Apply now: Doctoral scholarships for research on sustainable urban mobility

Under the heading “Levers for sustainable urban mobility transformations,” the Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS) is offering fellowships for a doctoral programme starting in March 2027. Interested candidates with a Master’s degree and ideas for innovative research projects are invited to apply by 1 September.

View into a narrow street with cars, a tram, and pedestrians. — Photo: João Reguengos on Unsplash

Urban mobility faces major challenges. On the one hand, the question arises of how it can be made more sustainable, accessible, equitable, and safe. Developments such as digitalization, automation, and electrification offer the opportunity to make significant progress. At the same time, however, they also carry the risk of unintended and ambivalent effects. On the other hand, key prerequisites for ecologically and socially sustainable development in the transportation sector are currently lacking.

A key limitation: To date, spatial development and mobility planning have rarely gone hand in hand, despite their strong interdependencies. Not least, there is a lack of integrated analyses of spatial and mobility systems across scales, spatial contexts and jurisdictions. There is also a need for research on new business models beyond established markets and stakeholders; on the role of institutional arrangements and governance structures; on the use of data-driven and AI-based approaches; and on the inclusion of vulnerable groups in particular in the design of urban spaces and mobility systems.

Against this backdrop, the Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS) – under the annual topic “Levers for sustainable urban mobility transformations” – invites submissions of doctoral research proposals that examine these complex interrelationships.

Against this background, the Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS) invites applications for highly innovative doctoral projects focusing on at least one of the following challenge-driven and solution-oriented topics addressing the mentioned gaps concerning sustainable urban mobility transformations:

Public policy: governance structures, institutional designs, planning processes, instruments and/or techniques;
Business models: sustainable and economically viable business models for private, civil-society and/or third sector (non-)profit organisations offering solutions and/or services;
Integrative Tools: data-driven approaches, methods, models and/or interfaces;
Integrated perspectives

The DLGS is seeking creative and visionary research projects. Motivated graduates of Master’s programmes in relevant fields – such as transport studies, urban and regional planning, geography, data science, economics, and transition and innovation studies – are encouraged to apply. Interdisciplinary approaches are expected and the research proposals have to align with IOER’s research profile.

Complete call for applications on the website of DLGS

Application deadline: 1 September 2026
Programme start: 1 March 2027

Background
DLGS is a joint initiative of the IOER and the Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden). It offers excellent young researchers structured support for their doctorate in the spatial sustainability sciences. DLGS fellows are enrolled in various faculties at TU Dresden and earn their doctoral degrees from the university, while being actively involved in relevant IOER research areas.

Contact at the IOER
Dr. Nora Gortcheva (Scientific Coordinator), e-mail: dlgsioer@ioer.de

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