Tallinn University is seeking to recruit four exceptional and motivated PhD candidates to join the ERA Chair in Sustainable Futures project (SustainERA, DOI: 10.3030/101186958).

The project is led by Prof Anu Realo and Prof Kai Pata and is funded by the European Commission's Horizon Europe “Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence” programme.

PhD Positions: 4

Tallinn University, Estonia

Location: Tallinn, Estonia

Start date: September 2025

Contract type: Fixed-term

Contract duration: 48 months

Application deadline: 16 April 2025

About the Project

Running from 2025 to 2029, SustainERA will combine high-level research with the development of innovative solutions to promote a sustainable mindset and practices. By integrating expertise from multiple disciplines and fostering international collaboration, the project also aims to enhance Tallinn University’s research excellence and capacity. Four PhD students and four postdoctoral research fellows will be recruited through an international competition to complement the existing research team.

Four PhD Positions

Successful candidates will be hired as Junior Research Fellows for a four-year study period, commencing 1st September 2025. In addition to their PhD research, they will be expected to contribute to various teaching, administrative, and capacity-building activities within the SustainERA project, accounting for 20% of their workload. Candidates will be expected to reside and work in Tallinn. 

The PhD positions are specifically allocated to four of the University’s schools.

1. The School of Educational Sciences

Project topic: “Agency, Trust, and Personal Responsibility in the Context of Sustainable Futures”

Supervisors: Prof Anu Realo (main supervisor), Dr Grete Arro (second supervisor)

The key questions this PhD project seeks to address are the roles of agency, responsibility, and trust in driving sustainable change. In the context of sustainability, agency refers to the ability to take intentional actions that influence environmental or societal outcomes and promote long-term resilience. To investigate these issues, the project will employ a mixed-method experimental research approach to examine how individuals attribute responsibility for a sustainable future—whether to themselves, their communities, governments, or other actors—and how these attributions shape their sense of agency and willingness to adopt more sustainable and non-growth-oriented behaviours. Furthermore, the project will explore the role of trust in fostering sustainable change, particularly how people's trust and perceptions of responsibility influence their attitudes toward strategic communication efforts, such as sustainability campaigns, and the effectiveness of these initiatives. Possible methods include, but are not limited to, quantitative approaches (e.g., survey-based studies, experiments, and ecological momentary assessment) and qualitative methods (e.g., focus groups, in-depth interviews, and participant observation).

Candidates should hold an MSc degree in Psychology or a related discipline (or be near completion) and demonstrate strong expertise in advanced quantitative statistical methods. They should also exhibit a clear interest in and passion for sustainability and non-growth topics from an individual-level perspective, along with excellent written and oral English skills.

If you are interested in applying for this PhD position, please contact Prof Anu Realo (anu.realo@tlu.ee) for potential supervision.

2. The School of Governance, Law and Society

Project topic: “Policy Development for Governing Sustainability Transition”

Supervisors: Prof Leif Kalev (main supervisor), Dr Tarmo Pikner (second supervisor)

This PhD project will examine key actors in policy design, development, and implementation

across different levels of governance. It will examine how national policymakers adopt European Union regulations, adapt them to local context, and understand the implementation process and practices. The project will investigate how these perspectives align with the views of other actors, such as local governments and governance partners, and how they, in turn, relate to the understandings of citizens and communities. Where possible, the research will identify ‘good’ and ‘bad’ political and governance practices in terms of effectiveness, feasibility, legitimacy, and other relevant aspects for research and dissemination. Special attention will be given to societal acceptance and co-governance of sustainability policies and solutions, as well as to the agency and democracy of citizens and communities. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to implement their own research plan, focusing on policy development for governing sustainability transitions, particularly within Estonia and the EU. The candidate is encouraged to propose a specific focus that aligns significantly with the overall objectives of the project and will be subject to negotiation.

The successful candidate should hold an MA in Political Science, Policy Studies, Governance, Law or a related field (or be near completion). They should have a strong background in qualitative text analysis methods, particularly for document and interview analysis, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills in both Estonian and in English. Experience with elite interviews and the analysis of policy and legal documents would be an advantage.

If you are interested in applying for this PhD position, please contact Prof Leif Kalev (leif.kalev@tlu.ee) for potential supervision.

3. The School of Humanities

Project topic: “The Role of Urban and Rural Contexts and Time Dimensions Related to Non-growth and Sustainability Transitions”

Supervisors: Dr Tarmo Pikner (main supervisor), Prof Kai Pata and Dr Terje Väljataga (second supervisors)

This PhD position focuses on spatial, cultural and time-based formations influencing attitudes and behaviours towards sustainable futures. The PhD research will examine the role of urban and rural contexts, as well as time dimensions, in relation to non-growth and sustainability transitions. The primary focus will be on studying these phenomena through various forms of care, communities and anticipated futures that reconfigure human relationships to nature and planetary changes. Understanding the relationships between historical experiences and sustainable futures is crucial for reframing human-centred agency in the Anthropocene era. The research may explore initiatives and communities related to, for example, environmental conservation, food and/or energy. Multi-sited qualitative thematic studies can be conducted in Estonia and elsewhere.

The successful candidate should hold an MA in social sciences or humanities, including (but not limited to) Human Geography, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Environmental Studies, Environmental Humanities, or Education Sciences. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Experience with qualitative research methods and proficiency in Estonian and/or Russian are considered an advantage.

If you are interested in applying for this PhD position, please contact Dr Tarmo Pikner (tpikner@tlu.ee) for potential supervision.

4. The School of Natural Sciences and Health

Project topic: “Organisational Transitions to Sustainability in Estonia: An ESG-Based Analysis”

Supervisors: Prof Jaanus Terasmaa (main supervisor) and Dr Grete Arro (second supervisor)

This PhD project examines how organisations transition toward sustainability through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks, focusing on individuals—such as mid-level managers and marketing specialists—within companies relevant to the project’s objectives and Estonia’s smart specialisation goals. The project will identify key drivers and barriers to sustainability-oriented change using surveys, case studies, and semi-structured interviews. It will also explore how organisational environments in companies and universities facilitate or hinder sustainability transitions and the competency gaps and strategies (including lifelong learning) needed to strengthen these transitions. Drawing on the European sustainability competence framework (GreenComp) and Estonia’s Horizontal Green Skills Framework (HARNO), the project will develop flexible lifelong learning models tailored to different types of companies.

Candidates should hold an MA degree in Sustainability Science, Social Sciences, Environmental Studies, Environmental Policy, or a related discipline, with strong expertise in sustainability research.

If you are interested in applying for this PhD position, please contact Prof Jaanus Terasmaa

(jaanus.terasmaa@tlu.ee) for potential supervision.