Doctoral School

Doctoral seminar on research in well-being enhancing consumption

Target audience

This course offers a practical blueprint for transforming research ideas into relevant and well-founded methodologies. It is particularly suited for early- and mid-stage doctoral students who want to gain a solid understanding of the practical aspects of interdisciplinary and societally relevant academic research. The course is open to students from the social sciences who focus on well-being enhancing behavior—such as healthy, sustainable, and ethical behavior.

Participants will work in multidisciplinary teams of 3 to 4 students, each from different disciplinary backgrounds. The course accommodates a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 16 participants, divided into a maximum of 4 teams.

Organizing and scientific committee

Iris Vermeir, & Slabbinck Hendrik (FEB - Department of Marketing, Innovation & Organisation)

Bert Weijters (UGent – FPPW -  Department of Work, Organisation and Society),

Pieter Van Dessel (UGent – FPPW - Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology),

Joachim Schouteten & Hans de Steur (UGent – FBW - Department of Agricultural Economics)

Abstract

Through this course, doctoral students will develop essential knowledge and skills related to research methodologies across various disciplines—including psychology, consumer research and agricultural and behavioral economics. They will learn to formulate clear research questions, select appropriate methodological approaches, collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams, and present their work to both academic and professional audiences. Emphasis will be placed on designing and co-creating conducting research that addresses societal challenges in general and well-being of consumers in particular.

Objectives

Given the complex and multifaceted nature of today’s grand societal challenges, future PhD students must develop a multi-perspectival understanding and approach to effectively address these issues. This course aims to equip doctoral students with the skills to conduct societal relevant and high-quality interdisciplinary research on well-being enhancing consumption—such as sustainable, healthy, and ethical consumption. The focus lies on bridging the gap between initial research ideas and the practical implementation of a research project that has both academic and societal value and impact. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students from various faculties will collaboratively develop research ideas related to (consumer) well-being. These ideas will be translated into concrete research proposals, including clearly defined research questions and appropriate methodologies, structured as a series of studies with relevance for both academic and real-world practice. The proposals will be further refined, methodologically elaborated, and presented to both academic and professional audiences.

Dates and venue

6/11 + 20/11 + 04/12 + 12/12/2025

Venue

06/11 + 20/11:

Morning: Lokaal 2.2 Campus Tweekerken, Hoveniersberg
Afternoon:  Lokaal 3.2 Jos Van Acker Campus Tweekerken, Hoveniersberg

12/12:
Faculteitsraadzaal FEB

Preliminary Programme

Day 1 (4hrs)
 
10:00 - 11:00 
Introduction: course overview, the multifaceted nature of todays grand challenges, the need for interdisciplinary research
11:00 - 11:15
coffee break
11:15 - 12:15
How to formulate rigorous and societal relevant research questions
12:15 - 13:30
Lunch
13:30 - 14:30
Exercises on morning topics (quiz-type of questions, with feedback)
14:30 - 14:45
coffee break
14:45 - 15:45
Initiation Guided Brainstorm 1: from broad research idea to specific research questions. 


Homework: formulate two specific research questions with societal and academic underpinning
students can either continue working on their first homework right after the session, or they can organize themselves

Day 2 (5 hrs)
 
10:00 - 11:00 
Closing brainstrom 1: students present their questions to the other groups and supervisors, with discussion and feedback
11:00 - 11:15
coffee break
11:15 - 12:15
Students inregrate their feedback and formulate their final research questions
12:15 - 13:30
lunch
13:30 - 14:30
Overview of most commonly used research methods in (consumer) well-being research
14:30 - 14:45
coffee break
14:45 - 15:45
Exercises on how to design a research plan and to select appropriate research methods to solve specific research questions
15:45 - 16:45
Initation Guided brainstrom2:  design a research plan to study one of the two self-defined research problems
 
Homework: design a research plan to study the second of the two self-defined research problems

Day 3 (4hrs)
 
10:00 - 11:00 
Closing brainstorm 2: students present their research desings tothe other groups and supervisors, with discussion and feedback
11:00 - 11:15
coffee break
11:15 - 12:15
Based on the received feedback, students select the research design with the highest potential and finalize their research design
12:15 - 13:30
lunch
13:30 - 14:30
translating the selected research design to a pitch for an academic audience
14:30 - 14:45
coffee break
14:45 - 15:45
translating the selected research design to a pitch for a non-academic audience

Day 4 (3hrs)
 
13:30 - 17:30

  • Pitching research idea and appraoch to academic audience
  • coffee break
  • Pitching research idea and approach to non-academic audience
  • closing: round table discussion with jury and students, guided by faculty member

Registration

  • Follow this link for the registration. We check if you are eligible to participate. Due to limited places, we give priority to PhD students. Your registration will be confirmed by separate e-mail (outlook invite).
  • Cancellation of your registration can only be performed by sending an email to doctoralschools@ugent.be.

  • The no show policy applies.

Registration fee

Free of charge for Doctoral School members.

Number of participants

Maximum 16

Language

English

Training method

Lectures ex-cathedra on research questions and research methodologies in different fields (6 hours)

Guided brainstorm discussions within interdisciplinary teams (supervised by faculty staff/members; 6 hours)

Developing scientific communication skills: pitches/presentations (2 hours)

Presentations (to academic audience and practitioners, 2 hours).

Evaluation method

Attendance, presentations, active participation. The course requires active participation: you will work in multidisciplinary research teams on a series of assignments. Together with your team, you will discuss, develop, and present research ideas.

After successful participation, the Doctoral School Office will add this course to your curriculum of the Doctoral Training Programme in Oasis. Please note that this can take up to one to two months after completion of the course.