Research is at the heart of an INSEAD PhD. During the first two years of taught courses, we provide not just essential knowledge but the investigative and analytical techniques on which to build a successful academic career. The second phase of the programme takes the form of a ‘research apprenticeship’: working with world-class faculty to make – and possibly publish – original discoveries. Unlike most universities, we won’t distract you with teaching requirements… although we will make sure you have all the training you need to turn your research into compelling classroom presentations and real-world impact.
Bringing together the brightest minds to collaborate and discover
Business research as a force for good
INSEAD is not just the ‘Business School for the World’. We are increasingly known for our commitment to business as a force for good in the world. Roughly 20% of our research output deals with the broad area of sustainability and this is reflected in the work of our students. Current PhD students are working on research into: bike-share systems, mobile health clinics in Africa, vaccine markets in India, and the relationship between CEO personality and corporate social responsibility. And several recent graduates have ongoing research in the fields of: emerging markets, healthcare in the developing world, environmental operations and humanitarian logistics.
Stories
Seminars and
workshops
Seminars and workshops
Faculty seminars and workshop series are an integral part of the INSEAD research culture. These are conducted throughout the academic year, often with the participation of notable visiting academics. Doctoral students are encouraged to attend and contribute – and present their own research – at the earliest opportunity.
One programme, two campuses
— linked by technology
The secret of our success in seamlessly integrating a single class across two continents is technology. Both campuses provide state-of-the-art video conferencing facilities for seminars and research meetings, as well as classes and lectures. It really is possible to have research collaborations that offer the best of both worlds.
Academic conferences and events
Attending conferences is a tradition of academic life that INSEAD PhD students are encouraged to participate in as early as possible. It’s an invaluable way to exchange ideas, hear about the latest findings in your field, network with other researchers and even present papers. In addition to the generous funding package that covers all your fees and living expenses while you’re at INSEAD, you can apply for grants to attend conferences throughout the world. INSEAD also hosts several conferences and roundtables every year – bringing global research expertise right to your doorstep.
Publications
Most INSEAD PhD students work very closely with faculty – effectively co-learning with them. They become fully integrated into the publication process that plays such an important role in academic success. Because our professors are aiming for the very top journals, our students have a very good chance of co-authoring a paper or an article that will help to launch a brilliant research career.
Campus exchanges
Moving between campuses
As students progress through the programme, campus choice is generally guided by the location of faculty members or research projects. Both of our campuses offer the same kinds of research opportunities and the programme is fully integrated across the two sites. It really is one school, one programme – but with two campuses. Exposure to both Asia and Europe is an essential component of the INSEAD research experience.
During the first two years of the programme, most students will spend some time on the INSEAD campus that is not their main base. Later, during the dissertation phase, there is even more flexibility. Many students choose to spend longer or shorter periods of time on the other campus, depending on the location of key faculty members or their own personal interests and commitments.
PhD students also have the opportunity to spend time at INSEAD’s third campus in Abu Dhabi, if there is a benefit to their research
Fontainebleau
Singapore
The INSEAD-Wharton Alliance
INSEAD’s alliance with The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania) is a comprehensive strategic partnership between two of the world’s leading business schools. Exchanges and visits of doctoral students are major pillars of this long-standing relationship. The two institutions have complementary centres of expertise and campus locations, creating a powerful global network that no other school can match.
INSEAD’s PhD students are encouraged to collaborate with researchers at Wharton and vice versa. Some also take advantage of additional funding from the Alliance to spend time in the USA – which adds a third in-depth geographical perspective to their research. Another valuable initiative is the annual Doctoral Consortium, a joint conference focusing on research by PhD students at both schools.
Visits to other institutions
INSEAD regularly collaborates with other academic institutions on research projects. We are fortunate to have campuses within easy reach of Europe’s great universities and Asia’s rising stars – and we encourage PhD students to reap the benefits. Subject to approval, some PhD participants may spend extended periods of time at other institutions, in order to gain specific expertise or to carry out new research.
Visits to other institutions may also be approved for specific periods to enable students to undergo specific training in topics for where there are relevant experts outside INSEAD.
Libraries and
information
services
Both INSEAD Campuses are equipped with extensive library facilities. In Fontainebleau, the Georges and Edna Doriot Library has long been at the heart of PhD life, while the new high-tech Tanoto Library in Singapore is one of our researchers’ favourite places on campus. The two libraries provide comprehensive collections of books and e-books, access to tens of thousands printed and digital periodicals, and massive database resources – on and off campus. As an INSEAD, you will have access to top journals, and critical datasets, including interlibrary loan services with top local and national libraries.
The INSEAD-Sorbonne University Behavioural Lab
Behavioural research in management is heavily empirical, which means that many studies have to be conducted in a highly controlled laboratory setting. The INSEAD–Sorbonne University Behavioural Lab in Paris offers the ideal environment for this kind of work.
The state-of-the-art building in Paris’s Latin Quarter has welcomed nearly 100,000 research participants since opening in 2002. It provides facilities for all behavioural researchers at INSEAD – faculty and PhD students – across all academic areas.
