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Rethinking our approach to postgraduate researcher recruitment in partnership with the NHS

Work package one (WP1) of the EDEPI programme aims to challenge the closed recruitment practices that create barriers for those currently underrepresented in doctoral education. Our aim is to equip individuals interested in research with the information and support necessary to apply to one of our part-time PhD programmes, through our expertly facilitated pre-doctoral outreach workshop series.

To protect the NHS’s future as a care provider for all UK citizens, research is needed to directly impact policy and practice. Recent studies have demonstrated a significant need for improved understanding and better practice in areas that overwhelmingly affect racially minoritised groups, such as pregnancy and midwifery care for Black women.

Our EDEPI PhD candidates will not only bring to light research that could revolutionise clinical practice and access to quality care, but there is also potential to deconstruct systems within the NHS that have historically prevented talented individuals from racially minoritised groups from accessing senior leadership positions.

Our EDEPI PhD programme has been created to enable NHS staff from racially minoritised groups to set a new research agenda relevant to their experiences: PhD study is not only a chance to undertake important research with the potential for real-world change, but an opportunity for unique professional development that can advance your career. Diversity in leadership is crucial for the future of the NHS, particularly in light of the need to implement the NHS Long-Term Plan, which promotes greater staff diversity at all levels and expresses the need for transformational change across health services.

By creating these specialised PhD opportunities, the EDEPI project hopes to begin dismantling processes, policies, and unconscious biases within both the research sector and the NHS that have harmed and hindered staff and patients from racially minoritised groups. The purpose of the project is to bring marginalised voices and perspectives to the forefront, illuminating areas of knowledge where gaps have been identified with diverse perspectives. By embracing equity, we work to build a better future for everyone, starting with you.

To get you started on your journey into research, we will be delivering a pre-doctoral outreach workshop series at your local university from the 20th April (Sheffield and Liverpool), and 9th May (Nottingham). These workshops provide supportive spaces for you to learn more about what a PhD is, and how embarking on researching can impact you, your career prospects, and wider society for the better. Should you be interested in applying for a funded part-time PhD opportunity, we will match you with supervisors with relevant research expertise and support you through the process of applying.

To register for our first workshop, please follow the relevant hyperlink associated with your local university below:

As a team, we understand the extreme pressure NHS Line Manager’s face, and the responsibility required to deliver a quality service at pace. Through the advertisement of the EDEPI programme, there may be members of your team interested in attending our pre-doctoral outreach programme, with a view to eventually enrolling on to a part-time PhD at their local university.

What benefit does this have for you?

  • Supports research career development by providing new skills to enhance your workforce and make a difference to the future of healthcare.
  • Develops your staff to enable real impact through improving patient care and supporting the development of novel treatments.
  • Provides opportunities to identify cutting-edge technologies to drive innovation in clinical practice.
  • Increases retention rates as staff have an opportunity for long-term personal and professional development.

If you require any further information on the EDEPI programme, please contact the Lead at your local NHS trust:

The EDEPI team will also be hosting pop-ups at the above sites between March – June. Dates will be published here shortly.

How you can get involved with EDEPI as a supervisor

Through our EDEPI pre-doctoral outreach programme, we will have a number of talented NHS staff (clinical and non-clinical) interested in working with supervisors to develop proposals for a fully funded part-time PhD opportunity.

We are therefore looking for Supervisors with research areas that may be of interest to our prospective applicants to join us at our pre-doctoral outreach programme workshops.

If you are currently a supervisor at NTU, SHU or LJMU and would like to hear more about the EDEPI programme, please let us know here.

Our research

Find out more about the exciting research taking place at Sheffield Hallam University, Nottingham Trent University and Liverpool John Moores University.

Connect with us

Email: EDEPI@ntu.ac.uk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EDEPI_

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edepi

Equity in Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation (EDEPI)

Equity in Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation is a project which aims to increase participation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups in doctoral education.

Work package two (WP2): Reforming admissions practices that create barriers to entry

Working with the UK Council for Graduate Education, WP2 involves the development of a competency-based admissions framework which seeks to tackle inequality at scale by shifting the focus to the competencies required to successfully undertake PGR study, rather than the reliance on measurable academic track record and previous awarding institution.

Work package three (WP3): Creating a more inclusive research culture

WP3 delivers a series of workshops to support the creation of a more inclusive research culture, and positively impact on the retention, progression, and wellbeing of postgraduate researchers from racially minoritised groups.