Conflict and Creativity – Evaluating the potential of the Ulster Museum’s Troubles and Beyond collection in fostering creative thinking skills in young people.
Deadline: 16 May, 2024
Level of Study
Postgraduate Research
Application Status
Open
Eligibility summary
- Level of StudyPostgraduate Research
Overview
Queen’s University Belfast ‘Innovation Zones’ (School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work), in partnership with National Museums NI, invites applications from suitably qualified applicants for a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) studentship, funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships (CDP) scheme), to conduct research leading to a PhD on the theme of: Conflict and Creativity – Evaluating the potential of the Ulster Museum’s Troubles and Beyond collection in fostering creative thinking skills in young people.
This project will be jointly supervised by Dr Liam O’Hare (Director Innovation Zones, Queen’s University Belfast) and Louise Rice (Education Manager, National Museums NI) and the student will be expected to spend time at both Queen’s University Belfast and at National Museums NI, and be part of a wider cohort of CDP funded students across the UK.
The studentship can be studied either full time (4 years) or part time.
We encourage the widest range of potential students to study for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from minority ethnic backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area.
The studentship is open to both home and international applicants.
Project overview
The project aims to investigate ways in which museums operating in divided societies can use their collections to support the development of creativity and open-mindedness in young people. The research will focus on ways in which young people aged 11-14 from across different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds from non-integrated schools engage with the Ulster Museum’s Troubles and Beyond and Troubles Art collections. It seeks to address the gap in understanding around how museum education can be designed to influence the development of the skills that are likely to lead to greater levels of social cohesion and peacebuilding.
Research activity will include the implementation of a pilot study in communities linked to the ‘Innovation Zones’, which will be evaluated to assess its effectiveness in developing creative skills and open-mindedness in the young participants from disadvantaged backgrounds. The findings of the research will contribute to the development of the Ulster Museum’s Troubles-related education programmes, and have a direct impact on how National Museums NI measures the success of their wider schools programme. Ultimately, the theoretical and practical learning from this research could have an international impact on how museums in areas of conflict, or post-conflict can harness the potential of their collections to have a positive impact on children and young people.
Some Examples of Research Questions:
- Can a research-informed museum learning programme be implemented well, i.e., with fidelity, engagement, and quality of delivery to young people from disadvantaged circumstances and ethnic minority status?
- Does the emergent museum learning programme improve creativity and open-mindedness in participants and is this influenced by disadvantage and ethnic minority status?
- Are there any unforeseen positive or negative effects of the programme for the museum, pupils and teachers?
Research with National Museums NI
This research studentship is one allocated to Queen’s University Belfast by the AHRC to support the work of National Museums NI. Given the site-specific nature of the PhD, the successful student will be expected to spend a significant proportion of their time carrying out research and gaining relevant experience at National Museums NI as part of the studentship.
Further Information
The successful candidate will be eligible to participate in events organised for all Collaborative Doctoral Partnership students who are registered with different universities and studying with cultural and heritage organisations across the UK.
Note – Applicants requiring a Student Visa for study in the UK will require full time study, as they will not be eligible for a Student Visa for part time study in the UK.
Funding Towards
Living Costs / Stipend, Tuition Fees
Funding Body
UK Arts and Humanities Research Council
Funding Amount
CDP doctoral training grants fund full-time studentships for 4 years or part-time equivalent up to a maximum of 8 years.
The award pays tuition fees up to the value of the full-time home UKRI rate for PhD degrees. Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2023/2024 is £4,786.
The award pays full maintenance for all students both home and international students. The UKRI National Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2023/2024 is £19,237, plus a CDP maintenance payment of £600/year.
The student is eligible to receive an additional travel and related expenses grant during the course of the project courtesy of National Museums NI worth up to £2,000 per year for 4 years.
Number of Awards
1
Funding Body
UK Arts and Humanities Research Council
Terms and Conditions
Eligibility
- This studentship is open to both home and international applicants.
- International students are eligible to receive the full award for maintenance as are home students. To increase access to international candidates, Queen’s University Belfast has agreed to waive the difference between the UK fee and the international fee for this project.
- We encourage the widest range of potential students to study for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from minority ethnic backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area.
- Applicants require a 2:1 Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University (e.g., a Masters degree).
- Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Masters-level qualification in a relevant subject such as education or history, or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in the cultural and/or education sector e.g. galleries, museums, museum education, teaching.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in the museum sector and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas.
- As a collaborative award, students will be expected to spend time at both the University and National Museums NI.
Funding Type
Help with new course
Fee Status
Study Level
Postgraduate Research
Start Date
Thu, 11 Apr 2024 17:38:00 BST
Close Date
Thu, 16 May 2024 17:00:00 BST
Contact Us
To submit questions about the project and funding, contact: cdp@nationalmuseumsni.org or contact Dr Liam O’Hare in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast: l.ohare@qub.ac.uk.
How to Apply
Start Date: 1st October 2024
Application Deadline: 16th May 2024 at 12pm.
Interviews will take place on 29th May. All interviews will be online.
Applications received after this date cannot be considered.
Application process: To apply, please log onto Queen’s University Belfast Direct Application Portal, select the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, selecting a PhD in Education, complete the required sections and submit your application by 16th May 2024. Cite reference LOHLR24 in the funding section of your application and please note in additional information that this is a proposal to “AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) studentship with National Museums NI”.
Applicants are required to upload a statement (in place of a proposal) which should outline the applicant’s:
· Academic qualifications and/ or relevant professional experience and expertise (max 250 words)
· Motivation to pursue this Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (max 350 words)
· A provisional outline of a research topic within the thematic parameters given above. The outline should set out indicative aims and objectives, relevant literature, research questions, and proposed methods, showing how you will develop an original PhD project based around the theme described above (max 850 words)
Candidates must nominate two referees with at least one academic referee.