"PhD Student - Call for Expressions of Interest - PhD in Business (Sport Management)"

PhD Student - Call for Expressions of Interest - PhD in Business (Sport Management)

About the position

Call for Expressions of Interest

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student 

Bond University, Business School

PhD in Business (Sport Management)

The Bond Business School is calling for expressions of interest from business graduates interested in undertaking a PhD investigating the role of sport in Australia’s higher education sector. 

UniSport Australia is the governing body for sport across Australia’s 43 universities (37 public; six private) and is funding this PhD scholarship. This research seeks to understand the role of sport in Australian universities and how it contributes to campus culture, sense of community and student satisfaction. The research will also uncover the enablers and inhibitors to sport making positive contributions to university life.

While considerable research into how sport contributes to university life has been conducted in North American settings, little to no research has been conducted in other countries. Given the massive cultural capital of sport in Australia, it seems remiss that such a knowledge gap persists. Ultimately, we would like to identify ways to improve campus life through sport, and across the whole of Australia’s university network. The new knowledge generated can be leveraged by UniSport Australia and individual universities for sport service improvement, to improve strategic service and workforce planning, and for evaluation purposes, e.g., current large-scale projects such as the UniSport Nationals. It is envisaged that a mixed-methods approach to data collection and analyses will be adopted.

The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Dr. Lisa Gowthorp, Dr. Danny O’Brien and Dr. Belinda Barton at Bond University. 

About the person

Selection Criteria

Essential:

• A Bachelor of Business, Marketing, Sport Management, or related degrees in Social Science
• Experience undertaking a substantial research project (e.g. Masters thesis or Honours thesis)
• Excellent data analysis and academic writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work in teams
• Evidence of project management and organisational skills, including the ability to achieve goals and deliver outcomes within a specified time period. 

Desirable:

• Publication in a peer-reviewed journal
• Experience with tutoring business students
• Capacity to assist with seeking external funding with support from supervisors.

Salary details

Candidates will receive high quality, personalised supervision and access to the full range of facilities available to Bond University students, successful applicants will be entitled to the following benefits:

• A UniSport Australia scholarship: The successful applicant will receive a Living Stipend Scholarship at Bond University, supplied by UniSport Australia. The stipend is $105,000 paid to the candidate over three consecutive years. 
• Tuition fee waiver: The Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) scheme provides tuition fee waivers for eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents enrolled in higher degree programs such as a PhD. The tuition waiver lasts the duration of the program. 
• Employment opportunities: The successful applicant may also be provided with employment opportunities such as tutoring or research assistant work within the Bond Business School dependent upon prior experience. Employment will be subject to the conditions of the PhD program and the terms of any scholarship awarded. 
• Internship opportunities: The successful applicant may have the opportunity to partner with a business or organisation in our network to conduct research, gain valuable real-world experience and make an impact. PhD Industry Internships offer a unique opportunity to apply your research expertise to real-world challenges, collaborate with industry leaders, and build a pathway toward your future career.

The successful applicant will need to meet all Bond University requirements for entry into the PhD program and achieve the milestones required by the University throughout their doctoral program. It is also a requirement that the successful applicant be based full-time at the Gold Coast campus.

Additional information

Why study at Bond?

The Bond Business School (BBS) delivers a truly personalised educational experience to every student. BBS provides a unique learning environment. This setting tailors our industry-relevant learning experiences to the needs of each student, one by one. In addition, each student has unparalleled access to dedicated learning facilities, global industry connections, internationally diverse cohorts and world class academics. We demonstrate an outstanding student service ethic, offer an engaging and satisfying student experience, and prioritise student wellbeing. We engage in high quality, impactful research in niche areas of research excellence.

Our research groups include:

• Centre for Data Analytics 
• Governance, Accountability and Purpose (GAP) Research Group
• Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise

Application and submission details

Please submit your expression of interest via the Bond University application portalby Sunday 31st August 2025.

Your EOI must include:

• The number and title of the position you are applying for.
• A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) describing your interest in the research project and proposed research topic.
• A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) addressing the selection criteria set out above.
• A current curriculum vitae including the names of two academic referees.
• Your academic transcripts.
• An example of your written academic work (e.g. Honours thesis, peer-reviewed journal article, or academic research projects)

For all enquiries related to this position, please contact the Bond Business School on bbsresearch@bond.edu.au

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