PhD cooperation

The cooperation in PhD education and research has evolved as a result of a long-standing partnership between Nord University Business School and key Ukrainian institutions, most notably Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

This collaboration began with master-level exchange and double degree programs (read more about Master level cooperation) and gradually evolved into a broader initiative supporting PhD education, joint research, and institutional capacity building.

In 2018, Nord University Business School was granted the project “Norwegian-Ukrainian Cooperation in the Field of Public Sector Accounting, Budgeting and Finance: Research and Education” (NUPRE). This initiative is funded by the Eurasia Programme (HK-dir), with a total budget of approximately NOK 3 million (CPEA-LT-2017/10004).

NUPRE laid a foundation for a research collaboration as a strategic, long-term initiative that contributes to the development of Ukraine’s public institutions through high-quality education, joint research, and sustained academic exchange.

• The cotutelle philosophyCopy linkCopied

  At the heart of the PhD collaboration lies the cotutelle model, derived from the French word for “joint supervision” or “co-tutoring”. This approach is designed to strengthen international research collaboration and to promote high academic standards across borders. It reflects a commitment to shared academic responsibility, mutual recognition of excellence, and joint contribution to knowledge development of young scholars.

  Cotutelle is formalized as an individual agreement on joint supervision on the doctoral degree level signed by two cooperating institutions, the PhD candidate and the candidate's supervisors. The cotutelle agreement regulates enrolment, supervision and evaluation of the candidate's doctoral degree dissertation. In the end, the candidate receives diplomas from both partner institutions.

• About the PhD ProgramCopy linkCopied

  In 2019, the partners established a PhD programme in Financial Management at the Faculty of Economics, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

  The candidates for joint PhD education should apply at both institutions.

  In case a candidate submits his/her application to the Faculty of Economics at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, they first must provide the required documentation to the Ukrainian institution. After reviewing the application and in case of positive evaluation by the Ukrainian partner institution, the documents, those additionally required by the Nord University Business School, should be sent electronically to the Norwegian partner institution.

  The coursework component comprises courses relevant to the thesis topic corresponding to at least 40 ECTS. The candidate is required to take courses in theory, ethics and scientific methods. For the coursework to be approved, the chosen courses must include a form of assessment/examination, usually a written paper. The courses must be completed and approved prior to submission of the doctoral thesis.

  Thus, this PhD program enables doctoral candidates to be jointly supervised by Nord University and a Ukrainian partner university, with a structured and balanced academic journey that meets the standards of both institutions.

• PublicationsCopy linkCopied

  Reports

  Vakulenko, V. and Knir, M. (2022). “Comparative analysis of Norwegian and Ukrainian doctoral education for collaboration on joint PhD supervision”. FoU-rapport 87. Nord universitet. FoU-rapport 71. Nord universitet.

  PhD theses

  Iermolenko, O. (2018). The human side of accounting: The bonds between human agency and management accounting practices’ changes in the transitional economy. Doctoral thesis no. 68, Nord university.

  Vakulenko, V. (2020). Public sector reforms in Ukraine: roles played by global and local agents in implementing converging and diverging changes. Doctoral thesis no. 79, Nord university

  Melnyk, V. (2024). Management of personal finance in the digital era: the case of Ukraine before and during the war. Doctoral thesis no. 106, Nord university.

  Research papers

  Iermolenko, O., Aleksandrov, E., Nazarova, N., & Bourmistrov, A. (2021). The “Bermuda triangle" of academic writing. The International Journal of Management Education, 19(2).
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2021.100511

• Experiences of our PhD studentsCopy linkCopied

  Valeriia’s story

  "Since September 2021, I am staying in Bodø to complete my research stay at Nord University. This gave me an amazing opportunity to study in the Norwegian university and opened a door to the world of international academia", writes PhD student Valeriya Melnyk.

  Currently [2023], I am a PhD student on my final year, studying under a cotutelle agreement between Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Nord University Business School. Since September 2021, I am staying in Bodø to complete my research stay at Nord University. This gave me an amazing opportunity to study in the Norwegian university and opened a door to the world of international academia.

  During my stay in Bodø, I completed obligatory PhD courses, in this way fulfilling course component for my PhD. Working on my thesis was intense to meet set deadlines and work a lot of my thesis but also was very informative and full of new knowledge.

  My first experience was in grasping the differences between doing PhD in Ukraine and in Norway. I understood that PhD in Norway is about learning how to produce research in the international scientific environment. Here, PhD students have a choice of writing thesis as a monograph or as article-based dissertation. I decided to go for four articles and kappa (an introductory chapter, which summarize all articles).

  The topic of my PhD work has also changed. In the beginning, I planned to write about the investing aspect of personal finance and study the behaviour of individual investors. However, the vector of my research transformed to a more general one. Now, I study different factors which influence people’s financial decisions and behaviour.

  After becoming a cotutelle student, I received two more supervisors (main and co-supervisor) from Nord University Business School, so now I am being guided by three amazing professionals from Ukrainian and Norwegian universities. I am very lucky to have an opportunity to receive useful advice and suggestions from all of my supervisors. Each time they help me to improve my work and, therefore, my research skills.

  In February 2022 the war started in my country. This affected the possibility of data collection as I use a Ukrainian context for my empirical papers. Nevertheless, I managed to finish two of three empirical papers on trust and financial literacy among young Ukrainians. This was possible since I managed to gather enough empirical data before the beginning of the war.

  In June I had my midterm seminar at Nord University Business School and presented main findings and progress that I achieved by that moment. After my presentation, I received very useful comments from my discussants, which helped me to plan how to improve my future work.

  Now I am continuing working on my last empirical paper, improving other articles, and hoping to finish in time. My home country is now passing through terrible times, which affects me a lot. However, I hope that I will use my internationally recognized PhD degree and experience gained here in Norway for the future rebuilding of Ukraine.”