Within the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network “HOMeAGE: Advancing Research and Training on Ageing, Place and Home” (https://icsg.ie/icsg-receives-eu-marie-curie-doctoral-network-award/ ), coordinated by the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology at the University of Galway, two PhD positions are currently being offered in Ancona (Italy), as described below.
THE HOMEAGE PROGRAMME: HOMeAGE involves a nine-country collaboration between leading research units, major intergovernmental organisations, international civil society actors and governmental and non-governmental organisations. It is based on an interdisciplinary, intersectoral, and international programme of doctoral training and research that drives the development of new leaders in excellence for the advancement of evidence-based innovation on ageing in place. HOMeAGE will address the three interconnected challenges of (1) needs and systems, (2) home and belonging and (3) rights and voice. The 12 Doctoral Researchers will be hosted across the network, and in addition to conducting an original research study they will participate in a 36-month network-wide training program, public engagement activities and collaboration with network members through short-term secondments in European intersectoral partner organisations.
CONTENTS OF THE TWO DOCTORAL RESEARCH POSITIONS: within the HOMeAGE programme described above, two projects will be carried out as part of the PhD programme held by the Faculty of Economics of the Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM) in collaboration with INRCA IRCCS (Italy’ National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing), both located in Ancona, Italy. Below you find a description of the main aims, requirements and features of the two positions:
Host: IRCCS INRCA (Ancona, Italy) – PhD Enrolment: UNIVPM (Ancona, Italy)
Primary Supervisor: Prof. Micol Bronzini (UNIVPM)
Co-supervisor/mentors: Dr. Giovanni Lamura (INRCA IRCCS) and Prof. Kieran Walsh (University of Galway, Ireland)
Duration: 36 months
Required applicant profile: A candidate with an above-average MSc (or equivalent degree) in sociology, health sciences, economy, political sciences or related fields. We expect a strong interest in research focusing on ageing, long-term care of older people, technologies for assisted living. Required skills include knowledge of the literature on these and related topics, and ability in carrying out qualitative research (e.g. expert interviews, focus groups etc.) as well as quantitative analyses (e.g. using SPSS, STATA & equivalent tools), possibly combined into a mixed method approach.
Desired skills: Experience in the analysis of costs-benefits in relation to care quality and expenditures, and willingness to improve the knowledge of Italian language are also highly welcome.
Project Objectives: As a part of the Needs and systems work package, the project “Addressing spatial disparities of frail older people through care and support” to be carried out by the successful candidate will examine: 1) under which support and care conditions frail older people, living in underserved communities, are able to age in place; 2) what role technologies play in facilitating supported ageing in place in this vulnerable social group; 3) and develop new digital-health modalities for frail older adults ageing in place. Mixed-methods: secondary data analysis; expert interviews; qualitative interviews.
Secondment(s): The applicant will undertake two secondments. The first will be with Kieran Walsh (NUI Galway, Ireland, 4m), and will focus on learning on social exclusion models in later life. Secondment 2 will be with Dr. Carlos Chiatti (Tech4Care SRL, Falconara, Italy, 4m), and will expose the DR to innovative technologies for ageing in place.
Gross salary: € 39739,20 per annum plus mobility and family allowances as applicable and in line with the EC rules for Marie Sklodowska Curie Doctoral Networks 2021.
For more information please contact: Prof. Micol Bronzini, m.bronzini@staff.univpm.it or Dr. Giovanni Lamura, g.lamura@inrca.it.
Host: IRCCS INRCA (Ancona, Italy) – PhD Enrolment: UNIVPM (Ancona, Italy)
Primary Supervisor: Prof. Marco Arlotti (UNIVPM)
Co-supervisor/mentors: Dr. Francesco Barbabella (INRCA IRCCS) and Prof. A.S. Smetcoren (VUB, Belgium)
Duration: 36 months
Required applicant profile: A candidate with an above-average MSc (or equivalent degree) in sociology, health sciences, economy, political sciences or related fields. We expect a strong interest in research focusing on digital health technologies, ageing, housing, care, and mobility. Required skills include knowledge of the literature on these and related topics, and ability in carrying out qualitative research (e.g. expert interviews, focus groups etc.) as well as quantitative analyses (e.g. using SPSS, STATA or equivalent tools), possibly combined into a mixed method approach.
Desired skills: Experience in technology studies and policy analysis are merits. Willingness to improve the knowledge of Italian language is also highly welcome.
Project Objectives: As a part of the Needs and systems work package, the project “Technology-enhanced housing, care and mobility (HCM) in a post-pandemic context” to be carried out by the successful candidate will examine: (1) which new technologies improve older adult lives and address HCM needs; (2) HCM policies focussing on the introduction of new technology; (3) the socio-economic impact of technologies for: older people; informal carers (if present); housing markets; care systems and mobility. Mixed-methods: secondary data; survey; case studies; norm-critical innovation; interviews.
Secondment(s): The applicant will undertake two secondments. The first will be with A.S. Smetcoren (VUB, Belgium, 4m), and will focus on housing models for later life and European housing policy. Secondment 2 will be with Dr. Carlos Chiatti (Tech4Care SRL, Falconara Marittima, Italy, 4m), and will expose the DR to research on technology innovation.
Gross salary: € 39739,20 per annum plus mobility and family allowances as applicable and in line with the EC rules for Marie Sklodowska Curie Doctoral Networks 2021.
For more information please contact: Dr. Giovanni Lamura, g.lamura@inrca.it or Prof. Marco Arlotti, m.arlotti@staff.univpm.it
UNIVPM’S PHD PROGRAMME IN ECONOMICS
The Doctoral Researchers will be enrolled in the PhD three-year program in Economics at the Department of Economic and Social Sciences (DiSeS), Faculty of Economics of the Università Politecnica delle Marche (Ancona, Italy). The PhD program is aimed at preparing economists and social scientists capable of assuming relevant positions in the fields of academic and applied research. The HOMeAGE Doctoral Researcher Posts fall within the Area 14 of the PHD program related to institutional and organizational innovations in social and health integration, which also connect to the CRISS Interdepartmental Research Center on Social and Health Integration (https://www.criss.univpm.it/ ), based at DiSeS. For more general information on the PhD please consult this website page: PHD.
INRCA IRCCS – NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND SCIENCE ON AGEING
The two Doctoral Researchers will be co-supervised by expert scientists of the Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, one of the core research units of INRCA IRCCS. This Centre has a longstanding experience in interdisciplinary and cross-national studies on ageing-related issues from a social, economic and political point of view, adopting a translational perspective and primarily funded by the European Union. For more information on INRCA IRCCS’ activities in this area please consult the website: https://www.inrca.it/zz?jkZz .
