Doctoral programmes
ICN doctoral programmes
The School offers two doctoral opportunities: a PhD in Management and a DBA in Sustainable Innovation Management (online programme).
The ICN doctoral programmes aim to foster an innovative research agenda with and for management and business. Our students are trained to be genuinely explorative and ground-breaking, to transform management practices and generate a clear corporate or societal impact.
The programmes are individualised and collegial, students work side-by-side with our international faculty and join a community of enthusiastic scholars who share a passion for research and inquiry. Our faculty are internationally recognised experts in their field. They are academic leaders, provide innovative solutions to the corporate sector, and share their expertise and skills with our PhD students. ICN has an established reputation for excellence in its research into sustainability in business and management and corporate social responsibility. Our researchers place great emphasis on providing future leaders with the skills and tools they need to achieve sustainable outcomes in all areas of business and management.
What our programmes offer
boost your skills and expand your knowledge
learn how to enhance your capacity for innovative and creative thinking through the ICN #ArtTechnologyManagement approach
become a leading expert in your field and advance management practice in line with the Sustainable Development Goals
benefit from modern facilities and state of the art learning environments on three campuses
connect with and integrate an international community of highly motivated and talented doctoral students from all over the world
choose an individual learning path and benefit from the combination of online and in-person teaching
PhD in Management
Are you interested in undertaking original research and contributing to the development of contemporary, creative and innovative knowledge relevant to business and management?
The ICN PhD in Management programme offers you the training to produce innovative and rigorous research into today’s most pressing challenges in business and management. After your PhD, you have the skills and competences to join a prestigious business school or university and embark on a career in research and teaching, pursue a career in internationally operating companies or become a management consultant.
DBA in Sustainable Innovation Management
Do you want to enhance your professional expertise and learn how to apply the latest research results to solve complex current and future problems in business and management?
Are you aspiring to become a creative business leader who can drive change towards sustainability? The ICN DBA in Sustainable Innovation Management trains students to challenge current management practices and improve managerial decision making through robust research and analysis.
The programme is oriented towards meeting management needs in a constantly evolving business environment and designed for senior executives, managers, consultants and management educators with at least five years of management experience and qualified at Master or MBA level (or equivalent).
The programme is delivered jointly with the Business Science Institute (BSI), Luxembourg and as dual degree programme with IAE Lyon, the School of Management at the city’s Jean Moulin University. The programme is delivered online so that students can continue working while following the programme.
What's the difference between the PhD and the DBA?
While both the PhD and the DBA are research programmes and lead to a doctoral degree, they are distinct: they differ in their focus and scope, offer doctoral opportunities to different candidate profiles and prepare for different careers.
PhD students are expected to make a significant contribution to knowledge.
The goal of the PhD is to create new insights for the academic community and publish the research findings in recognised academic journals.
By contrast, the DBA programme trains professionals to apply existing knowledge to real-world business problems and prepares for a career as business leaders and executives with a deeper understanding of management practices. The research conducted by DBA students is geared towards generating an immediate impact on professional practice and primarily addresses the community of management practitioners. DBA students are encouraged to publish their findings in academic journals with an applied focus or in professional outlets.