Research Studentship Scheme
We are excited to announce the launch of the 2025/26 Research Studentship Scheme, which is open to final year undergraduate and postgraduate taught (MSc) students to undertake research activities in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. There are four studentship awards available, each providing a stipend of £200 per week for a six-week full time appointment, or pro-rata for a part-time appointment.
A key area of the School’s SWAN Action plan is the promotion of an academic career to students. To address this, we are pleased to announce the launch of the 2025/26 Research Studentship Scheme open to final year undergraduate and postgraduate taught (MSc) students to undertake research activities in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. There are four studentship awards available for £1,200 each, providing a stipend of £200 per week for six weeks working on a full-time basis or £100 per week for 12 weeks working on a part-time basis.
An outline of the projects aligned to each of the four studentships, including the title and description of the activity, as well as contact details of the lead academic supervisors are listed below.
Student Application Process
Interested students are asked to complete the student application form and submit alongside a short one-page CV and a copy of their current unofficial academic transcript for their degree programme.
The deadline for applications is Monday 29 September 2025 at 5pm
Applications must be submitted via email to Dr Fiona Lynn (f.lynn@qub.ac.uk)
Students will be notified of the outcome by 10 October 2025
If you have any queries about the application process or the studentships on offer, please contact Dr Fiona Lynn (f.lynn@qub.ac.uk).
List of Studentships
STUDENTSHIP 1
TITLE: Evaluation of an educational intervention to engage registered nurses in Palliative and end of life caRe simulAtion for people with end-stage kIdney diseaSE: the PRAISE study
LEAD SUPERVISOR: Dr Clare McKeaveney (c.mckeaveney@qub.ac.uk )
SECOND SUPERVISOR: Dr Clare Mc Veigh
DESCRIPTION: Background: Registered nurses often feel unprepared to provide palliative and end of life care to patients and their families. High fidelity simulation provides healthcare students with the opportunity to engage in experiential learning. There is a growing evidence base for the use of interprofessional simulation as an educational intervention for improved palliative care education.
Methodology: A co-production approach will be used to design an educational intervention to engage registered nurses completing a postgraduate course in renal nursing in palliative and end-of-life care Simulation. The feasibility and acceptability will be evaluated amongst students undertaking the course. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected to understand participants’ experience and opinions of using the intervention.
Expected outcomes: An educational intervention to engage renal nurses in palliative and end-of-life care simulation has the potential to support these healthcare students in providing holistic care. However the existing evidence is inconsistent, and the optimal design of interventions remains unclear. The results of this study are expected to produce relevant information which will help guide the design of future studies.
STUDENTSHIP 2
TITLE: Exploring Interdisciplinary students Perspectives through Focus Groups on the Co-Design of an Anatomy Serious Game
LEAD SUPERVISOR: Dr Stephanie Craig (s.craig@qub.ac.uk)
SECOND SUPERVISOR: Dr Gary Mitchell MBE
DESCRIPTION: This project will contribute to an ongoing interdisciplinary initiative developing a co-designed serious game on anatomy for use across medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. The student intern will undertake/ support the final phase of the study which is a qualitative evaluation exploring the perspectives of students from these three professional groups on their experience of interacting and learning from the game.
The student will support the organisation and facilitate four interdisciplinary focus groups ensuring ethical data collection and participant engagement. They will transcribe the focus groups and support the thematic analysis of the data under supervision, with guidance on qualitative methods and research ethics.
Through this work, the student will develop key research skills in qualitative data collection, transcription, coding, and thematic analysis. They will also be actively involved in preparing the write-up of findings for dissemination, contributing to a co-authored interdisciplinary academic paper. The study will provide valuable insights into how students from different professional backgrounds perceive and engage with interdisciplinary learning such as the serious game, directly informing the development and refinement of the anatomy game. This project will give the student practical experience in collaborative research and contribute meaningfully to their academic career progression.
STUDENTSHIP 3
TITLE: An exploration of cognitive impairment in children with cerebral palsy
LEAD SUPERVISOR: Dr Claire Kerr (c.kerr@qub.ac.uk)
SECOND SUPERVISOR: Dr Róisín Keenan
DESCRIPTION: Background: Although primarily a disorder of movement and posture, people with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently experience other impairments such as communication, behavioural, and cognitive issues. Cognitive impairment is thought to be highly prevalent but standardised assessments of cognition typically require the ability to write or communicate verbally and so are not appropriate for many children with CP. Accurate ascertainment of the prevalence of cognitive impairment in the population is thus difficult. This has been identified by Patient and Public Involvement contributors to the Northern Ireland CP Register as an issue warranting further investigation.
Aim: (1) To systematically search and collate evidence on cognitive impairment in people with CP, and (2) to describe the profile of cognitive impairment in a population-based sample of children with CP.
Methods: The first aim will be achieved via a systematic search of relevant databases, data selection, and extraction and compilation of relevant information. The second aim will be achieved by a cross-sectional analysis of a dataset derived from a population-based register (NICPR). Clinical characteristics will be summarised using descriptive statistics. Some exploratory analyses (e.g., chi-square, regression modelling) may be used to examine the likelihood of cognitive impairment in relation to clinical and socio-demographic characteristics.
STUDENTSHIP 4
TITLE: Strengthening Bioscience in Nurse Education: Surveying Current Practice and Building Shared Assessment Resources
LEAD SUPERVISOR: Dr Katherine Rogers (k.rogers@qub.ac.uk)
SECOND SUPERVISOR: Mrs Hannah McConnell
DESCRIPTION: The Bioscience in Nurse Education (BiNE) Network is a UK- and Ireland-wide community of practice formed by academics dedicated to enhancing bioscience education for nurses and allied health professionals. Through collaborative research, resource development, and knowledge-sharing, BiNE works to ensure bioscience subjects remain strong and effective components of nursing, midwifery and allied health curricula.
This placement offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to two interlinked national initiatives.
- The BiNE 2025 Survey – a follow-up to the landmark 2013 study that shaped understanding of bioscience provision in nurse education. The survey questions have already been designed, you will help launch and manage this new survey. By coordinating survey distribution, monitoring responses, and engaging with academic staff across universities, you will help capture an up-to-date picture of how bioscience is taught and assessed.
- The BiNE Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Bank – a new novel, shared resource designed to strengthen student engagement and performance in bioscience. In parallel to the 2025 BiNE Survey, you will contribute to the development of the MCQ Bank, by liaising with academics and the platform development team to help shape the next phase of this innovative project.
These two strands combine to provide a rounded research project experience: gathering evidence about current practice while actively contributing to the development of novel teaching and assessment resources.
This placement will provide valuable experience in research administration, academic networking, and resource development. It is ideally suited for an early-career researcher interested in health professions education, curriculum design, and evidence-based pedagogy.