Call for Applications: PhD Scholarship on Protected Area Management and Local Participation

The Right Livelihood College (RLC) at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, in cooperation with the Michael Succow Foundation, offers a PhD scholarship funded by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service).

We are seeking an outstanding candidate from Central Asia, Caucasus, or Mongolia to conduct an empirical research project on: Protected and Conserved Area management and planning, nature conservation and local participation.

Background

Innovative concepts of protected and conserved areas are increasingly promoted worldwide to reconcile biodiversity conservation with sustainable human development. Particularly in rural regions where livelihoods depend heavily on land and natural resources, integrating conservation, participatory governance, and socio-economic development remains a major challenge.

The PhD project aims to contribute applied, empirically grounded research addressing these interlinked issues through a case study in one of the eligible regions.

Funding

The DAAD-funded scholarship includes:

• a two-month language course in Germany (starting August 2026),
• 40 months as a Junior Researcher at ZEF, University of Bonn (starting October 2026),
• funding for travel and empirical field research.

During the first year, the doctoral researcher will participate in the structured doctoral program at ZEF.

Application

Applicants should hold an excellent Master’s degree in a relevant field and demonstrate strong research skills. Application deadline: 5 April 2026.

Please send your applications via e-mail to: Dr. Till Stellmacher: t.stellmacher[at]uni-bonn.de

Find the full call with detailed eligibility criteria and application requirements here.