Several universities around the world invite applications for students — including U.S. citizens — who would like to pursue a doctoral degree in public procurement. These are opportunities (generally funded by the host university) to immerse yourself in procurement study abroad, to gain perspectives and knowledge that are not available in the United States. Study abroad enables research into topics too often overlooked in the United States (such as sustainability), and can open new career opportunities in international procurement. All that said, though, some cautionary notes, especially for American students:
- Getting a PhD abroad takes grit. The stipends are low, and so you may well live in cheerful poverty in a beautiful foreign city — which can be barren and cold in the winter, and where you may feel very homesick. Unlike in the United States, there is no ready means of financing your PhD.
- The cultural differences can be stark. For example, European academics tend to be more old-fashioned and hierarchical. American norms can seem out of place abroad, and people on the street may be hostile towards Americans — but incredibly welcoming, too.
- The language issues can be profound. If you are not fluent in the local language, you may struggle to keep up academically and socially. And as an Anglophone, you may be asked to translate foreign colleagues’ work from “Google Translatese” into academic English. You should have a sound working knowledge of procurement’s technical terms, and you should be a good writer and editor.
- A traditional PhD program requires years of hard work, with a great deal of self-discipline to complete the coursework and dissertation.
Some programs to consider (with points of contact):
- Corvinus University, Budapest (Hungary) – special research position – “Gender-Smart Procurement Systems” (Prof. Tunde Tatrai)
- SAPIENS Network — European Commission-funded program to support PhD’s in sustainable public procurement (Prof. Marta Andhov)
- University of Nottingham (UK) – Public Procurement Research Group (Prof. Peter Trepte)
- University of Turin (Italy) (Prof. Gabriella Racca)