PhD in Special Needs Education in University of Oslo – Norway

Summary

The University of Oslo is inviting applications for a three to four-year full-time PhD Research Fellow position in Special Needs Education and Inclusive Practice. The successful candidate will be based at the Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, and will work within the Centre for Research on Special Needs Education and Inclusive Practice (SpedAims). The position is linked to work package ABC123, focusing on math and reading difficulties, with a primary emphasis on math skills and their relationship with language and reading. A key responsibility will be to develop and validate instruments for assessing math difficulties within a response-to-intervention framework. The role also involves focusing on interventions and skill development, potentially through new data collection or using existing datasets. Applicants must hold a Master's degree or equivalent. The application deadline is October 8, 2026.

Key Facts

Department	Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences
Position Type	PhD Research Fellow
Discipline	Educational sciences
Research Area	Special Needs Education and Inclusive Practice, Math and Reading Difficulties
Degree Required	Master Degree or equivalent
Funding	Not funded by a EU programme
Contract Duration	three to four-year full-time position
Deadline	2026-10-08
Employer Address	PO box 1072 Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
Employer Contact	[email protected], [email protected]

About the Project

The PhD position is connected to work package ABC123, which focuses on math and reading difficulties. The main focus of this specific position is on math skills and difficulties, as well as the relationship between math, language, and reading. A crucial next step for the ABC123 work package is to further develop and validate instruments for assessing math difficulties within a response-to-intervention framework. These tools are intended to support both research and practice by providing valid, reliable, and practically useful ways to identify children's needs and evaluate the effects of special education efforts. Depending on the candidate's background and interest, the project may also involve focusing on interventions and skill development, utilizing both new and existing data sets.

Key Responsibilities

• Further develop and validate instruments for assessing math difficulties within a response to intervention framework
• Play an important role in developing tools to identify children's needs and evaluate the effects of special education efforts
• Focus on interventions and skill development, potentially through collecting new data sets and using existing data

Who Should Apply

Applicants with a Master's degree or equivalent in Educational Sciences, particularly those with an interest in Special Needs Education and Inclusive Practice, focusing on math and reading difficulties, are encouraged to apply. Candidates interested in developing and validating assessment instruments for math difficulties and exploring interventions and skill development would be well-suited for this position.

About the Employer

The University of Oslo is the organization offering this PhD Research Fellow position. The workplace will be at the Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences. The position is connected to the Centre for Research on Special Needs Education and Inclusive Practice (SpedAims), which is a collaboration between five Norwegian institutions and is led by the Department of Special Needs Education at the University of Oslo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of the PhD position?

The position is a three to four-year full-time appointment.

What is the main focus of the PhD research?

The main focus is on math skills and difficulties, and the relationship between math, language, and reading, within the context of Special Needs Education and Inclusive Practice.

Which department will host the PhD Research Fellow?

The successful candidate will have their workplace at the Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Oslo.

Is the job funded by an EU Research Framework Programme?

No, the job is not funded by an EU programme.

What is the application deadline?

The application deadline is October 8, 2026, at 23:00 Europe/Oslo time.