PhD Research Fellow "Mapping China's Economic Diplomacy

Your tasks

• Participate in the interdisciplinary research project "Mapping China's Economic Diplomacy (ChiWiDi)"
• Contribute to the creation and maintenance of two innovative databases: the Chinese Aid Exports Database and the China Diplomatic Visits Database
• Conduct empirical research with modern econometric methods
• Contribute to teaching to the extent of 1 hour weekly (1 WLH) per semester (teaching tutorials, contributing to seminars, and supervising bachelor and master theses within the fields of international economic policy and development economics)
• Present research articles at international conferences and prepare them for publication in leading academic journals
• Communicate research results to policymakers and the general public
• Support with organizational tasks related to the project

Your profile

• A university degree (graduate or Master's degree), preferably in Economics, or a neighboring field with substantial coursework in quantitative methods, with the overall grade "good" or better
• Interest in development economics, international economics, and/or global political economy
• Good knowledge of empirical methods (panel data econometrics, causal inference) and relevant statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, Python)
• Advanced knowledge of English (C1); German, Chinese, and other languages will be an asset
• Willingness to cooperate and work within an international and interdisciplinary research group

The development and implementation of a PhD project in relationship to the research project is expected.

Our profile

The three-year project "Mapping China's Economic Diplomacy" (ChiWiDi) investigates the role of economic diplomacy in China's trade relations worldwide. It analyzes China's foreign policy strategies in trade and development policy and how these two policy fields interact. It builds new databases and links them to existing survey data as well as information based on internal Chinese debates. The project involves collaboration with partners at leading institutions, including IDOS Bonn, University of Groningen, China Agricultural University Beijing, and Nanjing University. The position offers integration into a vibrant and supportive interdisciplinary team, opportunity to build an extensive academic network through workshops and conferences in Germany and China, support in developing skills in policy communication, and access to unique datasets.

The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply in fields in which they are underrepresented. Disabled persons with equivalent aptitude will be favored. The university has

committed itself to being a family-friendly institution and supports their employees in balancing work and family life.

Please submit your application until 14 November 2025 in electronic form (a single pdf file, no larger than 8 MB). Applications must include a cover letter, CV, university degrees, and a list of three references who can provide letters if requested. Optional documents include the university entrance diploma and other relevant certificates. Upload the file on our application platform using the following link: For further questions on the position, please email Prof. Dr. Krisztina Kis-Katos ) and Prof. Dr. Andreas Fuchs (-).

Please note:

With submission of your application, you accept the processing of your applicant data in terms of data-protection law. Further information on the legal basis and data usage is provided in the Hinweisblatt zur Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO)