Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) is a young and lively university, a hub of opportunities open to the world where students are offered a quality interdisciplinary education in which they can be fully engaged and take central stage, and where our researchers can count on having the space to freely pursue their initiative.
USI is present in the two leading global academic rankings, the Times Higher Education (THE) and the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (QS): taking the following positions respectively – 240th globally (out of 1’300 universities considered) and 26th worldwide among ‘young’ universities.
The Institute of Digital Technologies for Communication invites applications for one funded Ph.D. position in Communication Sciences, titled “Heritage and Innovation”. The position will be situated in the institute’s research area that is dedicated to digital fashion communication. The research project will focus on the digitalization of a brand’s fashion heritage and its related digital and phygital communication practices.
The project
This position is funded by the LifeStyleTech Competence Center and is done within a collaborative project with Bally, Hyphen, and Microsoft. USI is a founding member of the LifeStyleTech Competence Center, which unites both academic and industry members.
The Ph.D. Position
The doctoral student will be enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Communication Sciences. He/she will work under the scientific supervision of prof. Lorenzo Cantoni. The successful candidate will be offered the possibility to work in a dynamic research team and in a multidisciplinary and international scientific environment, while constantly interacting with business partners from the LifeStyleTech Competence Center.
The successful candidate will take the role of a junior researcher at the Institute of Digital Technologies for Communication and of LifeStyleTech Competence Center, and will have the possibility to interact with an international network of collaborators. The candidate will collaborate on teaching activities at USI.
Candidates’ profile Ideal candidates should satisfy the following requirements:
• A Master degree in a relevant area (including Media and Communication, Art History, Fashion Management, Marketing, Social Sciences, Pedagogy, HCI), finished prior to appointment
• High motivation for academic research
• Interest in online communication, specifically in the fashion domain
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate in teams
• C1 level in both oral and written English (the official language of the Ph.D. program).
• Knowledge of Swiss languages is a plus
Contract terms
Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly competitive. Admission decisions are based on the candidate’s background, interests, attitude and potential for academic achievement. Successful enrolment in the Ph.D. program and the position as doctoral researcher are not compatible with a further professional activity.
The successful candidate will be hired by the LifeStyleTech Competence Center for three years, with one-year based contracts. In addition to a tuition fee-waiver, a fully-funded PhD at USI includes an annual salary of 47’040.- Swiss Francs (0.75 FTE) upon appointment, with an annual increase of 1’500.-. PhD scholarships are subject to annual review and successful completion of a progress report. Annual renewal is not automatic, but contingent on satisfactory progress.
The workplace is USI and LifeStyleTech Competence Center in Lugano, Switzerland. The successful candidate will ideally start his/her collaboration and research activities in Spring 2022.
The Application
Applications should contain (1) a letter in which the applicants describe their research interests and the motivation to apply; (2) a CV; (3) copies of relevant diplomas, certificates as well as the full transcript of records that prove the candidates’ eligibility for doctoral studies in Communication Sciences; and (4) the names of two academic references who can be contacted for further information.
Please send your application in one single pdf document to dr. Nadzeya Kalbaska (nadzeya.kalbaska@usi.ch) with the subject “Ph.D. in Digital Fashion Communication”.
The call is open until the place is filled. Applications received before January 15, 2022, will be given priority.
As an institution that values diversity, USI particularly encourages applications from women and from all individuals from underrepresented groups.
c/o Dagorà Lifestyle Innovation Hub
Galleria 1, Via Cantonale
6928 Manno, Switzerland
