Application deadline: June 2, 2014
KTH
Royal Institute of Technology
SE-100 44 Stockholm
Sweden
T + 8 790 60 00
Konstfack
University College of Arts, Crafts and Design
LM Ericssons väg 14, Box 3601
SE-126 27 Stockholm
Sweden
T + 46 8 450 41 00
Applications and portfolios
Reference number: A-2014-0322
Apply and submit portfolios
About the programme
The doctoral programme in Art, Technology and Design is a joint programme between KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) and Konstfack (University College of Arts, Crafts and Design) with the aim to strengthen the exchange between artistic and scientific forms of knowledge. The programme resides on the belief that we need to rethink the relationship between the individual, society and the environment in order to create the means for a sustainable future development. The political, social, and philosophical imaginaries inherent to this visionary call constitute the backbone of the programme, where the practices of making combine with advanced epistemological and methodological perspectives in holistic and process-oriented investigations.
Art, Technology and Design is an emerging research area shaped by dynamic encounters between different perspectives with a strong focus on interdisciplinary exchange and concrete materialisations. Doctoral research and education within the programme may draw on theories and methods from a wide variety of fields—architecture, the fine arts, crafts, design, planning, technology, engineering, materials science, etc—to advance innovative and critical new approaches towards the many challenges riddling societies in the 21st century.
PhD students in the programme are registered at KTH but conduct their daily practice at Konstfack. Besides fulfilling the educational programme composed of courses, seminars and workshops, students pursue their own individual research projects that draw on the shared resources of KTH and Konstfack. The programme offers great opportunities for interaction with researchers and PhD students in neighbouring knowledge areas, as well as for collaborations with external partners such as from the cultural sphere, industry and trade, and the public sector. The programme is run in association with a joint centre formation between KTH and Konstfack, carrying further opportunities for development and exchange within and beyond the academic sphere.
Eligibility
Applicants for the position should have an educational background in art, arts or technical subjects—such as Architecture, Civil Engineering, Design, Arts and Crafts, or Art—preferable in combination with courses in the humanities and/or social sciences. To meet formal requirements, students should have an advanced university degree to the equivalent of 240 Swedish university credits, of which at least 60 credits are at the advanced level and within a relevant subject area. Candidates unable to fulfill the requirements, however, may put in a request for a “validation of real competence,” an assessment of knowledge and skills acquired through work, education or other activities. A request for validation of real competence must be made in a special supplement.
A background experience from non-academic or socially oriented organisations or institutions is considered a merit. The applicant should have extensive experience of working both independently and in a group setting; proficiency in English, both orally and in writing, is central. Knowledge in Swedish is not necessary but will facilitate the applicant’s ability to benefit from the education. The candidate should be highly motivated for PhD studies, have a strong creative drive and an aptitude for critical analysis.
Konstfack is Sweden’s largest academy of art. Each year about 1,000 students participate in Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, teacher training, and professional courses in art, design, and the applied arts. Research is organised around five themes: design-driven and creative knowledge production, material cultures, narrative processes, sensorium—spatial perceptions, and visual cultures and learning. The exhibition spaces, specialised workshops and extensive library collections on art, craft and design at Konstfack constitute a resource that is unique in Sweden.
KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is the largest and oldest technical university in Sweden. No less than one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education capacity at university level is provided by KTH. Education and research spans from natural sciences to all branches of engineering and includes Architecture, Industrial Management and Urban Planning. There are a total of 13,400 first- and second-level students and almost 1,900 doctoral students. KTH has 4,900 employees.
