Scholarship Overview
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Overview
The Copenhagen Business School (CBS) Department of Accounting invites applications for a fully funded PhD position in Auditing. This three-year scholarship offers a structured path into academic research within one of Europe’s oldest and largest accounting departments. The position is particularly suited to candidates interested in qualitative research methods and contemporary developments reshaping the audit profession.
CBS is globally recognized for its research excellence and deep connections to the Nordic socio-economic model. The Department of Accounting maintains a flourishing research environment spanning financial accounting, management accounting and control, auditing, and corporate governance.
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Research Themes
The department especially welcomes proposals addressing the following areas:
- The making of the audit profession: Emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence, their impact on auditor training, professional judgment, and the traditional audit model
- Audit firm ownership: Private equity involvement in audit firms, implications for partnership models, governance, talent management, and market competition
- Auditing and sustainable development: Alternative assurance forms beyond compliance-oriented sustainability report verification
- Regulator-auditor interaction: Public oversight practices, firm-level oversight, dialogue, and ad hoc regulatory investigations
- Client-auditor interaction: Audit committee governance, negotiation of accounting issues, professional-commercial conflicts, client technology adoption
- Audit firm organization and governance: Quality management systems, incentive structures, performance measurement, culture/tone at the top, balancing bureaucracy with professional judgment
Proposals should demonstrate potential for engagement with firms and professionals throughout the research process and dissemination of findings.
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Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- Master’s degree completed before PhD programme start (3+2 Bologna equivalent)
- Grade of 10 (or equivalent) for master’s thesis on the Danish 7-point grading scale
- Weighted grade point average of at least 8.2 for bachelor’s and master’s combined, OR at least 9.5 for master’s alone on the Danish 7-point scale
- Alternative: Documentation of being in top 40% of class (if grade requirements not met; waivable in rare cases)
- High-level academic English proficiency in writing and speaking
The department welcomes applicants with degrees in accounting and auditing, as well as candidates from other social sciences interested in auditing research.
Funding and Benefits
This is a fully salaried position under the national Danish collective agreement:
- Monthly salary: Approximately DKK 30,264 to DKK 36,877 depending on seniority
- Pension contribution: 18.07%
- Duration: 3 years
- Teaching obligation: 416 work hours over the programme
- Additional coverage: Tuition fees, office space, course costs, and research travel costs per CBS agreement
Salary and employment follow the Ministry of Finance’s agreement with the Academics’ Central Organization.
Application Requirements
Applications must include:
- Five-page project description containing: original research question, initial theoretical framework and method, proposed empirical material, three-year work plan
- Diplomas and transcripts for bachelor’s and master’s degrees (or equivalent certificates)
- Documentation of top 40% class standing (if grade requirements not met)
- Concise curriculum vitae (CV)
- List of articles and publications (if applicable)
- One example of selected written work (e.g., master’s thesis)
All materials must be submitted via the online application system by the deadline.
Selection Process
- The Recruitment Committee shortlists 2-5 applicants for assessment
- Shortlisted applicants proceed to the Assessment Committee
- Applicants receive notification of Assessment Committee composition and personal assessment
- Selected applicants invited for interview (positive assessment does not guarantee interview)
- Final notification of outcome after recruitment process completion
About the PhD Programme
The three-year CBS PhD programme provides:
- Research supervision by CBS associate professors and professors
- Research-related PhD courses
- International conference participation expectations
- Visiting PhD student placement at another research institution
CBS PhD graduates are highly regarded in academia, research institutions, government, and business.
Contact and Further Information
Candidates are encouraged to contact Professor Thomas Riise Johansen at trj.acc@cbs.dk for informal discussions before applying.
Additional resources:
- PhD programme information: https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/phd-programmeme
- Admission details: https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/phd-programmemes/admission
- Department research: www.cbs.dk/acc
- Department information: https://www.cbs.dk/forskning/institutter-centre/institut-regnskab
Important Notes for African Applicants
Applicants from Zimbabwe and SADC countries should note that CBS values diverse perspectives and explicitly encourages applications regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, religious beliefs, LGBT+ status, or cultural background. The university offers assistance for applicants with disabilities who wish to make use of preferential access. English proficiency requirements are strict—ensure academic writing samples demonstrate high-level competency. The Danish grading scale conversion may require additional documentation; contact Professor Johansen early to clarify equivalencies.
Official scholarship page: https://www.cbs.dk/en/about-cbs/job-and-career/vacant-positions/phd-scholarship-auditing
You apply directly with the provider. We never charge for applications or ask for payment details. How we verify scholarships
