Further details - Collaborative research studentship (fixed project)

 ‘Tackling policy challenges that others cannot reach: sub-state governments, policy integration and policy mainstreaming’

Applications are invited from exceptional candidates with a first class or strong upper second class honours degree, or appropriate Master’s degree. Both the University and the ESRC Wales DTP value diversity and equality at all levels and we encourage applications from all sections of the community. We welcome applications for both full and part-time study. This studentship are available as either ‘1+3’ (i.e. one full time year of research training Masters followed by three years of full-time Doctoral study, or the part-time equivalent), or ‘+3’ (i.e. three years of full-time doctoral study or its part-time equivalent), depending on the needs of the applicant.

Welsh Language skills are desirable but not essential for this studentship.

Applications welcomed by 21 May 2018 (12 noon).

SUPERVISION
This studentship is a ‘collaborative’ award. Applicants should take careful consideration of the working title and description of the project, and may wish to contact Dr Huw Lewis hhl@aber.ac.uk (01970 628638) for a discussion prior to applying.

WHAT THE STUDENTSHIP WILL COVER

This studentship commences in October 2018 and will cover your tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant (currently £14,553 p.a. for 2017/18 for full-time students, updated each year); and includes an additional Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of up to £750 for three years for full-time students (pro rata for part-time students). There are other opportunities and benefits available to studentship holders, including an overseas fieldwork allowance (if applicable), internship opportunities and overseas institutional visits.

ELIGIBILITY
ESRC studentships are highly competitive; candidates should have an excellent academic background in the social sciences, holding a 1st or strong upper 2nd class degree; applications from those also holding a relevant research training Masters degree (or an equivalent background in research training) will be considered for a +3 award. Full awards (fees plus maintenance stipend) are open to UK Nationals and EU students who can satisfy UK residency requirements.

1+3 OR +3?

The awards are available on either a 1+3 or +3 basis. A 1+3 studentship provides funding for four years (or part-time equivalent), completing a research training Masters in the 1st year, followed by 3 years research funding for a PhD. A +3 studentship provides funding for the three years PhD research study only (or part-time equivalent).

ASSESSMENT
The closing deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on 21 May 2018. Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview, which are expected to take place at the end of May / beginning of June 2018. After interview, a final short-list of applicants will be put forward to the ESRC Wales DTP Doctoral Panel at which final decisions with regard to studentship awards will be made. Successful applicants can expect to hear by mid-July 2018.

HOW TO APPLY

A completed application form for admission to doctoral study in Aberystwyth University: submitted by the deadline of 12.00 noon, 21 May 2018. Information on how to make on-line and off-line applications is available at: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/apply/.  Incomplete applications or applications received after this specified time will not be accepted.

The application must contain the following documents:

1. Covering letter: The covering letter must name the collaborative studentship being applied for (‘Sub-state governments, Policy Integration and Policy Mainstreaming’). It must set out your reasons and motivation for applying to study at Aberystwyth University, and the Politics and International Studies Pathway; your understanding, and expectations of doctoral study; and your academic interests generally, and particularly how these relate to the description of the project supplied. The covering letter should be no more than two pages. Please also specify whether you wish to apply on a +3 or 1+3 basis.

2. Academic / Professional Qualifications: This should also include proof of English Language Competency (7.0 IELTS minimum).

3. References: All applications require two academic references to be submitted in support. Candidates must approach referees themselves and request a reference to be submitted.

4. Curriculum Vitae: It should be no longer than two pages.

5. Research Proposal: For collaborative studentships, the proposal should build directly on the outline description (see below)The proposal should be up to a maximum of 1000 words, not including references. We suggest that you use the following five headings in your research proposal:

  • Your reflections on the title, aims and purpose of the research;
  • An overview of some key academic literature relevant to the study;
  • Your proposals for developing the design of the project and research methods to be employed in the study;
  • A description of potential outcomes of the project for understanding, knowledge, 
policy and practice (as appropriate to the topic);
  • References

 

 

ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Partnership

 

Collaborative Studentship (fixed project): ‘Tackling policy challenges that others cannot reach: sub-state governments, policy integration and policy mainstreaming’

 

Project overview

 

This document outlines the research context for this studentship as well as the specific aims and research questions to be addressed in the project. Applicants should use this document as a starting point when preparing their research proposals. Those proposals should discuss how applicants would seek to develop their own research project based on the preliminary ideas discussed here and should aim to cover:

  • Your reflections on the title, aims and purpose of the research;
  • Your understanding of the research questions and how you wish to pursue answering them;
  • An overview of some key academic literature relevant to the study;
  • Your proposals for developing the design of the project and research methods to be employed in the study;
  • A description of potential outcomes of the project for understanding, knowledge, 
policy and practice (as appropriate to the topic);
  • References

Research context: Integrating broad policy concerns such as gender equality or child poverty into specific sectoral policy fields is considered to have the potential to play a transformative role in realising policy objectives. Yet, whilst there is general recognition across the academic literature that policy integration and policy mainstreaming processes are important to areas such as equality, environmental sustainability and language sustainability, a range of issues deserve more detailed consideration. First, there is a tendency for research to focus on examining policy integration within individual policy areas, with little work seeking to compare across multiple policy fields and to interrogate potential differences in how integration is conceptualised. Second, the main research focus has been on policy integration efforts at the EU level, and consequently,  little attention has been devoted to the task of developing a comparative analysis of efforts by sub-state governments to promote policy integration.

 

Aims: The studentship will aim to develop a comparative analysis of efforts by sub-state governments to engage in policy integration. It will do this by examining the approaches of devolved administrations across the UK, but also through a selective examination of what are considered effective policy integration initiatives in a broader European context. In doing so, it will critically engage with approaches to policy integration and policy mainstreaming across a range of public policy fields, including gender equality, environmental sustainability, and linguistic sustainability.

 

Research Questions: Given its general aims, the project will seek to address the following research questions:

 

  • Are there any significant differences in how policy integration and policy mainstreaming are conceptualised across various policy fields?
  • What types of mechanisms and approaches are used to facilitate policy integration and policy mainstreaming? What are their relative strengths and weaknesses?
  • Are there distinctive factors (e.g. political and institutional factors) that impact upon policy integration in particular policy areas or at particular levels of governance?

 

The proposal should be up to a maximum of 1000 words, not including references. Applicants may wish to contact Dr Huw Lewis (hhl@aber.ac.uk, 01970 628638) for an informal discussion prior drafting their proposal.