PhD positions at the IT University of Copenhagen are popular

The PhD positions at the IT University of Copenhagen are so popular that the number of applications in 2009 has grown over 200 % compared to last year. The IT University now has to select 11 out of astonishing 216 applicators to become PhD students and future researchers. The University wishes to find more companies that are interested in financing more PhD students who in the future can become their highly qualified employees.

The IT University of Copenhagen is experiencing a great interest in PhD Studies. Therefore the IT University has got the difficult task of selecting 11 lucky and talented future researchers out of total 216 candidates.

Minister for Science, Technology and Development, Helge Sander has asked universities to double their positions at the PhD education. This means that the IT University has to go from positioning 11 to in 2009 positioning 22 PhD students. The IT University has already in January positioned 11 and now the last 11 PhD positions have been posted - astonishing 216 have applied. It is a growth of over 200% compared to applications in spring 2008.

'We experience that the IT University is a popular place to start your career. I believe that a major reason for this is the IT-University's sense of developments in society and IT and also the university’s general focus on globalization.
Also it is a huge recognition for our researchers who have made a large part of marketing in their international network', says Associate Professor Carsten Schürmann, who is leading the recruitment of PhD students.

At the IT University it is unfortunately not possible to position more future researchers, because the funding has to follow the positions. A large proportion of the funding for the 22 doctoral students comes from collaborative projects with external partners e.g. private companies.

'The IT University is now starting to find more companies that might be interested in financing PhD students who can cover their needs for highly qualified employees,", says Vice-Rector Jørgen Staunstrup.

Source: ITU