Part Funded PhD Studentship in Posthuman Creative Leadership in Healthcare

The Arts and Health subject area, in Arts and Humanities at Brunel University London is offering a part funded PhD studentship to start in the academic year of 2023. The studentship, which will be funded by the CNWL NHS Foundation Trust, is for 4 years starting on 1st October 2023. The successful applicant will have access to a training grant for research and fieldwork related costs, plus full payment of UK/EU tuition fees. The studentship is open to all UK and EU applicants.

Awardees must provide occasional teaching as a General Teaching Assistant (GTA) and may be asked to help with research in Arts & Health, leadership, and arts therapies. Work undertaken will be in collaboration with our health partner CNWL NHS Foundation Trust.

Investigation into creativity, new materialism, power relations and leadership have generated meaningful discourses about the future of the NHS and how organisational change can have a meaningful impact on the delivery of services and patient experience. The complexity of intersections between physical health, mental health, cultures, populations and staff support and wellbeing are key factors of consideration with the development of NHS leadership environments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on politics, society, global concerns, and communities. This has led to a greater demand for effective healthcare. Our NHS sponsor is offering an opportunity to explore creative leadership, healthcare changes, and the future of leadership. Leadership can be redefined according to the ways in which we understand the transversal relationships between healthcare staff, infrastructures, physical environment, politics, culture, and society. We are particularly interested in theoretical discourse and creative mixed methods that are developed in the context of recent theories of post-humanism, new materialism and neo-materialism. Potential areas of investigation could include creative models for healthcare leadership and how this affects place-based roles and power relations; the role of the creative leader within the development of inclusive healthcare models; the relationship between cultural groups, creative leadership and healthcare; the role of co-creation, leadership and heritage in partnership healthcare policy. These are only some of many lines of enquiry and responses that are welcomed to inform the development of future leadership models in healthcare.

We positively encourage applications from groups under-represented in postgraduate research, including (but not limited to) women, LGBTQ+ candidates, Global Majority / BAME candidates, candidates with disabilities, candidates with caring responsibilities, and care leavers.

This role will be situated in Brunel University London and CNWL NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) one of the largest, most progressive healthcare providers in the UK.

Your supervisory team will comprise Prof. Dominik Havsteen-Franklin, Claire Grant and relevant support based on your academic needs.

Eligibility

The studentship is awarded based on outstanding academic merit.

Candidates should have an undergraduate degree (first or upper second class) in a relevant subject. A Master’s degree is an advantage but not essential, preferably at distinction level or equivalent.

How to apply

How to apply

If you wish to apply, please email the Prof. Dominik Havsteen-Franklin, dominik.havsteen-franklin@brunel.ac.uk no later than Saturday 5^th August.

To apply you will need:

Your up to date CV
A one A4 page personal statement setting out why you are a suitable candidate (i.e. your skills and experience)
A research proposal offering an outline of the project, including background, methods and pathways to impact. Your proposal should be a minimum of 3500 words (excluding references) and no more than 5000 words.
Your degree transcripts and/or certificates
Names and contact details for two academic referees

Interviews will take place online on Tuesday 15^th August 2023.

Any offer will be subject to a successful application for the integrated PhD degree programme. More details are here:

https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Brunel-Integrated-PhD

If you are offered a place, you will need to complete an online application via the following website, meeting the University academic entry requirements and being offered a place on the course:

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/bbs/research/phd-programme/how-to-apply

Further information

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact our Integrated PhD office: +44 (0)1895 265599

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Dominik Havsteen-Franklin - Dominik Havsteen-Franklin is a Professor of Practice (Arts Therapies) at Brunel University, with a Ph.D. in Art Psychotherapy and Metaphor. He is also head of the International Centre for Arts Psychotherapies Training (ICAPT) for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Vice President for the European Federation of Art Therapy and a member of the Council for the British Association of Art Therapists. His research focuses on applying empirical methods to investigating and evaluating the use of arts to facilitate changes in health conditions. His recent research has centred on co-designing and investigating Arts-based Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (ADIT) for depression, Creative and Resilience Engagement (CaRE) for frontline healthcare workers, developing arts-based psychosocial practice in South Africa, and is a co-applicant for an NIHR funded large scale RCT (ERA) investigating the effectiveness of arts therapies for heterogenous groups in mental health services. Dominik supervises PhD students from a range of arts disciplines. He also continues to work as a consultant, an art psychotherapist and a clinical supervisor for the National Health Service.