PhD Studentship in The Civic University: what is the future role of the University? University of Greenwich as a place-based civic institution

We are offering an interdisciplinary PhD scholarship (Vice Chancellor Scholarship) to develop the vision of Greenwich as a Civic University. The Civic University, an old concept but for UKHE today a new ‘business model’ (Goddard et al., 2016), requires an ability to integrate teaching, research and engagement with the outside world in a way that enhances all participants. This VC scholarship will develop a framework to ensure that research has socio-economic impact, and that teaching has strong community involvement with the long-term objective of widening participation. 

We are looking for a PhD candidate with cross-disciplinary Political Economy and Sociology experience and an interest in Education to deliver the following objectives:

• Work with Citizens UK to assess relevance of local context for 21st century university, in particular the role of Greenwich University in the leadership of place given increasing pressure from local and national government for universities to actively engage with local communities .
• Co-produce a needs assessment of local communities, industry and local authorities in Greenwich and Meadway
• Produce empirical evidence including mapping of community engagement work being done at UoG and business assessment of benefits from relationship with place where they are located
• Promote dialogue between civic universities and between university and policy makers to develop idea of university as an ‘anchor’ institution- academic practice should be relevant to place where students and academics live, study. and work as citizens.

This PhD scholarship will combine both a sociological and a political economy perspective on the role of the university as a place-based institution, that is, one where all activities – teaching, research and knowledge exchange – are embedded into the university’s communities, using Greenwich and Meadway as case studies. As part if this VC scholarship, partners will be drawn from local authorities, public service organisations, charities, and social enterprises. Students will also be an active part of this mix, acting as knowledge transfer agents through work placements linked to their courses, employed in the organisations where they work and create further links between the university and the people who make the university.

Please submit your PhD proposal based on the idea outlined above by 20th  February 2024.