The TUM ENERGISE Centre invites highly qualified and motivated candidates from South Africa to apply for a three-year doctoral scholarship in Sustainable Entrepreneurship.

The TUM ENERGISE Centre is a partnership between the Technical University of Munich and four South African universities: the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg, Tshwane University of Technology, and the University of Venda. It promotes interdisciplinary research combining engineering, entrepreneurship, and policy to advance a just energy transition in South Africa. The Center is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Federal Foreign Office (Line A), and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (Line B).

The doctoral research will focus on the emergence, development, scaling, and impact of sustainable enterprises in the context of the just energy transition. The selected doctoral scholar will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Frank-Martin Belz from the Technical University of Munich (TUM School of Management).

The scholarship runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029 and includes:

• a monthly stipend of EUR 1,300
• research mobility support of EUR 2,000
• research stays between South Africa and Germany
• insurance support

ENERGISE doctoral scholars are expected to: 

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to the work as a doctoral student.
• Participate and contribute to the activities of the TUM ENERGISE Center
• Engage in academic exchange (i.e., visit and collaborate with partner universities)
• Present research at leading international conferences and publish in leading international academic journals (e.g. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice)

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in management or a related field with a focus on entrepreneurship. They must also be South African citizens or permanent residents of South Africa. More detils about the application requirements can be found in the official announcement.

Qualified women and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications must include a CV, a strong motivation letter highlighting the candidate’s fit with the TUM ENERGISE Center, relevant certificates, and a transcript of records.

Application deadline: 16 August 2026

Applications must be submitted through the online application form (Link).