Innsbruck Doctoral College Biopsychosocial Aspects of Health and Prevention

Welcome to the Innsbruck Doctoral College "Biopsychosocial Aspects of Health and Prevention" (IDC-BIOPREV). Our interdisciplinary doctoral program unites researchers from the Departments of Psychology and Sport Science at the University of Innsbruck, in close collaboration with the Medical University of Innsbruck and international partners.

We explore health and prevention from a biopsychosocial angle – that is, we look at how biological, psychological, and social factors interact to shape mental and physical well-being throughout the entire lifespan. What makes our doctoral college distinctive is its multimodal approach: we combine methods from psychology, neuroscience, molecular sciences, physiology, social sciences and movement science to tackle real-world health challenges from multiple perspectives.

What we offer

Our doctoral college provides an environment in which you can grow as an independent, internationally visible researcher in biopsychosocial health and prevention. Specifically, you will benefit from:

Structured, interdisciplinary training with personalized mentoring and expert supervision – clear curricula, research colloquia, and regular feedback to support timely completion.
Hands-on research experience through seminars, lab rotations, methodological workshops, and summer schools – so you learn not only about methods, but how to apply them in real projects.
Tailored support for your project, including method courses (e.g. fMRI, advanced statistics, EMA), software/licence funding, and travel grants for conferences and research stays.
A strong focus on academic professionalization: scientific writing, presentation skills, open science practices, funding acquisition, and preparation for academic and non-academic careers.
International exposure and collaboration opportunities – through visiting researchers, joint projects, conference participation, and stays abroad.
A vibrant, interdisciplinary research community that brings together psychology, neuroscience, movement science, and molecular approaches – and that is actively shaping the future of biopsychosocial health and prevention.

Prospective and current PhD students interested in our Doctoral College are cordially invited to submit their complete application documents via email to dk-gesundheit@uibk.ac.at. Applications are accepted year-round.