L’essentiel de l’offre
- Poste : Superviseur de doctorat (Projets de recherche collaboratifs)
- Employeur : SENSS (South and East Network for Social Sciences)
- Lieu : Royaume-Uni (Universités partenaires du réseau SENSS)
- Contrat : Bourse de recherche doctorale (Studentship)
- Date limite : Consulter le site officiel SENSS (Réouverture mi-août)
- Niveau requis : Chercheurs académiques et superviseurs principaux éligibles
Contexte
The South and East Network for Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SENSS) has opened its Collaborative Supervisor-led Competition, inviting eligible academic supervisors to develop research proposals with external partners for funded doctoral studentships beginning in October 2027. The competition offers up to eight ring-fenced collaborative studentships. Supervisors are expected to work with a non-Higher Education Institution partner, such as a business, government organisation or third-sector organisation, to develop a research project that will be undertaken by a doctoral researcher. The opportunity is particularly relevant to academics working across social science disciplines and the six interdisciplinary SENSS themes.
What Is the SENSS Collaborative Supervisor-Led Competition? The competition is designed for primary supervisors who have a research question or project idea that can be developed jointly with an external collaborative partner. Under the scheme, the supervisor develops a research proposal together with the partner and submits it to SENSS for consideration. If selected, the project will subsequently be used to recruit a doctoral student who will undertake the research as part of a funded studentship. SENSS states that the annual supervisor-led collaborative competition will reopen in mid-August for studentships starting in October 2027.
Who Can Be a Collaborative Partner? The collaborative partner must be a non-Higher Education Institution (non-HEI). Eligible partners can include:
- Businesses and private-sector organisations
- Government organisations
- Non-governmental and third-sector organisations
- Other relevant organisations outside higher education
The external partner must make either a financial or in-kind contribution to the studentship. SENSS particularly encourages supervisors to seek a financial contribution, with contributions of up to 50% potentially strengthening the competition entry. This collaborative model allows doctoral research to connect academic expertise with organisations that can provide practical knowledge, research access, data, networks or other forms of support.
Missions et responsabilités
- Develop a research proposal jointly with an external non-HEI collaborative partner.
- Secure a financial or in-kind contribution from the external partner (financial contributions of up to 50% encouraged).
- Prepare supporting material including a draft student advert and marketing plan using SENSS templates.
- Submit the application through the SENSS online application system.
- Recruit and supervise a doctoral student to undertake the research upon project selection.
Profil recherché
- Primary supervisors at SENSS partner universities eligible to submit projects within the relevant SENSS theme.
- Academics working across social science disciplines and the six interdisciplinary SENSS themes.
- Supervisors whose home university is a member of the SENSS theme under which the proposed project is being submitted.
Eligible SENSS partner universities include:
- City St George’s, University of London
- Cranfield University
- University of East Anglia
- University of Essex
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- University of Lincoln
- Middlesex University
- University of Roehampton
Research themes and areas must be based primarily within one of the six SENSS interdisciplinary themes:
- Advanced Methods for Social and Economic Research
- Digital Social Sciences
- Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
- Justice, Institutions and Social Change
- Resolving Uncertainty and Addressing Crises
- Sustainability and Climate Emergency
Supported ESRC social sciences disciplines include economics, education, environmental planning, human geography, management and business studies, politics and international studies, psychology, social policy, sociology, social statistics and methods, social work, and science and technology studies. For ESRC proposals, social sciences must account for more than 50% of the overall research focus and effort.
Conditions et avantages
- Up to eight ring-fenced collaborative studentships funded for a PhD starting in October 2027.
- Structured route for academics to develop doctoral research with organisations outside higher education.
- Access to information webinars, guidance documents, previous successful applications, a competition policy document, application-flow information and webinar resources.
Dossier de candidature
- Research proposal developed jointly with the collaborative partner.
- Letter of support from the collaborative partner.
- Draft student advert and marketing plan.
Comment postuler
Interested supervisors should first identify an appropriate research question and non-HEI collaborative partner. The supervisor and partner should then develop the research proposal, establish the proposed contribution of the partner and prepare the required supporting documents.
Applications are submitted through the SENSS online application system available on the official competition page. Supervisors with questions that are not answered in the guidance can contact the SENSS Director, Professor Fragkiskos Filippaios, at the contact address provided on the competition page.
Official application and full competition guidance: SENSS Collaborative Supervisor-led Competition
