AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) - Spaces of Health: Connecting Past and Present Experiences of Health and Wellbeing in Heritage

Historic England and the University of Leeds are pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded four-year Collaborative Doctoral Studentship from 1 October 2026 under the AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships (CDP) scheme. This award provides full tuition fees with a tax-free maintenance allowance that matches UKRI rates (GBP 21,805 in 2026/27).

<p>From historic hospital buildings to medical museums, England’s health heritage has a powerful role to play in supporting wellbeing — but we don’t yet know how. This PhD project will uncover how these unique sites can draw on their own histories and collections to benefit communities now and in the future.</p> <p>This project will be jointly supervised by researchers at the University of Leeds (James Stark and Helen Graham) and heritage professionals at Historic England (Linda Monckton and Simon Taylor).</p> <p>The student will be expected to spend time at both Historic England and the University of Leeds, as well as becoming part of the wider cohort of CDP funded students across the UK under the <a href="https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/ahrc/training-and-support-before-the-future-doctoral-provision-programme/collaborative-doctoral-partnerships-cdp/">AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships (CDP) scheme.</a></p> <p>The studentship can be studied either full or part-time (UK applicants only). </p> <p>We encourage applications from a diverse range of people, from different backgrounds and career stages. Researchers from Global Majority backgrounds are particularly welcomed. UK black and minority ethnic (BME) researchers are currently under-represented in our Postgraduate Research (PGR) community, and we would therefore also encourage applications from UK BME candidates. All scholarships will be awarded on the basis of merit.</p> <p>Applicants are encouraged to complete EDI Monitoring Form: <a href="https://forms.office.com/e/tvHq0qB97W">https://forms.office.com/e/tvHq0qB97W</a> </p> <p>Applicants should have an honours degree of at least a 2.1 at undergraduate level (or overseas equivalent). While a Masters degree isn’t a formal entry requirement, applicants holding or pursuing a Masters degree in a relevant subject area, or with relevant equivalent experience in a professional setting will be seen more favourably.</p> <p>The studentship is open to both home and international applicants.</p> <p>This PhD explores how England’s rich medical and healthcare heritage can be used to support public health and community wellbeing today. While heritage engagement is widely recognised as beneficial, we know suprisingly little about how sites with historic ties to medicine – from former hospital buildings and clinics to medical museums – might offer unique opportunities for promoting wellbeing. These health-related heritage institutions (HRHIs) have distinctive histories that shape how people experience them, yet their potential as public health assets remains underexplored.</p> <p>The research project will investigate this potential through a national study of HRHIs in England, complemented by two in-depth case studies of <a href="https://bartsnorthwing.org.uk">St Bartholomew’s Hospital</a> and the <a href="https://thackraymuseum.co.uk/">Thackray Museum of Medicine</a>. This combination of breadth and depth will allow the researcher to map the landscape of England’s health heritage while also examining, up close, how specific institutions engage visitors, interpret their histories, and design wellbeing-focused programmes. </p> <p>Working with archives, collections, heritage professionals, and community participants, the project will develop new insights into how HRHIs can use their unique legacies to benefit local communities. It will also explore whether shared methods or models can be created to support the wider heritage and healthcare sectors. Ultimately, the research aims to help these institutions harness their histories in ways that meaningfully enhance visitor wellbeing and strengthen community health.</p> <p>You will have the opportunity to shape the project based on your interests, background and experience. Indicative research questions might include:</p> <ul> <li>How can HRHIs work most effectively to promote community and audience health and wellbeing?</li> <li>How and why do historic and contemporary associations of places with healthcare impact on audience and community experience?</li> <li>What are the most effective approaches that HRHIs can take to promote health through their collections?</li> <li>What can we extrapolate from the experience of HRHIs to inform practice across the wider heritage sector?</li> </ul> <p>The project builds on a unique combination of research strengths, including history of science and medicine, and museum studies at the University of Leeds (Centre for History & Philosophy of Science, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies), and professional expertise in architecture, and heritage and wellbeing (Historic England).</p> <p>The successful student will have the opportunity to join a vibrant cohort of CDP PhD students across the UK and within the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science at the University of Leeds. They will also be able to participate in professional development events organised by the V&A coordination team.</p> <p><strong>Duration of the Award</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full-time (4 years), or part-time (for UK candidates only, the maximum duration of study is 8 years). The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to 3 years (pro-rata for part-time), subject to satisfactory academic progress. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Funding</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full Fees</li> <li>Maintenance (£21,805 in Session 2026/27 for full-time study, part-time will be pro-rata). This amount increases per annum in line with the Research Council UK rate. </li> <li>The studentship funding also includes a Research Training Support Grant totalling £3,000 and additional travel and research expenses grant totally £4,000 (£1,000 per annum for 4 years) provided by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.</li> <li>Please be aware that any expenses related to the relocation of international students to the UK (<a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/international-visas-immigration/doc/applying-student-visa">visa, insurance, NHS fees, flights, etc</a>) would be their responsibility and is not covered by this award.</li> <li>Note that all applicants must meet UKRI terms and conditions for funding. Please see: <a href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/">https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/</a> </li> <li>Further information about these AHRC-funded collaborative awards can be found on the <a href="https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/ahrc/training-and-support-before-the-future-doctoral-provision-programme/collaborative-doctoral-partnerships-cdp/">UKRI website </a>and in the <a href="https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AHRC-090625-TrainingGrantFundingGuide2025.pdf">AHRC Training Grant Funding Guide 2025</a>.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Selection process</strong></p> <ul> <li>The deadline to be considered for this Collaborative Doctoral Partnership is <strong>1st May 2026</strong>. All applications will be considered after the deadline. Only complete applications will be considered. </li> <li><strong>We will hold remote interviews for shortlisted candidates in early June 2026. We will share interview questions with shortlisted candidates at least one week prior to the interview.</strong></li> <li>All applicants will be e-mailed within 10 weeks of the deadline to confirm the outcome.</li> <li>The final list of awards are based on academic merit and no other factors such as financial hardship are taken into account.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Information</strong></p> <ul> <li>Awards must be taken up by 1 October 2026</li> <li>The awards are available for new Postgraduate Researchers undertaking full-time or part-time research study leading to the degree of PhD. Students who are already registered for or who have previously been awarded a PhD are excluded from applying. Students who were previously registered on a PhD but withdrew from their studie, and who can provide formal confirmaton of their withdrawal, may be considered.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this CDP.</li> <li>This studentship is open to both Home and International applicants. To be classed as a home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:  <ul> <li>Be a UK or Irish National (meeting residency requirements), or</li> <li>Have settled status, or </li> <li>Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or</li> <li>Have indefinite leave to remain or enter</li> </ul> </li> <li>For information relating to the regulations surrounding how we assess residency and fee status, we would advise that you visit the website of the <a href="https://ukcisa.org.uk/">UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)</a>, which is the UK’s national advisory body who offer guidance and support to international students. They provide information and interpretation of the law that governs fee status assessments, available <a href="https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/England-HE-fee-status">here</a>.</li> <li>International students are eligible to receive the full award for maintenance as are home students. The fee gap between the home and overseas fee rates will be covered by the University through internal co-funding for international candidates.</li> </ul>

<p><strong>Application deadline: 5pm (UK time), Friday 1 May 2026</strong></p> <p>You should apply for a research place of study, through the <a href="https://studentservices.leeds.ac.uk/pls/banprod/bwskalog_uol.P_DispLoginNon">online application form.</a> Please state clearly that the funding you wish to be considered for is “<strong>AHRC Historic England CDP Scholarship</strong>”. You will be expected to meet our <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/philosophy-research-degrees/doc/doctor-philosophy-phd-7">eligibility criteria </a>for PhD candidates. </p> <p>In order to be considered for the Scholarship you must submit all the <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/philosophy-research-degrees/doc/apply-11">required supporting documents</a> with your application for PhD study. </p> <p><strong>As part of your application you must include a research proposal of no more than 500 words, indicating how you would approach the PhD project.</strong></p> <p>Any study applications that are not accompanied by the documents requested by the deadline will not be considered for the award.</p> <ul> <li>Please note that an unsuccessful application for this scholarship does not exclude you from applying for other research study opportunities or scholarships offered by the University of Leeds. </li> <li>Please note that, due to the large volume of applications, the University of Leeds will not enter into any correspondence regarding the progress of an application until the outcome is known. </li> <li>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the minimum English language requirements (below).  </li> </ul> <p>Please let us know if you require any adjustments for the application process or interview. Support or adjustments may include, but are not limited to:</p> <ul> <li>Opportunity to speak with project supervisors at the HEI and a CDP Award Holder about the project and the process.</li> <li>Opportunity to speak with contacts within the HEI and/or a CDP Award Holder regarding institutional support systems (e.g. neurodiversity, racial diversity, LGBTQIA+ networks, mental health support, support for carers).</li> <li>Opportunity to speak with active CDP students to ask questions regarding student experiecnce as part of the CDP scheme.</li> </ul> <p>Your application will not be adversely affected by disclosing a disability, and it will be processed in exactly the same way as any other application.</p> <h3>CDP Consortium Webinar</h3> <p>All CDP projects are part of a nationwide programme called the Collaborative Doctoral Partnership consortium. The CDP consortium will host an online webinar for prospective applicants on <strong>13 April 2026 at 11:00 UK time</strong>. These webinars will provide an overview of the CDP funding scheme.</p> <p>To sign up for a webinar, please email cdp@vam.ac.uk with the subject line “Prospective Applicant Webinar” from the email address you would like to join the online meeting from. Sign up will close on 10 April 2026 at 17:00 UK time.</p>

The minimum entry requirement for PhD study in the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science is a 2:1 undergraduate honours degree. We expect applicants to have (or expect to obtain) a Masters degree, or to show evidence of a comparable background in history of science/medicine, museum studies, history of architecture, social/cultural history or a related area . Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the Admissions team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for postgraduate research study in the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science is an IELTS of 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<ul> <li>Full Fees </li> <li>Maintenance (£21,805 in Session 2026/27 for full-time study, part-time will be pro-rata). This amount increases per annum in line with the Research Council UK rate. </li> <li>The studentship funding also includes a Research Training Support Grant totalling £3,000 provided by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and an additional travel and research expenses grant totally £4,000 (£1,000 per annum for 4 years) provided by the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England.</li> </ul>

<p>For further information please contact the Admissions Office at ahcpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk.</p>