Marmara University – Institute of Social Sciences
PhD Position Announcement under the SOCIAL Doctoral Network (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions).

 

Position Title:
DC5 – Corruption in Public Procurement

Focus:
Identify informal procurement practices in national and donor-funded contracts.

Project Description:
This PhD project investigates corruption in public procurement processes in Central Asia. It explores the gaps and tensions between national and international compliance cultures and analyzes how informal practices intersect with official procurement policies, particularly those linked to international financial institutions.
The selected candidate will examine various case studies, including pandemic-related public procurements, in order to identify systemic vulnerabilities and potential areas for policy reform.

PhD Program

The selected candidate will be employed for 36 months and enrolled in the following doctoral program depending on eligibility and qualifications:
PhD Program in Economics (in English)

Applications are accepted for the PhD Program in Economics. After evaluation, one candidate will be selected and placed in the program.

Program Requirements

PhD Program in Economics (in English)

Applicants must:
• Meet the admission requirements of the Institute of Social Sciences at Marmara University,
• Successfully pass both the written academic exam and interview conducted by the department,
• Provide a valid English proficiency certificate accepted by the Measuring, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) — minimum national exam score of 70 or international equivalent,
• (For Turkish citizens) Present a valid ALES score (minimum 65).

General Requirements

• Applicants must satisfy both the academic and admission criteria of the PhD program.
  • After completing the coursework, candidates are expected to pass the doctoral qualifying examination.
  • The selected researcher will be employed and financially supported under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network framework.
  • In line with the eligibility criteria of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks programme, doctoral candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (i.e., work, studies) in Türkiye for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.

For further information on eligibility criteria and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks in general, please refer to: Doctoral Networks - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Apply by 31 January 2026!

Required Application Documents

1. A cover letter in English (max. 1,000 words), including a brief presentation of yourself and your qualifications, as well as a short description of why you are interested in the doctoral programme in the Department of Economics at Marmara University.
2. A CV in English demonstrating eligibility for doctoral studies in the Department of Economics.
3. A research proposal of no more than 13,000 characters (including spaces and references), written in English. Please ensure that your proposed research aligns closely with the focus of the PhD project Corruption in Public Procurement & Governance in Central Asia.
4. Two references.
5. A writing sample (e.g., master’s thesis or published paper) that demonstrates the applicant’s research and writing skills.
6. Master’s degree diploma.
7. Master’s transcript.
8. A copy of
9. Foreign language proficiency certificate.
10. Any other documents the applicant wishes to submit in support of the application.

Employment Type
• The position is full-time (100%) for three years, starting in September 2026.
• You are required to work on-site in Istanbul, Türkiye.

For questions about the doctoral programme in Economics:
economics@marmara.edu.tr

For questions about the recruitment process:
Prof. Dr. Erhan Doğan – edogan@marmara.edu.tr

For questions regarding the SOCIAL Doctoral Networks Programme and PhD project:
Dr. Rustamjon Urinboyev – rustamjon.urinboyev@soclaw.lu.se,
Principal Investigator of the SOCIAL Doctoral Networks Programme.

• The accepted candidate will be employed based on Marmara University’s temporary researcher employment criteria.

 

Please send your application directly to economics@marmara.edu.tr

(Please cc Prof. Dr. Erhan Doğan – edogan@marmara.edu.tr)
We will send you a confirmation email once your application has been received.