Four full-time PhD positions

KASK & Conservatorium, the school of arts of HOGENT and Howest (Ghent, Belgium), announces four vacant positions for doctoral research in the arts. Applications are open until September 29, 2025. 

The fulltime mandates of “artistic assistant” are open to artists from any discipline among the school’s wide range who can present a master’s degree, a portfolio of outstanding work and are willing to engage in a six-year research project leading up to the public presentation of work and a public doctoral defence towards the degree of “Doctor in the Arts.” 

Proposed research projects should be relevant contributions to one of the school’s five research clusters, and must be based in the applicant’s artistic practice, with questions, methodologies, strategies and output forms all determined by the work that informs it, and feeding back to it. The work eventually submitted to the doctoral jury will combine artistic work with a substantial discursive document. 

Applying for this position is possible up until, and including September 29, 2025. 

In a first selection round, applications of candidates who meet the admission requirements will be assessed on the basis of artistic portfolio and research proposal, according to criteria of artistic quality, research potential, suitability for the school's profile and relevance to the programmes and research cluster.

In mid-December 2025, candidates selected for the second selection round will be assigned a (provisional) supervisor from KASK & Conservatorium who will guide them in drawing up a fully detailed project proposal (for 6 years) and finding a second supervisor at Ghent University. Based on these full proposals, a number of candidates will be selected for the third selection round in the form of a selection interview.

If a final decision cannot be made in the first round of selection interviews, suitable candidates may be invited for a second interview.

The selection interviews are scheduled for April 2026. Candidates who are not selected will be notified after the selection procedure has been completed. Please find the full job description and requirements here. Applications are only accepted within the deadline. Learn more about research at KASK & Conservatorium. 

About KASK & Conservatorium 
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) and the Royal Conservatory (Conservatorium) constitute the School of Arts of HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts and Howest. We offer bachelor’s, master’s and advanced programmes in visual and audiovisual arts, design, landscape and garden architecture, music and drama. The school brings together talented and motivated students with outstanding educators, active artists, designers and theorists in art and design from all over the world. Our campuses are located in Ghent and Courtrai, Belgium.