Center

Professional PhD Program (PPP)

Universities are knowledge generators and catalysers. A university culture is a huge part of the knowledge experience offered to its students and PhD candidates. Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) contributes to the development and transfer of top level knowledge in all the main fields in business and economics, by way of pre-experience and post-experience education, research and PhD programs, and societal outreach.

Mission

The mission of the Professional PhD Program (dubbed PPP) is to offer top-level academic education in the fields of business and economics to professionals. The program is dedicated to enable PhD candidates to become scientific actors invested in understanding and advancing the everchanging society. Hence, we aim at supporting our PhD candidate in developing and disseminating ground-breaking knowledge in the fields of business and economics.

The PPP proposes an academically sound and high-quality program to professionals operating in the fields of economics and business. The PPP gives the opportunity to professionals to write their doctoral dissertation without interrupting their professional career.  The PPP offers to professional PhD candidates the best professional and intellectual match possible with their personal academic interest.

TiSEM’s core priorities are to Excel, Innovate and Connect to achieve its impactful educational mission. The eagerness of the top researchers at TiSEM to transfer their knowledge to the society at large is the cornerstone of the design of the Professional PhD Program (dubbed as PPP). The PPP is part of the CentER Graduate School for Economics and Business which also offers fulltime PhD programs at TiSEM.

The PPP mission is to offer top-level academic education in the fields of business and economics to professionals. The program is dedicated to prop up PhD candidate's interests in becoming scientifically vested players to the knowledge society.

Atmosphere

The PPP is part of the CentER Graduate School for Economics and Business at Tilburg School of Economy and Management (TiSEM). TiSEM also offers a fulltime PhD programs. TiSEM is among the best schools in Europe in the selected fields of business and economics. Its aim is to generate academic and societal impact through scientific research and teaching. It provides a work environment where our faculty can belong and thrive. Top researchers at TiSEM are eager to generate impact transferring their knowledge to the society at large. It is the cornerstone of the design of the PPP. TiSEM’s core priorities are Quality, Focus, Enable, and Connect.

You will be interacting with faculty members who connect with each other, with society, with other disciplines and other cultures. They recognize and value each other and the different perspectives they bring. Faculty members stand for the connection between education, research and impact. They are curious and genuinely in search of new fundamental knowledge, insights and free research. The values above foster a creative and innovating environment. Human dignity is the basis for their decisions and actions that are of critical, independent, and decisive nature.

TiSEM - PhD Professional Program - infographic

Profile PPP candidates: Quality, Focus, Enable, and Connect

The PPP builds on TiSEM’s priorities to provide education of quality rather than quantity (i.e., Quality and Focus) in the framework of a supportive teaching culture (i.e., Enable) capitalizing on partnerships in research and education (i.e., Connect).

Candidatures will be assessed based on these criteria.

Candidatures will be assessed based on the criteria of Excel, Innovate, and Connect.

Quality: You have been awarded a Master’s degree from an accredited university and your point grade average for your Bachelor and Master diploma are excellent. You have excellent knowledge of written English.

Focus: You have demonstrated the ability to perform independent research, and show commitment, perseverance and resilience in your professional trajectory. You are eager to learn and have gathered specific academic skills to your research field of interest during your education. You would consider yourself or are considered by your environment as intellectually flexible, excelling at problem-solving, creative and interested to solve economic and societal issues.

Enable: You are aiming at delivering your best contribution in the area of research and positive impact for your organization and our society. Also, you can structurally reserve time to work on your PhD. The norm is situated around 15 hours a week to complete the trajectory within 5 years.

Connect: You have developed your professional career with at least 5 years of professional experience after your MSc degree. You have (written) support from your organization in terms of research time, resources, and access to the data, people, or case studies required to complete a doctoral dissertation. You are well connected at the national and/or international level to other players in your field.

Supervision

The Professional PhD Program team emphasizes the importance of the good "fit" between expectation of PhD candidates and supervisors. This is primarily based on common research interests and goals. This good “fit” increases the PhD candidate’s chance of successfully completing his/her degree within the five year trajectory.

Please consult the non-exhaustive list of full or part-time professors from TiSEM involved in the Professional PhD Program. 

Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator of the appropriate research field when you need recommendations regarding potential supervisors.

All PhD dissertations need to comply with the PhD regulations of Tilburg University.

For further information please see structure, application, admission and tuition fee, and FAQ