ENGAGE.EU Workshop on Linking Theory and Empirics (EEU512)

ENGAGE.EU Workshop on Linking Theory and Empirics (EEU512) 
October 6–10, 2025 | Bergen, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) 

Are you a PhD student working in management or a related field—and finding it tough to bridge the gap between theory and empirical testing? You’re not alone. Many promising research projects struggle to move from conceptual ideas to robust, testable models. That’s exactly where this workshop comes in. 

Join fellow ENGAGE.EU PhD researchers for an intensive, in-person course designed to help you strengthen the theoretical foundation of your work, translate complex concepts into empirical models, and get expert feedback in a supportive, hands-on environment. Led by Assoc. Prof. Björn Schmeisser (NHH) and Univ. Prof. Jan Hendrik Fisch (WU Vienna), this course is a unique opportunity to push your dissertation forward and connect with peers facing the same challenges. 

Travel funding is available through ENGAGE and your home institution. 

Why Join This Course? 

This workshop offers a rare opportunity to step back and critically assess the backbone of your dissertation—the link between theory and empirics. Over five days, you’ll build stronger connections between your research question, theoretical framework, and statistical model, with guidance from experienced faculty and constructive peer input. You’ll gain insights into how to translate your research question to a consistent and coherent theoretical model, and learn to anticipate and address common reviewer concerns on the critical link between theory and empirics. Just as importantly, you’ll join a community of engaged PhD students from across Europe, building connections that can support your research journey long after the course ends. 

What You’ll Learn 

You’ll leave this course with a significantly improved concept for  your project and a clearer understanding of how to define theoretical constructs that are both credible and analytically useful, and how to develop dependent variables that reflect theoretical significance and practical relevance. You’ll gain tools to incorporate complex ideas—such as moderation, mediation, multi-level dynamics, and time effects—into your empirical models with precision. The course also helps you strike the right balance between ambition and clarity in your model design, so that your work is both rigorous and accessible to readers. 

What to Expect Inside the Workshop Experience 

This is a week-long, in-person workshop that blends lectures, guided model development, peer feedback, and expert coaching. You’ll present your work, receive feedback, revise your model, and leave with a clearer research path. Evening sessions feature informal talks and networking over food and drinks. 

How to Apply 

To be considered for the course, you’ll need to submit a 3-page PDF that outlines your project and clearly shows how it aligns with the course content. Your document must follow this structure: 

1. Motivation Letter (1 page) - Why do you want to take this course, and how does it support your PhD project? 
2. Abstract (0.5 page) - What is your project about, and what’s the broader context? 
3. Problem Definition / Research Question(s) (0.5 page) - What problem are you addressing, why is it relevant, what is your main research question/s? 
4. Theory (0.5 page) - What theory or theories will guide your work? What are their main ideas, and how do they relate to your research question(s)? 
5. Data (0.5 page) - What data do you plan to use? 

Application Process 

The application process consists of two steps: 

1. Register via the Application Portal (Søknadsweb): All interested PhD students -whether from a Norwegian institution or an ENGAGE.EU partner institution—must first register in NHH’s application portal ("Søknadsweb", Choose an institution - Søknadsweb). When registering in Søknadsweb, please upload documentation of admission in the PhD programme at your institution and a copy of your passport.  
   Please visit this webpage for further details on how to apply through Søknadsweb, Attending PhD Courses at NHH | NHH. 
2. Submit Your Application Document: After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from NHH. This email will prompt you to submit your 3-page application document (as one document, content and structure see above) as an attachment. 

Admission to the course is granted on a rolling basis starting June 23rd, so we encourage you to apply early to secure your spot. Submitted applications will be reviewed by the course instructors, who will assess how well your project’s development stage aligns with the goals of the workshop. You’ll receive an admission decision within 7–10 days of submitting your application document. 

For more information on the course, visit ENGAGE.EU - Course catalogue - Workshop on Linking Theory and Empirics.