Doctoral Scholarship (Art History)

Institution: University of Innsbruck (in cooperation with Kontakt Collection)
Deadline: 15 April 2026
Location: Innsbruck, Austria

The University of Innsbruck, in cooperation with the Kontakt Collection, is offering a doctoral scholarship at the Department of Art History. Sponsored by the Kontakt Collection, this opportunity supports the completion of a PhD dissertation in art history or related fields over a maximum period of 24 months.

The scholarship is awarded as a monthly stipend of €1,120 for up to 24 months (with an interim progress review after 12 months; up to two interruptions possible). Payments are made exclusively via SEPA bank transfer, and recipients must hold a bank account in a SEPA country. No additional allowances are provided.

The scholarship period begins on 1 October 2026. It cannot be combined with employment at the University of Innsbruck, though employment outside the university up to 15 hours per week is permitted.

Thematic Orientation

Doctoral projects must be situated in:

• Art history, art theory, visual studies, or a closely related field

Projects must demonstrate:

• A clear focus on the art of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe

• A temporal scope from circa 1960 to the present

• Engagement with artistic positions and themes represented in the Kontakt Collection

Supervision

The dissertation will be supervised by Magdalena Nieslony. Applicants must:

• Be accepted into and enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Innsbruck

• Register their dissertation project with the university before the first stipend payment

Co-supervision by another qualified examiner is possible.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold:

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in art history, art theory, visual studies, or a related discipline

• An excellent academic record

Applications may be submitted in English or German.

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to in-person interviews in Innsbruck, scheduled between 22 and 24 June 2026.