School of Social & Political Sciences PhD Scholarships

Information on the School/Research Group

The University of Glasgow, founded in 1451, is one of Scotland’s ancient universities and the 4^th oldest university in the English-speaking world. Today, the University’s School of Social and Political Sciences (SPS) is a vibrant and cosmopolitan centre for world-leading social scientific scholarship, recognized by the 2021 Research Excellence Framework as having 90% or more of its research as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in terms of its originality, significance and rigour. The School is a leading centre of interdisciplinary social science, bringing together research, innovation and student education to tackle the key social and political challenges of our time.

Further information about the University of Glasgow’s School of Social and Political Sciences can be found at https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpolitical/ and https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpolitical/research/   

Abstract

The School of Social and Political Sciences invites applications for three funded PhD scholarships for doctoral research (3 international and 2 home scholarships). Three International scholarships will be awarded to candidates from a country or territory listed as either 'Least Developed, Low Income, Lower Middle Income or Upper Middle Income' by the OECD and two Home scholarships to be awarded to UK Widening Participation candidates.

Eligibility

The scholarships are open to anyone who, by September 2025, will hold an honours degree in the social sciences. A Master’s degree (or overseas equivalent) may be an advantage but not essential.

Applicants must have a minimum of an upper second-class honours undergraduate degree (or overseas equivalent), which should include evidence of at least some performance at first-class level (or overseas equivalent). Applicants without a Master’s degree (completed or in progress) must either have achieved (or be predicted to achieve) a first-class honours (or ‘distinction’) degree classification in their undergraduate degree (or overseas equivalent).

Please note that all applicants must also meet the eligibility criteria of the Research Opportunity they intend to undertake. Research Opportunity eligibility information can be found here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/

Award details

The scholarships will provide funding for 3.5 years of research towards a PhD in the School of Social and Political Sciences. The programme will commence in October 2025. The full scholarship package includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home rate or international rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year
• Commencement Bursary (single payment at the start of the PhD)

Further information

Applicants must contact potential supervisors for advice before applying; potential supervisors cannot suggest a topic but may be able to advise on the feasibility of - and suggest potential refinements to - a proposed area of study. 

You can start to search for potential supervisors using the University's Staff research interests search, and the School of Social & Political Sciences' Our Staff webpage 

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information), uploading the following documentation:

• SPS PhD Scholarship application form (which includes a lay summary, section on preparedeness and your research proposal)
• 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). Please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information.
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work - they can be, but do not have to be, a member of your proposed supervisory team. 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).
  
• SPS PhD Scholarship Supervisor Statement of Support
• Demographic eligibility
  
  • Home applicants will need to upload a Widening Participation Eligibility Declaration
  • International applicants will need to upload:
    • proof of citizenship (e.g. passport photo page) of a country or territory listed as 'Least Developed', 'Low Income' or 'Lower Middle Income' or 'Upper Middle Incolme' by the OECD; and
    • proof you have been through the Secondary education system of that country (e.g. Secondary/High School transcript or certificate)

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

Closing Date: 31 March 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by a selection panel and shortlisted applicants may be asked to attend a remote (online) interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme within 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

sps-scholarships@glasgow.ac.uk 

CoSS-USYD Joint PhD Scholarship - Democratic Integrity? A Normative and Empirical Assessment of Australian Anti-Corruption Agencies

Information on the Schools/Research Groups

The School of Social and Political Sciences at The University of Glasgow is one of the leading centres for researching politics in the United Kingdom with strengths in comparative politics, political behaviour and political communication and political theory. The PhD candidate will be a part of a vibrant research environment, including in particular the Glasgow-Strathclyde Political Theory Colloquium – a weekly seminar programme with a range of domestic and international guest presenters.

The School of Social and Political Sciences at The University of Sydney has a sustained record for outstanding research.  In the current Times Higher Education rankings, it sits second in Australia and 49^th in the world for social science research.  The School has an integrated higher degree by research program of about 90 PhD candidates.  Candidates participate in the School’s general research seminar programs and present their own research annually to higher degree work in progress seminars.

Supervisory Team

Principal Supervisor: Dr Nikolas Kirby

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Rodney Smith

Project details

What is the proper role, if any, of an independent anti-corruption agency within a democracy? Independent anti-corruption agencies aim to identify and prevent corruption within a wider aim of promoting higher standards of ‘integrity’ within government. Whilst often vested with strong powers to hold elected officials to account, they themselves are not subject to direct accountability to the public nor to their representatives. Such agencies have proliferated amongst developing countries over the last 30 years. However, they are less common in more ‘mature’ democracies. In this, however, Australia is the exception, with independent anti-corruption agencies in all jurisdictions. The United Kingdom by contrast is typical, with no such agency.

Despite some academic attention, existing research about such an emerging democratic innovation is lacking in two key respects:

(a) As a matter of normative theory, there is no sophisticated account of what ‘integrity’ ought to mean as a goal of institutional (and constitutional) design within a democracy, nor how this goal might justify the creation, independence and powers of such agencies dedicated to promoting it;

(b) As a matter of empirical assessment, there is little research on the performance of these agencies in achieving their goal of promoting integrity in mature, as opposed to less mature, democracies.

This project aims to fill these gaps by offering a normative and empirical assessment of Australia’s anti-corruption agencies. In so doing, it aims to feed directly into the ongoing UK policy debate on establishing just such an agency; as a well as a wider debate about the value of independent anticorruption agencies as a democratic innovation suitable for the 21st Century.

The project will deploy an interdisciplinary approach combining analytic political theory, with quantitative and qualitative methods to ask: What ought ‘integrity’ mean as a specific aim of democratic design? Is it consistent with democratic theory to have independent anti-corruption agencies empowered to promote it? What metrics ought, therefore, be used to assess integrity agencies, and how do Australian agencies perform by these metrics? What can the United Kingdom learn anything from this experience?

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria for UofG:

• Applicants will meet the academic standards set out under the USYD criteria below)
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic under investigation.
• Applicants must be able to study on a Full-Time basis only
• Applicants must be able to commit to enrolling/registering on PhD programmes at both institutions simultaneoulsy and spend time physically based at each institutions during the PhD

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria for USYD:

• Applicants will have a master's degree by research (or overseas equivalent); or
  • An Australian-style four-year Honours degree with a substantial thesis component (Honours 2:1 or above); or
  • Master's degree by coursework with a substantial independent research component such as a thesis, dissertation or research project, with a minimum overall pass average of 75% or above; or
  • Demonstrated appropriate experience and alternative qualifications at a highh level of excellence in the proposed field of research.
• Applicants must meet English Language requirements
• Applicants must be able to commit to enrolling/registering on PhD programmes at both institutions simultaneoulsy and spend time physically based at each institutions during the PhD

*Applicants who are close to completing an entry requirement, such as honours or a masters degree, may apply and may receive a conditional offer of admission

Please note that all applicants must also meet the full entry requirements for the Politics, PhD (UofG) and Doctor of Philosophy (Arts and Social Sciences). 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) Joint 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 rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year
• A one-off travel grant of up to £3,000 to facilitate the required tracvel between Glasgow and Sydney

Further additional information

Any applicant interested in this PhD Scholarship is warmly encouraged to contact the supervisors to find out any further information: Dr Nikolas Kirby and Professor Rodney Smith.

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-25-004'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS-USYD Joint PhD Scholarship application form (Politics) (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)
• Proof of English Language proficiency (if required) - see USYD English Language requirements page for more details

*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: 31 March 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 the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme at both universities and must complete a Joint PhD Student Agreement prior to commencing the programme.

Key contacts

UofG: Dr Nikolas Kirby 

USYD: Professor Rodney Smith and Ms Jessica Davis (Dual Degree and Joint PhD Coordinator)

CoSS-USYD Joint PhD Scholarship - Legitimating Criminal Responsibility in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Information on the Schools/Research Groups

This PhD opportunity brings together the expertise of two globally renowned institutions - Glasgow Law School and Sydney Law School - offering an unparalleled research environment. Glasgow Law School is a leading UK centre for criminal law scholarship providing a supportive environment for postgraduate scholars. The University is also home to the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) which provides a rich interdisciplinary network. Sydney Law School is home to world-leading scholars in criminal law and criminal justice, including  in law and technology. Students benefit from a vibrant seminar scheme and visitor program and the School hosts two major research hubs: the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society and the Sydney Institute of Criminology.

The project provides a unique chance to investigate the dynamic intersection of criminal law and emerging technologies across two leading institutions, under the guidance of an excellent supervision team with extensive research networks.

Supervisory Team

Prinicipal Supervisor: Dr Louise Kennefick

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Lindsay Farmer; Professor Arlie Loughnan

Project details

The emergence of AI technologies has the potential to transform the landscape of criminal responsibility, raising fundamental questions about the legitimacy of assigning blame and accountability in systems increasingly influenced by autonomous and algorithmic decision-making. As AI systems are integrated into law enforcement, judicial processes, and even the commission of crimes, traditional concepts of criminal responsibility, which rely on concepts like human agency, intentionality, and moral culpability, face significant challenges. The state’s role as the arbiter of justice is equally tested, particularly in ensuring that doctrines of responsibility adapt to the complexities introduced by AI in a criminal legal system designed to operate in a democratic welfare state. Questions arise as to whether the attribution of responsibility remains legitimate when AI agents operate outside human control or when their deployment reflects systemic state-driven choices. 

This PhD research will explore the interplay between criminal responsibility, AI, and the state, interrogating the philosophical, legal, and policy implications of these developments. It will employ theoretical and/or critical research methods, and is expected to draw on scholarly developments in fields such as jurisprudence, cognitive science, criminology and sociology.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria for UofG:

• Applicants will have a good Masters degree (or overseas equivalent)
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic under investigation.
• Applicants must be able to study on a Full-Time basis only
• Applicants must be able to commit to enrolling/registering on PhD programmes at both institutions simultaneoulsy and spend time physically based at each institutions during the PhD

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria for USYD:

• Applicants will have a master's degree by research (or overseas equivalent)
• Applicants must meet English Language requirements
• Applicants must be able to commit to enrolling/registering on PhD programmes at both institutions simultaneoulsy and spend time physically based at each institutions during the PhD

Please note that all applicants must also meet the full entry requirements for the Law, PhD (UofG) and Doctor of Philosophy (Law). 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) Joint 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 rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year
• A one-off travel grant of up to £3,000 to facilitate the required tracvel between Glasgow and Sydney

Further additional information

The project is grounded in theoretical and cocneptual frameworks and methodologies, utilising publicy available materials. It does not require access to data, meaning candidates do not need specialised training in the field nor institutional ethical approval.

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-25-005'), uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS-USYD Joint PhD Scholarship application form (Law) (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)
• Proof of English Language proficiency (if required) - see USYD English Language requirements page for more details

*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: 31 March 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 the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Law at the University of Glasgow and the Sydney Law School at the University of Sydney. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme at both universities and must complete a Joint PhD Student Agreement prior to commencing the programme.

Key contacts

UofG: Dr Louise Kennefick and Professor Lindsay Farmer

USYD: Professor Arlie Loughnan and Ms Jessica Davis (Dual Degree and Joint PhD Coordinator)

LKAS PhD Studentship - Civic imaginaries of Glasgow

Information on the School/Research Group

This PhD is designed through a collaboration between the School of Social and Political Science's Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy with the School of Culture and Creative Arts. It will sit within the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy and is associated with the Civic Imaginary Partnerships project, funded by UKRI Future Leaders and Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Fellowships. The Division of Urban Studies has a strong focus on place, especially interdisciplinary approaches to understanding place-based needs and policy, and arts-based methodologies. Within the School of Culture and Creative Arts, and through cognate projects at The Hunterian Art Gallery, there is extensive experience of working with creative practice methods in civic contexts. The successful applicant will be able to benefit from these contexts and research networks. The project offers potential for interdisciplinary collaboration, especially with local arts and civic organisations, the Advanced Research Centre at the University of Glasgow and the wider Civic Imaginary Partnerships project team and partners.

The successful applicant will be supervised by Dr. Michael Howcroft (UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Urban Studies and Social Policy, School of Social and Political Sciences) and Dr. Dominic Paterson (Senior Lecturer, School of Culture and Creative Arts / Curator of Contemporary Art, The Hunterian).

Supervisory Team

Principal Supervisor: Dr Michael Howcroft

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Dominic Paterson

Project details

We live in an age of inequality and disinformation that is eroding trust in democracy and participation in public life. Urgent solutions are needed to understand contemporary civic challenges and bolster the public sphere. A growing number of movements are proposing a return to civic solidarity and social responsibility. Many of these claim that the imagination is a realm wherein ideological battles can be won, and collective action can be sparked.

Narratives, images, and feelings through which civic imaginations are forged, shift across place and time, and creative works have informed political and social movements throughout history. Social change has also been fuelled by more informal cultural resources, ranging from folk practices to personal testimony, awaking people to shared perspectives expressing their hopes and fears for the future. A ‘civic turn’ within arts organisations, universities and museums has involved some reflection regarding their roles and contributions to the civic sphere and how civic spaces can be animated and enabled. However, many thinkers, especially on the left of the political spectrum in the Global North, berate a failure of progressive imagining, especially following the 2008 financial crisis. They identify a “deficit” of social or civic imagination and accuse neoliberalism of “polluting” our collective psyche.

We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD student to work alongside a wider UKRI funded fellowship that is exploring the concept, methods and policy applications of the civic imaginary.

The successful student will be encouraged to shape their project, identifying the particular focus, in consultation with the supervisory panel. Such aspects could include, for example:

• The ways in which grassroots or self-initiated organisations interact with more 'official' state institutions
• The ways in which emergent notions of the civic and the 'civil' (e.g., Pascal Gielen) are mobilised by individual and organisations in the practices
• The extension to which new civic imaginaries are specific to their localities, or share key characteristics 
• The ways in which artistic or other creative practices inform or shape civic imaginaries

The PhD project will include a focus on the ethics and responsibilities of organisations and/or practitioners who engage, invoke, or mobilise civic imaginaries. The research will explore these issues through a place-based case study (or studies) of their choosing, located within the Glasgow area. The case study could be contemporary or historical.

Aligned to the candidate’s interest and skillset, this project will have a qualitative methodological focus and may use methods such as arts workshops*, art/performance/artefact analysis, archive research, interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic observation. Quantitative methods (e.g. questionnaires) may also be used as appropriate.

The project will suit a wide range of applicants with prior training in human geography, urban studies, arts and performance studies, social policy, or other relevant subject areas. We particularly encourage submissions from individuals with lived experience relevant to the project.

Please reach out to Dr Michael Howcroft if you have any questions or for an informal chat.

*We understand “arts” in the widest sense and will consider proposals that foreground any artistic/creative mode or genre. That said, the supervisors’ expertise is in visual arts, community-based and socially engaged arts, theatre and performance, music and creative writing.

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 can study part-time or full-time.
• Applicants must meet the requirements to be considered a 'Home' or 'Rest of UK' PhD student

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/Rest of UK 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-25-006'),uploading the following documentation:

• LKAS 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).
  
• 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: 31 March 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 Michael Howcroft

USYD-CoSS Joint PhD Scholarship - Building Bridges: The Emergence of Innovation Ecosystems around Digital Technologies to address Societal Challenges

Information on the Schools/Research Groups

At the internationally renowned and accredited University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. The Discipline of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation was formed in 2018 and serves as a key plank in the University of Sydney Business School’s ‘Innovative, Responsible, Sustainable” 2023-2027 strategy to distinguish itself among the leading Business Schools in Australia and globally. The Discipline is home to a group of highly productive and engaged innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship scholars with diverse research interests. We aspire to develop impactful, evidence-based research with profound implications for industry and society.

The University of Glasgow includes among its alumni, the father of economics, Adam Smith. In his honor, the Adam Smith Business School is dedicated to creating inspiring leaders, researchers, and professionals whose research and relations with industry have real impact, influencing organisations as they develop and grow globally. As Scotland’s top-performing Business/Management School, the Adam Smith Business School is a triple-accredited, research-led institution committed to being an Engaged, Enlightened, and Entrepreneurial business school. We offer a vibrant, well-resourced academic environment that fosters research excellence and impactful scholarship that addresses pressing local and global challenges.

Supervisory Team

Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Krithika Randhawa

Secondary Supervisor: Professor Nuran Acur

Project details

Are you passionate about innovation, digital transformation, and their potential to address global challenges? We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to explore the emergence of innovation ecosystems around digital technologies and their role in creating societal impact.

Digital technologies have the power to reshape industries, societies, and natural systems, creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges for driving social, economic, and environmental impact. Yet, critical knowledge gaps remain about how innovation ecosystems emerge around digital technologies and how they can be harnessed to maximise societal value. 

This PhD research will investigate how innovation ecosystems emerge and evolve around digital technologies, the institutional and governance mechanisms that shape them, and how they can be aligned with global sustainability goals. The project will make a significant contribution to innovation management and ecosystem research by revealing the processes that drive successful ecosystem emergence and the scaling of transformative digital technologies for societal value and impact.

The research will offer practical strategies for businesses, policymakers and industry leaders. It will equip managers with strategies to foster sustainable innovation ecosystems, enabling the effective deployment of digital technologies, while providing evidence-based recommendations for policymakers to optimize the economic and societal value of digital transformation. By addressing pressing knowledge gaps, this PhD research will contribute to shaping the future of digital innovation and its role in tackling grand societal challenges, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria for USYD:

• Applicants will have completed a postgraduate degree with outstanding results (at least 80%), including a 20,000 word (approximate word count) Masters thesis.
• Applicants must meet English Language requirements
• Applicants must be able to commit to enrolling/registering on PhD programmes at both institutions simultaneously and spend time physically based at each institutions during the PhD

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria for UofG:

• Applicants will have a good Masters degree (or overseas equivalent)
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic under investigation.
• Applicants must be able to study on a Full-Time basis only
• Applicants must be able to commit to enrolling/registering on PhD programmes at both institutions simultaneoulsy and spend time physically based at each institutions during the PhD

Please note that all applicants must also meet the full entry requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (Business) (USYD) and Management, PhD (UofG). 

Award details

The funding available covers tuition fees and provides an annual stipend. The programme will commence in October 2025. The full funding package includes:

• An annual stipend valued at $AUD 41,753 p.a. (2025 rate) via a UPA for domestic students or USYDIS for international students;
• Tuition fees covered by RTP fee offset for domestic students or covered by University of Sydney Tuition fee scholarship for international students;
• A one-off Sydney Global Mobility Joint PhD Travel Scholarship ($5000 AUD)

Further additional information

You will join a dynamic and collaborative research environment, benefiting from strong ongoing support and mentorship. This opportunity is suited for candidates with interests in management disciplines such as innovation and technology management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, organizational sociology, and organization theory—rather than pure computer science or information systems.

As a Joint PhD candidate, you will conduct research at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy, and organizations at two internationally renowned and accredited institutions—the University of Sydney Business School and the University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School. While primarily based at the University of Sydney, you will also spend a defined period at the University of Glasgow, enriching your research experience and broadening your international exposure.

We seek candidates who demonstrate:

• A strong passion for high-quality research
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• The ability to engage effectively with industry, community partners, and professional bodies
• A commitment to collaborative teamwork and contributing to a collegial research culture
• A willingness to travel as part of the Joint PhD program between the University of Sydney and the University of Glasgow

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-25-007'), uploading the following documentation:

• USYD-CoSS Joint PhD Scholarship application form (Business) (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)
• Proof of English Language proficiency (if required) - see USYD English Language requirements page for more details

*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: 31 March 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 the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme in the University of Sydney Business School at the University of Sydney and the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme at both universities and must complete a Joint PhD Student Agreement prior to commencing the programme.

Key contacts

USYD: Associate Professor Krithika Randhawa and Ms Jessica Davis (Dual Degree and Joint PhD Coordinator)

UofG: Professor Nuran Acur

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

Listed below is an ESRC-funded supervisor-led Doctoral Studentships currently available within the College of Social Sciences, i.e. a supervisor has been awarded a funded Doctoral studentship for a PhD research project of their design, for which eligible potential PhD candidates can apply (see individual studentship advert for project details, eligibility and application procedures). 

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 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