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Equity in Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation (EDEPI)

Removing barriers to doctoral education for racially minoritised groups.

What is the EDEPI programme?

EDEPI is one of 13 Research England and Office for Students funded programmes, created to tackle persistent inequalities that create barriers to access and participation in doctoral education for racially minoritised groups.

The EDEPI programme is divided into three distinct work packages targeting recruitment, admissions and transition as critical points of systemic inequality, through sector-leading initiatives delivered at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).

Why is the EDEPI programme needed?

The United Kingdom is a world-leading provider of doctoral programmes, yet the demographic of PhD researchers is far from a true reflection of our diverse population. Doctoral education in the UK is struggling to create genuine equity, and individuals from racially minoritised groups continue to face significant barriers to accessing doctoral-level degrees. As a result, crucial voices aren't heard: without equity in doctoral research, we lack the potential for real innovation and for research that breaks the mould to facilitate real social change.

Meet the EDEPI team

The EDEPI Delivery Executive is an action-oriented group comprising colleagues from each partner institution. The overall purpose of the Delivery Executive is to support the operational delivery of the EDEPI programme.