PhD scholarships

2 PhD scholarships in international political economy / international economics

The Couche-Tard Research Chair on Global Value Chains invites applications for two doctoral scholarships in international political economy/international economics. The period of the review of applications will start on January 26 until February 15, 2026.

The Chair aims to reconcile trade practices and regulations from a political, economic, and legal perspective. It focuses on three areas: trade regulation and technological developments; stakeholders (influence, perceptions); and impacts on other areas, such as the environment, labor standards, and taxation.

The successful candidates will join the doctoral program in international studies at the École supérieure d'études internationales (ESEI) at Université Laval (Quebec City, Canada). They will join a newly formed research group working on topics related to the political economy of global value chains and international trade. 

Key research interests 

• Trade and sustainability (issue linkages, voluntary sustainability standards)
• Global value chains risks, resilience and reconfigurations in a geopolitically fragmented world
• Digital economy/globalization (democratic governance of social media platforms, technology governance, digital value chains, digital trade)
• Neo-protectionism (green protectionism, socio-economic impacts)
• Economic policies for national security (technology innovations/restrictions, industrial policy and strategic sectors, export controls)

Graduate School of International Studies

The Graduate School of International Studies (ESEI) at Université Laval is a center of excellence in multidisciplinary research and teaching on international issues. It offers graduate and postgraduate programs. It brings together some 80 faculty members from six faculties and some 200 students in various graduate and postgraduate programs.

Required qualifications and skills

• Master’s degree in political science or economics or a related field
• An interest in research on global value chains and international trade
• Good knowledge of quantitative methods and a command of R or another statistical program
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Professional working proficiency in French

Responsibilities

You will design and conduct your doctoral project in international studies within the framework of the themes outlined above (but not limited to them) under the supervision of Professor Damian Raess and/or Professor Antoine Noël.

You will actively participate in the training and research opportunities offered by the ESEI and the Couche-Tard Research Chair on Global Value Chains. Collaborations with your dissertation supervisors, other ESEI members, and the wider network is encouraged.

Additional information on the position

• A position for four years
• Scholarship amount:
  • 30,000 CAD (1^st year)
  • 40,000 CAD (2^nd-4^th year)
• An international research environment
• Resources to carry out your research and participate in international conferences and summer schools
• Start date: August 31, 2026 (fall 2026).

The selected candidates will initially be hired on a one-year renewable contract. Renewal of the scholarship is conditional on the achievement of learning and research objectives and the submission of a doctoral scholarship application to the 2026 competitions of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

How to apply: 

Please send the following documents (in a single PDF file) to Damian Raess (damian.raess.esei@ulaval.ca) and Antoine Noël (antoine.noel@ecn.ulaval.ca):

• CV
• Cover letter (2-3 pages) outlining your research interests and how your previous experience and education have prepared you to undertake a doctoral project
• A copy of your university diplomas and transcripts, including a list of courses taken
• Two letters of recommendation

We will begin reviewing applications on a rolling basis starting on January 26, 2026, and will accept applications until February 15, 2026.

For more information, please contact Damian Raess or Antoine Noël.