Doctoral Programme
Doctoral Programme New Social Housing
After a successful pilot year, the Research Center for New Social Housing is establishing the New Social Housing Programme for Doctoral Candidates in 2026. The programme seeks to establish an interdisciplinary setting around social housing themes and looks for a connection of international and local perspectives.
Highly dynamic political, social, ecological, and political transitions bring a number of challenges to the provision of housing today. The current global housing crisis is stimulating political interest and a broad public debate on housing issues and practical solutions. As a complex research field, housing includes the design of buildings, housing as a form of practice, and housing regimes and policies but, also, an ideological and epistemological component. Housing studies at the intersection of basic and applied research require new transdisciplinary methodological approaches and perspectives across positions of Global North and South. In view of these challenges and demands, the following questions arise: How do we as housing researchers/designers approach the research–practice gap in housing and develop methodologies across disciplinary boundaries? What are the necessary forms of knowledge in housing design, policy, and everyday life that need to be considered in housing research? How do we engage in a global comparative approach across Global North and South addressing the specificity of housing to advance in housing studies?
CONTACT for more information: newsocialhousing@tuwien.ac.at
OPEN CALL 2026: Apply now until 20 January 2026!
AIMS
To pursue these challenges and requirements, the international and interdisciplinary programme seeks to establish an ‘open-minded dialogue across scales and positions’ (Powell & Simone, 2022) on the topic of New Social Housing. The thematic focus of the programme will be social housing in its definition as common good (Güntner, Hauser, Lehner & Reinprecht 2023) and transdisciplinary methodological approaches in housing studies. Beyond the (1) aim of promoting excellent doctoral training, the programme additionally seeks to (2) extent the network of international housing studies and consolidate or establish international collaborations. Additionally, our goal in the advancement of housing research is to (3) qualify early-stage researchers for competitive funding, and to (4) increase visibility of research through public events and publications.
The programme in the framework of the TUW faculty’s focus “Social Infrastructure: Health/Education/Housing” aims to complement and further develop teaching in doctoral settings aligned with the faculty’s research school structure and TU Wien’s doctoral school. The programme brings added value through the inter/transdisciplinary approach and innovative peer-learning. The didactical approach of the programme – with cross-disciplinary workshops focussed on problem-based-learning and collaborative interdisciplinary research settings – seeks to develop a peer-culture in doctoral education. Additionally, the programme allows for international networking and advancing the excellency in housing research/design through the inclusion of highly renown international scientists of international universities, practitioners and housing actors as collaborators for transdisciplinary exchange and the output of public keynote events and publications.
Being situated in Vienna, a city with a refined system of social housing and proficient housing expertise in city administration, practice, social organizations and universities, the programme therefore offers doctoral students not only a scientific career development in an international setting, but also the opportunity of engaging with a field of competence in applied practice. In particular with regard to Sustainable Development Goal 11 'Sustainable Cities and Communities' with SDG 11.1 'Safe and Affordable Housing', the programme organizers and partners are developing new formats for knowledge transfer and cooperation networks, available/accessible for all participants and beyond.
METHODOLOGY and PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
The doctoral programme consists of various actors participating and supporting the programme structure. The Research Center for New Social Housing functions as an organisational body. The cohort of doctoral students is entails students of TU Wien, Viennese other international universities from different disciplinary fields. The programme is conducted in English.
Complementary teaching activities, courses and scientific exchange (in English language) include:
- Research-led teaching: The webinars are offered as a course to doctoral students to advance in housing research, methodologies in housing studies etc. by international scholars and housing practitioners, additional courses in connection with international research projects (Starting in Summer Term in March 2026 and continuing in Winter Term in October 2026)
- Vienna International Summer School on New Social Housing: In the framework of the Vienna International Summer School on New Social Housing doctoral students are invited to present their research progress to a broader research community with other participants of the summer school. Through field trips offered by the Summer School, the participants get insights into the Viennese housing system and establish contact to institutions and practitioners. (September 2026)
- On-site meeting: Public symposium with lectures by international scholars. The on-site workshop is dedicated for an internal, interdisciplinary exchange in classroom sessions amongst the doctoral programme participants and invited scholars (peer-learning). A subsequent writing retreat only for the doctoral students allows immediate implementation of review comments. (foreseen in February/March 2027 at TU Wien or international partner universities)
The programme is structured as an intensive first part in the year 1 (with monthly webinars and courses during the summer and winter term) and a subsequent second part along year 2 and 3 with half-year activities (symposium and progress report workshops).
Programme organisers and international cooperation partners
Coordinators:
Dr. Judith M. Lehner, Research Center for New Social Housing, future.lab, E285-01, TU Wien
Dr. Bernadette Krejs, Research Unit Housing and Design, E253-2, TU Wien
Former programme group 2024/25
Coordinators:
Dr. Judith M. Lehner, Research Center for New Social Housing, future.lab, TU Wien
Dr. Bernadette Krejs, Research Unit Housing and Design, TU Wien
Dr. Selim Banabak, Research Unit Urban and Regional Research, TU Wien
Advisors and cooperation partners:
Prof. Michael Obrist, Research Unit Housing and Design, TU Wien
Assoc. Prof. Angelika Psenner, Research Unit of Urban Design, TU Wien
Prof. Franziska Sielker, Research Unit Urban and Regional Research, TU Wien
Prof. Dragana Damjanovic, Fakultät für Rechtswissenschaften, Universität Wien
Prof. Simon Güntner, HAW Hamburg
Prof. Dr. Massimo Bricocoli, Politecnico Milano, Dipartimento di Architettura e Studi Urbani
Prof. Dr. Raquel Rolnik, Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo
Assoc. Prof. Dr. David Madden, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Sociology
Prof. Dr. Amita Bhide, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, School of Habitat Studies
City of Vienna, MA 50, Referat für Stategische Projekte und Internationales
Barbara Caetano Damasceno (University of São Paulo, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism)
Charlotte Damböck (TU Wien, Research Unit of Law)
Julia Dorner (TU Wien, Research Unit of Urban and Regional Research)
Silke Fischer (TU Wien, Research Unit of Building Construction and Design 2)
Marcella Franco de Andrade (University of São Paulo, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism)
Pratap Jayaram (London School of Economics, Department of Sociology)
Diego Martínez (TU Wien, Research Unit of Housing and Design)
Marco Patruno (Politecnico di Milano, Architectural , Urban, and Interior Design)