PIER Dawes PhD scholarships
ARU's Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) has an established reputation for high quality research that has real impact on policy and practice in the field of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).
Currently, CSA represents the greatest challenge to policing outside of terrorism (Bailey, 2020) with latest figures from the National Crime Agency (NCA) estimating that there are a minimum 300,000 individuals in the UK posing a sexual threat to children, either through physical ‘contact’ or online abuse (NCA, 2020). Together, the NCA and UK policing arrest more than 500 child sex offenders and are safeguarding around 700 children each month.
We have recently received a significant investment from The Dawes Trust to deliver a four-year programme of applied research in the investigation and prevention of CSA. In partnership with national stakeholders such as the National Police Chief’s Council, National Crime Agency and the Ministry of Justice, we will shape the future research agenda in the CSA space and deliver impactful research and innovation whilst at the same time developing the researchers of the future in an area of critical need.
We are seeking applications from ambitious, highly motivated and talented researchers to play an active role in the development and delivery of this important and high-profile programme of work through the completion of a three-year, funded PhD in a cutting-edge area of CSA research. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future research agenda in the CSA space, working with national partners to deliver impactful research and innovation whilst at the same time developing your own career.
Candidate requirements
Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) a 2:1 Bachelor Degree in a cognate discipline. A Masters degree in a relevant subject is desirable.
Applicants must be prepared to study on a full-time basis, attending at our Cambridge or Chelmsford campus subject to UK Government COVID-19 movement restrictions.
The PIER PhD scholarship awards are open to Home fee paying applicants only. If you are unsure of your fee status, please contact research-admissions@aru.ac.uk
Please note that, depending on the nature of the project, a high-level vetting for access to highly sensitive data may be required. This will require three years' UK residency and the provision of five years' address history.
How to apply
Applications are made through our applicant portal. Underneath each project description you will find a link to the application form. Please ensure that you make a note of the project reference number or title, as you will need to enter this on the form.
You will also need the following documents available electronically to upload to the application portal (we can accept files in pdf, jpeg or docx format):
- Certificates and transcripts from your Bachelor and Masters degrees (if applicable)
- Your personal statement explaining your suitability for the project
- Passport and visa or EU Settlement Scheme share code (if applicable)
- Curriculum Vitae
We will review all applications after the submission deadline of 25 April. Interviews are expected to be held in the week commencing 24 May.
If you have any queries relating to the application process or the terms and conditions of the studentships, please email research-admissions@aru.ac.uk
To discuss a research project, please contact the supervisor(s) named in the relevant project description.
The projects
Funding notes
This successful applicant for this project will receive a PIER PhD Scholarship which covers Home tuition fees and provides a UKRI equivalent minimum annual stipend for three years. For 2021/2 this will be £15,609 per year. The award is subject to the successful candidate meeting the scholarship terms and conditions. Please note that the University asserts the right to claim any intellectual property generated by research it funds.