Doctoral Researcher

The Faculty of Economics and Business at KU Leuven and the Department of Economics at Ghent University, in partnership with Prometis Lab, invite applications for a joint PhD position focused on the role of data governance in the design and implementation of fintech solutions. The project is at the intersection between information economics, digital finance and technology policy. It will use innovative banking data to test theories and estimate models in collaboration with Prometis Lab—a joint venture between Ghent University and BNP Paribas Fortis Bank, based at Ghent University.

Project Overview:

The ascent of data as the world's premier resource has reshaped economies and industries worldwide. To unlock its utmost economic potential and bolster growth, information-rich sectors, like finance, are undergoing profound structural shifts. These shifts are propelled by the private sector's pursuit of digital opportunities and governments' objectives to guarantee competitiveness, stability, and market integrity. This trajectory is characterised by notable tensions and ambiguities: As private institutions pivot their business models to maximise the benefits from data, governments are concurrently crafting policies that influence their rights and access over both industrial and personal data.

This PhD research project will address head-on the dual challenge of exploring novel data-driven solutions whilst upholding apt public data policies. Specifically, we shall harness instruments and models from fields including economics, computer science, engineering, and public policy to tackle both theoretical and empirical issues, such as: data valuation, data privacy, data sharing, data integrity. The project is designed to contribute significantly to both academic knowledge and practical applications in banking, fintech and public policy. The project will be performed under the academic supervision of Prof. Tarik Roukny (KUL) and Prof. Koen Schoors (UGent), and under the industry supervision of Dr. Milan van den Heuvel (Prometis Lab).

Responsibilities:

- Conduct high-quality research within the scope of data governance and fintech.

- Collaborate and communicate with supervisors and collaborators, both from academia and industry, as well as with a team of experts at Prometis Lab.

- Handle large-scale banking data to extract insights into information frictions and evaluate the quality of candidate solutions.

- Contribute to the development of methodologies and models for the analysis of incentives and processes relevant to the deployment of novel fintech solutions.

- Produce solid results with concrete and relevant implications to the industry and public policies.

Qualifications:

- A master's degree in Economics, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics or a closely related field.

- Demonstrated experience and a strong interest in data analysis, particularly using Python.

- A keen intellectual curiosity about the economics of data, digital finance, and the common good.

- Ability to work independently and in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

We Offer:

- An opportunity to work on a pioneering research project with high societal, academic, and industry impact.

- Direct collaboration with globally recognized academics and access to a network of experts in the field.

- A stimulating work environment within two leading research universities and an innovative research lab.

- First-hand and industry relevant experience in conducting research within the context of one of the world's largest banking groups. 

- A competitive PhD scholarship for a period of 4 years.

Application Procedure:

For the full application procedure and submission portal: https://jobs.ugent.be/job/Ghent-Predoc-scientific-researcher-9000/815553402/