Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD Studentship in Lifelong Learning Policies Supporting Young Adults in their Life Course, over a period of either three years (+3) for those with an ESRC recognised research training qualification or four years (1+3) for those without.

Project outline

The successful candidate will be part of the Horizon 2020 project YOUNG_ADULLLT - Policies Supporting Young People in their Life Course. A Comparative Perspective of Lifelong Learning and Inclusion in Education and Work in Europe (www.young-adulllt.eu),which is an European funded project run by a consortium of 12 European universities from 9 countries. The PhD student will join the GU team of the project and will participate in a research on lifelong learning (LLL) policies and their effects on young people in Scotland (www.young-adulllt-scotland.org).

During the recession and post-recession, LLL policies in Scotland have prioritised a skills agenda with a clear focus on young adults as the main target group of most policy interventions. The overall aim of this project is to elucidate how LLL policies support young adults in their life courses by investigating who are the key influencers and how they manage to influence young adult decisions, and what are the intended and unintended effects of this influence on young adult learning and career choices. The project is designed as a multilevel mixed methods research at national, local and individual levels.

• National level: the project will map young adult transitions in education and work through the analysis of secondary data for Scotland.
• Local level: the project will conduct case studies in two Scottish regions (Glasgow City Region and Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire) around three key LLL policies in each region.
• Individual level: the project will carry out interviews with young adults about their life projects and their perception of the support and guidance received by key influencers.

Supervision and training

The student will be jointly supervised by Dr Oscar Valiente (lead supervisor) and Dr Oscar Odena, and will benefit from the vibrant and supportive intellectual environment of the Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change and the doctoral training available through the School of Education and the College of Social Sciences. The student will also have a named sponsor in Skills Development Scotland (SDS) who will support the project, and will have the opportunity to participate in activities organized by SDS and the ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences (SGSSS).

Student profile

We are particularly keen to receive applications from candidates with a strong background in the Social Sciences (e.g. Sociology, Political Science, Economics, Comparative Education, etc.) and experience of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. As the majority of the planned research is qualitative, an interest in learning and using these methods is essential. It is also essential the interest in having a social and political impact beyond academia through the engagement with research users in governmental and non governmental organisations.

Eligibility

ESRC eligibility criteria apply. Comprehensive information on eligibility requirements can be found at: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/postgraduates/prospective-students/eligibility/index.aspx

The University has an ESRC ‘Award Eligibility Checker’ tool which you should use to check whether you are eligible for the award. Please include the PDF summary of your responses that it creates with your application.

Unfortunately, any student not meeting the ESRC eligibility criteria cannot be considered for the studentship.

The Award

SDS is co-funding this scholarship in partnership with the ESRC SGSSS. The scholarship includes payment of UK/EU fees and, in the case of UK students, it also includes a maintenance grant (2017-18 rate is £14,553 per annum) and a research training support grant (£750 per annum). EU students will normally only be eligible for a fee waiver award. EU students may be eligible for the full award where they have been living in the UK for three years prior to the start of the course.

Residential queries should be directed to [email protected] in the first instance.

How to Apply

Complete and collate the following documentation then attach to a single email and send to William Shirriffs at [email protected] by 12 noon Friday 5^th May 2017.

• A statement expressing your suitability to undertake the proposed project
• Curriculum vitae
• 2 signed references on official headed notepaper in support of your application
• Degree transcripts from previous studies (undergraduate and postgraduate, if relevant)
• A copy of the PDF generated by the ESRC Award Eligibility Checker.

Any application which fails to meet the above requirements will not be considered.

Please direct informal enquiries to Dr Oscar Valiente ([email protected]) or Dr Oscar Odena ([email protected]).

Selection Process

Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview in Glasgow. The interviews are expected to take place on the 25^th May 2017. The successful applicant will be informed shortly after the interview.

The successful candidate will be required to complete and submit the SGSSS Coversheet and Equal Opportunities Form.

The award is subject to the candidate successfully securing admission to the PhD programme in Education within the College of Social Sciences. After selected for funding, the successful scholarship applicant will be invited to apply for admission to the PhD programme in Education.