AI Hub PhD Studentship - Modelling human mobility within Cities and machine learning approaches

Information on the School/Research Group

The PhD will be based within the Urban Analytics subject. It is part of the Smart City Design Research Theme of the AI for Collective Intelligence (AI4CI) Research Hub. The PhD student will work alongside PDRAs at Glasgow and at UCL.

Supervisory Team

Prinicipal Supervisor: Professor Alison Heppenstall

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Adam Dennett

Project details

Individual-based activity models, such as MATSIM, have experienced significant uptake due to increased data availability and enhanced computational power. However, there is a need for improvement in activity scheduling to achieve a more accurate representation of an individual’s daily activities. This PhD research will explore the use of diverse datasets and machine learning approaches to enhance the representation of daily activities within an individual-level activity model.  These will be embedded within an existing MATSIM application to test out a number of potential scenarios within Glasgow, for example, what is the impact of the introduction of congestion charges or reducing capacity on the M8 on accessibility and inequalities within the city? 

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a good Masters degree (or overseas equivalent)
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic under investigation.
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Urban Studies, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Further additional information

This PhD would suit a candidate with a strong computational background as this PhD will involve programming.

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-008'), uploading the following documentation:

• AI Hub PhD Studentship application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 01 April 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Alison Heppenstall

CoSS PhD Scholarship - Exploring transitions to early adulthood using data from Growing Up in Scotland

Information on the School/Research Group

The research group is based within the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy (USSP), part of the School of Social and Political Sciences. In the Division of USSP we conduct world-leading research on the most pressing urban, social and public policy challenges globally. Our research explores important and complex issues, including big data, children and families, communities, disability, education, inequalities, poverty and social security.

We focus on how governments, institutions and societies produce and reproduce inequalities through their structures and administration. By working closely with policymakers and practitioners, we ensure our innovative, multidisciplinary research and knowledge exchange leads to significant impacts on policy and practice locally, nationally and internationally.

The supervisory team, focuses on understanding child poverty, and children’s transitions and outcomes, including labour market transitions, to address social inequalities. Both supervisors are additionally members of the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR), an international centre-of-excellence in using linked administrative data for research, funded by UKRI and part of Administrative Data Research UK. Both SCADR and ADR UK offers training in quantitative research methods and active interdisciplinary research networks.

Supervisory Team

Principal Supervisor: Professor Morag Treanor

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Serena Pattaro

Project details

The Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy are delighted to invite applications for a University-funded PhD studentship (+3) commencing in October 2025. Situated within the School of Social and Political Sciences, the Division offers a world-leading research environment and training for PhD students. This studentship will also benefit from being associated, through the supervisory team, to the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR), a UKRI ESRC-funded research centre, which focusses on the analysis of linked administrative data for research with a public good.

Working with an interdisciplinary supervisory team based at the Division and SCADR, the successful applicant will develop a project exploring how factors influencing the transition to adulthood combine to impact on labour market career decisions, with a particular focus on vulnerable young people, facing socioeconomic and other disadvantages. The applicant will work closely with the supervisory team throughout the life course of the project to ensure it fully supports the project objectives and has real-world impact for relevant stakeholder.

The successful candidate will analyse data from Growing Up in Scotland (GUS), a longitudinal birth cohort study with a nationally representative sample of children born in 2004/05 in Scotland. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a keen interest in developing advanced skills in quantitative social research to explore trajectories, detect cases of interest early on, and identify impacts over time. Candidate will make extensive use of background socioeconomic information to build a picture of key experiences and circumstances.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a good Masters degree (or overseas equivalent) in an appropriate discipline with a strong quantitative component including, but not limited to: social sciences, economics, statistics, or education.
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic under investigation and will have quantitative or data-driven research skills appropriate to their level of qualification
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Urban Studies, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-009'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS PhD Scholarship Transitions to early adulthood Application Form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 21 April 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Morag Treanor

CoSS PhD Scholarship - Financing global peace: How international financial institutions seek to stabilise conflict-affected states

Information on the School/Research Group

This project is based in the subject groups on International Political Economy and Development (IPED) and International Relations (IR). IPED research is broadly interested in why and how politics and markets—on their own and jointly—matter for our understandings of power, wealth, and inequalities within and across societies. A specific research focus is on the policies and politics of international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund.  IR research focuses on pressing global themes of security, crises, and equality, embracing interdisciplinarity and methodological pluralism. The subject group analyses how security and justice intersect across various contexts, from migration and military crises to urban policing dynamics.

Supervisory Team

Prinicipal Supervisor: Professor Bernhard Reinsberg

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Georgios Karyotis

Project details

This PhD project will assess the role and impact of International Financial Institutions (IFIs), such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in assisting conflict-affected states. Many such states are vulnerable to economic shocks, which can exacerbate insecurity and threats to global peace as they may harbour terrorists, insurgents, and organised criminal groups. However, IFIs have limited possibilities to assist conflict-affected states because their organisational mandates prohibit direct intervention. Existing research has not examined systematically whether and how IFIs assist conflict-affected states. This project will address this gap, producing novel empirical evidence and theoretical insights as to how IFIs navigate legal constraints to indirectly mitigate conflict spillover effects.

Combining insights from security studies and international political economy, we introduce the novel concept of “intervention by proxy”, hypothesising that IFIs extend assistance to those states that are contiguous to a conflict to stabilise conflict-affected states. Intervention by proxy may not only stabilise conflict-affected states but also prevent conflict spillover or stem refugee crises. A well-documented case is Afghanistan: after the Taliban took power in 2021, the IMF suspended direct loans to the country but ramped up financial support to Tajikistan and other neighbouring states to prevent regional destabilisation. This study will systematically assess whether this "intervention by proxy" is a broader strategy used by IFIs and evaluate its effectiveness.

The project will:

1. Examine how IFIs balance their legal mandates with security-driven economic interventions by proxy.
2. Investigate whether IFIs systematically support neighbouring states of conflict zones to mitigate instability.
3. Analyse the effectiveness of such interventions in preventing financial crises, refugee flows, and regional instability.

The project will employ a multi-method approach, combining:

• Case study analysis, with a focus on the IMF as a pilot case, while also considering the World Bank and regional development banks.
• Quantitative analysis of IMF interventions, analysing novel and pertinent time-series cross-country datasets on human security, financial staibility, and conditionality agreements.
• Elite interviews with IFI officials to understand policy decisions and constraints.

This project will bridge security studies and international political economy, highlighting how economic interventions may shape global peace efforts. The research will inform policymakers on how IFIs can more effectively contribute to conflict prevention, financial stability, and human security.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a strong Masters degree (or overseas equivalent) in Political Economy, Security Studies, Development Studies, International Relations, Economics, or a related field.
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in conflict, security, economic governance, or IFIs.
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Politics & International Relations, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-010'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS PhD Scholarship Financing global peace Application Form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)
• A writing sample (Masters thesis / draft paper)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 21 April 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Bernhard Reinsberg

CoSS PhD Scholarship - National identities and attitudes towards migration: a comparative and longitudinal analysis

Information on the School/Research Group

The student will participate in the School of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Glasgow and engage in the activities of the “Elections, Public Opinion and Parties” and “Comparative Politics” research groups. 

Supervisory Team:

Principal Supervisor: Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Robert Liñeira

Project details

The relationship between national identity and attitudes toward immigration is complex and context-dependent. Established social identity theories in psychology suggest that stronger in-group attachments, such as nationalism, often foster hostility toward out-groups. However, empirical evidence in political science challenges this generalisation and suggests that national identity’s connection to out-group hostility is more nuanced than prevailing theories suggest. 

The study conducted under this PhD studentship will use survey datasets and other instruments to understand the relationship between national identity and attitudes towards immigration.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a strong Masters degree (or overseas equivalent);
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic area under investigation;
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time;
• Applicants will have training and experience in quantitative research.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Politics & International Relations, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-011'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS PhD Scholarship Attitudes towards migration application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 21 April 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) Studentship: Understanding teen perceptions of mental health and wellbeing through the Reading Well book collections

Information on the School/Research Group

The College of Social Sciences (CoSS) at the University of Glasgow offers an exceptional research environment for a doctoral researcher investigating children’s reading practices. Within CoSS, the School of Education (SoE) is internationally recognised for its research strengths in Culture, Literacies, Inclusion, and Pedagogy: areas that align closely with the project’s thematic focus.

The successful applicant will become part of a vibrant postgraduate research (PGR) community of over 180 students in the SoE. This dynamic and diverse cohort is supported through a wide-ranging programme of academic and social initiatives, including seminars, workshops, guest lectures, and events designed to support research progression. These opportunities foster interdisciplinary exchange, collegiality, and holistic researcher development.

Supervisory Team:

Principal Supervisor: Professor Melanie Ramdarshan Bold

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Jennifer Farrar and Dr Carina Spaulding (The Reading Agency)

Project details

The University of Glasgow and The Reading Agency are delighted to offer a fully funded doctoral studentship through the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDA) scheme, administered by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH). This studentship, Understanding teen perceptions of mental health and wellbeing through the Reading Well collections, will commence on 01 October 2025.

This research project investigates how teenagers engage with Reading Well book collections curated by The Reading Agency, which aim to support mental health and wellbeing through reading. Rather than focusing on clinical outcomes, the study will explore how these books function as tools for understanding emotions, opening conversations, and accessing information. The project will consider a range of formats (including fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels) and examine how accessibility, format, identity, and context influence uptake and impact.

The successful candidate will draw on qualitative methods - such as surveys, interviews, and in-depth case studies - to investigate the experiences of young readers aged 13–18. They will work collaboratively with The Reading Agency and community partners (such as libraries, schools, and youth mental health organisations) to identify barriers to engagement, explore how young people make meaning through reading, and provide practical recommendations to enhance bibliotherapy initiatives. The research will also explore how book provision intersects with wider health and literacy policy contexts.

This CDA studentship offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of literary studies, education, and mental health promotion. Supervised by researchers at the University of Glasgow’s School of Education and professionals at The Reading Agency, the student will spend time embedded in both academic and non-academic environments. They will have access to rich training opportunities across the AHRC and SGSAH networks and contribute to the development of reading-based mental health support initiatives for young people.

The project is particularly suited to candidates interested in reader development, youth studies, and bibliotherapy. The successful candidate will be encouraged to shape the project further in line with their interests and expertise.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a good Master’s degree (or overseas equivalent)
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic area under investigation.
• Applicants will have experience of working with children and/or young people.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Education, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3.5 (3.5 year) [or Part-Time +7 (7year)] PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Further information

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to providing support and guidance to under-represented groups both during the application process, and throughout the period of funded study.

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-016'), uploading the following documentation:

• AHRC CDA Studentship (Reading Well) Application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)
• Academic Writing Sample of approximately 3,000 words. If you are unsure about how to choose your writing sample, please email the contact below to discuss.

Closing Date: 26 May 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Education. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Melanie Ramdarshan Bold

POLART PhD Scholarship - Art Festivals, Cities and Politics: examining the relationship of art, policy and public engagement

Information on the School/Research Group

The successful applicant will join the Social and Urban Policy group within the Urban Studies and Social Policy Division. They will benefit from membership of the Just Cities and Societies research cluster and will work closely with the POLART research project team. POLART is a European Research Council Consolidator Grant focusing on ‘Art and Policy in the Global Contemporary: Examining the role of the Arts in the production of Public Policy’. For more information, please refer to the POLART website.

Supervisory Team

Prinicipal Supervisor: Professor Sotiria Grek

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Ellen Stewart

Project details

Building on interdisciplinary conceptual tools and through the application of a qualitative methodology, we are inviting PhD proposals that examine urban art festivals as a lens for understanding the two-way relationship between art and public policy. Public policy literature has so far established the significance of the production of story-based, affective and material forms of knowledge as central to constructing persuasive governing narratives. Contemporary art, on the other hand, has become socially relevant, participatory and experimental, with a clear tendency to articulate policy challenges as central to its thematic.

The organisation of a city art festival is a key site for exploring the possibilities that the artistic world holds for the production of policy knowledge that ‘might be otherwise’: how does the contested field of a major art festival handles its marketised tendencies, in order to construct a deliberative space of artistic expression, audience activation and local/national policy relevance? Similarly, how do cultural policy agendas influence artistic production and expression?  A focus on art festivals in contemporary Scotland, while not compulsory, would allow the student to explore art events and public policy as nation-building tools.

The proposed doctoral project may benefit from interdisciplinary analysis, bringing together public policy with art theory; it is envisaged that the PhD contributes to the exploration and understanding of whether and how the art field and public policy intersect. The potential of policy impact through the study is high, as it will open up alternative venues for the production of knowledge for policy through the active engagement of artists with local communities and policy actors.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a good Masters degree (or overseas equivalent) 
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic area under investigation
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Urban Studies PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-011'), uploading the following documentation:

• POLART PhD Scholarship application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 16 May 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Sotiria Grek

LKAS PhD Studentship - Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age: How can Arms Control and Disarmament Reduce the Risk of Nuclear War?

Information on the School/Research Group

This project is aligned with the Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age project which is funded by Dr Rhys Crilley’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. The project is based in the International Relations (IR) subject group at the University of Glasgow. IR research focuses on pressing global themes of security, crises, and equality, embracing interdisciplinarity and methodological pluralism. The subject group analyses how security and justice intersect across various contexts, from migration and military crises to urban policing dynamics.

Supervisory Team

Principal Supervisor: Dr Rhys Crilley

Project details

According to the Secretary General of the United Nations, the world has entered ‘a time of nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War’. This dangerous ‘new nuclear age’ is the result of arms control treaties collapsing, rising tensions between nuclear weapon states, and increasing threats to use nuclear weapons. At the same time, all of the nuclear weapon states are modernising or increasing their nuclear arsenals.

In this context of heightened atomic anxiety, the Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age project – funded by Dr Rhys Crilley’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship - investigates how the legitimacy of nuclear weapons is communicated, constructed, and contested, and then examines how nuclear arms control and disarmament efforts can be improved based on these insights.

Dr Rhys Crilley is seeking a candidate to study for a PhD as part of the Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age project.

The successful candidate will have a clear research proposal and application that focuses on analysing one or more research areas associated with the project, including but not limited to:

• Contemporary nuclear arms control and disarmament efforts
• Contemporary challenges to nuclear arms control and disarmament
• The politics of the ‘new/third nuclear age’
• Nuclear diplomacy
• The Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
• The everyday politics of nuclear weapons
• Popular culture and nuclear weapons, arms control, and disarmament
• The media and nuclear politics
• Social media and nuclear politics
• Emerging technologies and nuclear politics
• The global south and nuclear politics
• Affected communities and nuclear politics
• Critical nuclear studies
• Emotions and nuclear politics
• Intersectionality and nuclear politics (including gender, race, class, etc)
• The links between nuclear politics and other crises (climate change, authoritarianism, etc)
• Deterrence, arms control and disarmament
• New/understudied actors in nuclear politics
• Theories of change and nuclear disarmament

Applicants are encouraged to consult the project website www.atomicanxiety.com and to develop their own research puzzle, questions, theories, methodology, methods, and data sources in line with the projects broad aim of understanding how contemporary nuclear arms control and disarmament efforts can be improved.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Applicants will have a strong Master's degree (or overseas equivalent) in a related field such as International Relations, Peace Studies, Security Studies, or Politcal Science
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in nuclear politics, arms control, and disarmament.
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Politics PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard Home or Internaitonal rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information). The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-013 - this application will be live by 25 April'),uploading the following documentation:

• LKAS PhD Studentship Atomic Anxiety Application Form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)
• A writing sample (Masters thesis / draft paper / any relevant publications)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 16 May 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Dr Rhys Crilley

CoSS PhD Scholarship - Accounting for teacher learning at scale

Information on the School/Research Group

This studentship is one of two funded by the University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences, as part of its commitment to supporting the Scottish Government’s new Centre for Teaching Excellence, which it now hosts.

The successful students will be part of the Centre for Transformative Change in Schools (CenTCS). CenTCS, formerly known as the Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change, is an international research centre housed at the University of Glasgow School of Education that generates research and facilitates collaborative practice to support equity through transformative change in schools. We enact this vision through a core focus on educators' professional learning and praxis. CenTCS fulfils its aims by:  

• Creating a vibrant and committed research group that increases grant income, evidences impact and develops a nurturing environment for academic growth;
• Developing national and international networks that support knowledge exchange and impact;
• Developing and researching sustainable Research-Practice Partnerships;
• Growing its national and international reputation as a leader in the field of research on educator professional learning and praxis as a lever for transformative change in schools.

CenTCS members led the bid for the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CfTE), and several are members of the core team leading its development and implementation. CfTE is a national service that supports teachers to access, create and use research to further enhance teaching and learning in Scottish schools. The University of Glasgow School of Education, in collaboration with the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, was awarded the bid to further conceptualize and carry out the objectives of CfTE from January 2025 to April 2026, with the possibility of additional funded activities beyond this initial funding period. 

CfTE will meet its objectives by:  

• Engaging with teachers to identify priority areas of focus in learning, teaching and assessment in which they wish to (further) develop research-informed knowledge and understanding;  
• Supporting teaching-focused research in priority areas identified; 
• Providing timely, accessible and up-to-date syntheses of research focusing on the priority areas identified;   
• Supporting teachers to access and use research;   
• Providing a space – both physical and digital – to facilitate engagement with, and in, research that supports knowledge-building in the priority areas identified;
• Ensuring access to the CfTE for all teachers in Scotland.    

This project will focus on researching policy-related questions pertinent to CfTE in the first instance.

Supervisory Team

Principal Supervisor: Professor Aileen Kennedy

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Kevin Proudfoot

Project details

Many states and countries across the globe have attempted to introduce professional learning policies at scale in recognition of the importance of teacher learning to pupil experiences and outcomes. In an era of increasing neoliberal accountability, such large-scale, system-level attempts are often instigated in response to national performance in global league tables. While aspirations for such policy initiatives may also focus on wider attempts to increase social justice and enhance access and equity of all learners, the monitoring and evaluation protocols associated with them often revert to more performative measures rather than those that might be associated with transformative change in schooling systems. We define transformative change as ongoing shifts in policy and practice that support the flourishing of all young people, particularly those from underserved groups.

This project therefore seeks to understand accountability measures relating to professional learning policies at scale; exploring what they account for and what they don’t, how they go about accountability processes. The project will also investigate what aspects of professional learning at scale might not be accounted for through formal processes such as transformative change in schooling systems or increased social justice in pupil experiences and outcomes. Potential research questions include:

• In what ways are national professional learning policies montored and evaluated?
• How do different countries account for the outcomes of professional learning at scale?
• What kinds of outcomes are measured and what outcomes are not?
• Who decides how such policies should be accounted for, and on what basis?

Potential methods might include critical discourse studies, narrative interviews and network analysis. The successful student will have the opportunity to further hone the research questions, and, in conversation with the supervisory team, decide to focus on one or more of them. The team will also collaboratively determine methodological approaches, with the student in the lead.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a Master’s degree (or overseas equivalent) in Policy Studies, Sociology of Education, Teacher Education, Professional Development and Adult Learning, or related area
• Applicants will be detail-oriented, with well-developed skills at working collaboratively and independently.
• Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in the topic area under investigation.
• Applicants must be able to study Full-Time.
• Applications must meet or exceed the University’s minimum English Language requirements.

Desirable criteria:

• It is desired (but not essential) that Applicants will have experience of teacher professional learning as a teacher and/or a policymaker.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Education, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Further information

Supervisors of this project are Professor Aileen Kennedy and Dr. Kevin Proudfoot. The successful student will commence study along with another PhD student working under the supervisory guidance of Professor Brianna L. Kennedy and Dr. Ismail Özgür Zembat. Together with other CenTCS Fellows and Associates, the students and supervisors will have the opportunity through these projects to engage in mutually beneficial activities and networking characteristic of a robust intellectual community. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with colleagues in the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CfTE) and in the University’s Centre for Public Policy.

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-014'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS PhD Scholarship Accounting for Teacher Learning Application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee. Please refer to CoSS PGR Funding Reference request guide for further information
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)
• Academic Writing Sample produced soley by the applicant in the previous five years wihtout the use of artifical intelligence (AI)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references no later than 1 week following the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 06 June 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Education. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Aileen Kennedy

CoSS PhD Scholarship - How Teacher's Engagement in Research Activities Develops Their Knowledge and Shapes Their Pedagogical Decisions

Information on the School/Research Group

This studentship is one of two funded by the University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences, as part of its commitment to supporting the Scottish Government’s new Centre for Teaching Excellence, which it now hosts.

The successful student will be part of the Centre for Transformative Change in Schools (CenTCS). CenTCS, formerly known as the Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change, is an international research centre housed at the University of Glasgow School of Education that generates research and facilitates collaborative practice to support equity through transformative change in schools. We enact this vision through a core focus on educators' professional learning and praxis. CenTCS fulfils its aims by:

• Creating a vibrant and committed research group that increases grant income, evidences impact and develops a nurturing environment for academic growth;
• Developing national and international networks that support knowledge exchange and impact;
• Developing and researching sustainable Research-Practice Partnerships;
• Growing its national and international reputation as a leader in the field of research on educator professional learning and praxis as a lever for transformative change in schools. 

CenTCS members led the bid for the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CfTE), and several are members of the core team leading its development and implementation. CfTE is a national service that supports teachers to access, create and use research to further enhance teaching and learning in Scottish schools. The University of Glasgow School of Education, in collaboration with the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, was awarded the bid to further conceptualize and carry out the objectives of CfTE from January 2025 to April 2026, with the possibility of additional funded activities beyond this initial funding period. 

CfTE will meet its objectives by:  

• Engaging with teachers to identify priority areas of focus in learning, teaching and assessment in which they wish to (further) develop research-informed knowledge and understanding;
• Supporting teaching-focused research in priority areas identified;
• Providing timely, accessible and up-to-date syntheses of research focusing on the priority areas identified;
• Supporting teachers to access and use research;
• Providing a space – both physical and digital – to facilitate engagement with, and in, research that supports knowledge-building in the priority areas identified;
• Ensuring access to the CfTE for all teachers in Scotland.

This project will focus on the activities of teachers involved with CfTE in the first instance.

Supervisory Team:

Principal Supervisor: Professor Brianna L. Kennedy

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Ismail Özgür Zembat

Project details

High quality teaching can play a pivotal role in supporting young people’s learning and development. Understanding how teachers learn to improve their own teaching, and the role that engagement with research activities can play in teachers’ own pedagogical development, can inform policy and practice at the classroom, school, and district levels and beyond. This project addresses the continuum of quality teaching, effective research-focused professional learning, and the impact on learning and teaching. We are particularly interested in educators’ transformative learning experiences and how those contribute to transformative change in schools. We define transformative change as ongoing shifts in policy and practice that support the flourishing of all young people, particularly those from underserved groups.

Potential research questions include:

• How does teacher engagement with research activities contribute to teacher knowledge?
• How does this new knowledge inform teachers’ pedagogy and moment-to-moment pedagogical decision-making?
• How does educators’ involvement in communities of practice and research-practice-partnerships support teacher engagement with research activities, knowledge building, and pedagogical decision-making?

Anticipated methods include qualitative methods such as situational analysis/grounded theory and case study. The successful student will have the opportunity to further hone the research questions, and, in conversation with the supervisory team, decide to focus on one or more of them. The team will also collaboratively determine methodological approaches, with the student in the lead.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Have a good Master’s degree (or overseas equivalent) in Curriculum and Instruction, Pedagogies, Sociology of Education, Teacher Education, Professional Development and Adult Learning, or related area;
• Have taught full time for at least three years in a primary or secondary school in the past ten years.
• Be detail-oriented, with well-developed skills at working collaboratively and independently.
• Be able to balance taking initiative with prioritizing the needs of the team.
• Have a demonstrated interest in the topic area under investigation.
• Have a demonstrated ability to forge connections between research and practice.
• Must be able to study full-time.
• Meet or exceed the University’s minimum English Language requirement.

Desirable (but not essential) criteria:

• Have led school-based professional learning.
• Have participated in research-practice partnerships involving school and university personnel.
• Have demonstrated knowledge of the Scottish education landscape.
• Can articulate the benefits of teachers’ engagement with research as well as the challenges that may limit both the engagement with research as well as the benefits of this engagement.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Education, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in October 2025. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Further information

Supervisors of this project are Professor Brianna L. Kennedy and Dr. Ismail Özgür Zembat. The successful student will commence study along with another PhD student working under the supervisory guidance of Professor Aileen Kennedy and Dr. Kevin Proudfoot. Together with other CenTCS Fellows and Associates, the students and supervisors will have the opportunity through these projects to engage in mutually beneficial activities and networking characteristic of a robust intellectual community. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with colleagues in the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CfTE).

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-015'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS PhD Scholarship Teachers Engagement Application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee. Please refer to CoSS PGR Funding Reference request guide for further information
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)
• Academic Writing Sample produced soley by the applicant in the previous five years without the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references  no later than 1 week following the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing Date: 06 June 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Education. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Brianna L. Kennedy