Denmark, and you must apply to GSTS for admission as an Industrial PhD: http://talent.au.dk/phd/scienceandtechnology/application-guide/

Application deadlines for Innovation Fund Denmark: Innovation Fund Denmark regularly announces the application deadlines for the following year. Read more here: https://innovationsfonden.dk/en/programmes/industrial-researcher 

Application deadlines for GSTS: There are four fixed application deadlines per year:  1 February, 1 May, 1 August and 1 November.

Before the company can submit an application to Innovation Fund Denmark, the Industrial PhD student must have sent an application to GSTS and been granted conditional approval. It is therefore important to be aware of the various deadlines, so that the application process can be coordinated optimally.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rikke J. Ljungmann at GSTS: https://phd.tech.au.dk/programmes/

Briefly about the contract process

Once the Industrial PhD project has been approved, GSTS assists in meeting the formal requirements. Furthermore, a contract between AU and the company must be prepared, and here AU’s Technology Transfer Office may be of assistance. GSTS will inform you of this.

How do I find a suitable candidate to join an industrial research project?

There are several different ways to find a candidate.

Here are some examples:

• A person already employed by the company.
• Through the department’s network; for example, the university supervisor may know a potential candidate.
• Industrial project.
• Advertise for candidates in Innovation Fund Denmark’s LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3828085/profile

How do I get in contact with the university?

You have various options:

• You can obtain general information about the Faculty of Technical Sciences and Industrial PhD here: https://tech.au.dk/en/collaboration/collaboration-with-undergraduates-and-phd-students/
• You can get targeted information about the Department of Ecoscience, business collaboration and Industrial PhD here: https://ecos.au.dk/erhvervssamarbejde/
• You can contact directly one of the department's researchers: https://ecos.au.dk/en/about-ecoscience/staff-and-phd-students/
• You can contact the department's academic coordinator - see contact on https://ecos.au.dk/erhvervssamarbejde/.

How do I find a supervisor?

You have various options:

• You can use your network at the department and already established research contacts.
• You can acquaint yourself with the department, business collaboration and Industrial PhD: https://ecos.au.dk/erhvervssamarbejde/
• You can contact directly one of the department's researchers: https://ecos.au.dk/en/about-ecoscience/staff-and-phd-students/
• You can contact the department's academic coordinator.

Guide to the application process

The company must apply to Innovation Fund Denmark through the E-grant. Read more in Innovation Fund Denmark’s guidelines - both about how to apply and how the application is assessed: https://innovationsfonden.dk/en/guidelines-industrial-phd

The Industrial PhD student must apply to the GSTS for admission as an Industrial PhD: https://phd.tech.au.dk/for-applicants/application-guide/

Application deadlines at Innovation Fund Denmark: Every year Innovation Fund Denmark regularly announces the application deadlines for the following year.  See more here: https://innovationsfonden.dk/en/programmes/industrial-researcher

https://innovationsfonden.dk/en/programmes/industrial-researcherApplication deadlines at GSTS: There are four fixed application deadlines per year: 1 February, 1 May, 1 August and 1 November.

Before the company can submit an application to Innovation Fund Denmark, the Industrial PhD student must have forwarded an application to GSTS and been granted a conditional approval. It is therefore important to be aware of the various deadlines, so that the application process can be optimally coordinated.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rikke J. Ljungmann at GSTS: https://tech.au.dk/en/collaboration/collaboration-with-undergraduates-and-phd-students/phd-collaboration-and-industrial-phd/

What is the size of an Industrial PhD grant?

Innovation Fund Denmark finances part of the company's expenses for the Industrial PhD student’s salary and travels and covers the university’s project costs.

For the last updated grant amounts, rules and guidelines, see:

• https://innovationsfonden.dk/en/programmes/industrial-researcher