Expressions of interest for applications for ESRC or Carnegie PhD studentships

Expressions of interest are invited from potential PhD candidates to apply for an ESRC or Carnegie studentship to conduct research on specific aspects of the work and role of ombuds, including human rights, decision-making, and digitalisation.

About the schemes

Full details of each scheme, including eligibility criteria, are available at the following links:

• ESRC studentship
• Carnegie studentship

Research topics

Expressions of interest are invited from individuals wishing to study any topic in the area of administrative justice. We are particularly interested in supervising research on the following broad topics:

Ombudsman schemes and human rights in the UK

In many jurisdictions, ombudsman schemes have an explicit human rights remit. The relationship of UK ombudsman schemes to human rights is ambiguous, and little is known about the extent to which rights-based approaches feature in their work. Projects are invited to explore the relationship between UK ombudsman schemes and the protection of human rights, particularly in the context of constitutional change and recent reforms.

Ombudsman schemes and decision-making

While judicial decision-making has been extensively studied, ombudsman decision-making remains under-theorised and empirically unexplored. Projects in this area are invited to investigate the nature of ombudsman decision-making, which operates outside classical legal and administrative models.

Ombudsman schemes in the digital age

Ombudsman schemes are pioneers in the digital revolution, conducting most of their business remotely. Projects are invited to explore how technology, big data, and algorithms may transform the role of ombudsman schemes and their oversight of public administration.

Ombudsmen and improvement in public administration

Ombudsmen serve two main functions: investigating individual complaints ("fire-fighting") and improving public administration through systemic oversight ("fire-watching"). Projects are invited to examine the criteria for success in fire-watching, the evidence required, and the validity of claims about its effectiveness.

Supervision and contact

Expressions of interest should be sent to Professor Tom Mullen and Dr Chris Gill, who have significant experience supervising research in this area. More information about their work and expertise is available on their profiles:

• Professor Tom Mullen
• Dr Chris Gill

How to express interest

Submit a statement outlining:

• How you meet the criteria for either the ESRC or Carnegie scheme
• Which research topic you wish to address
• Why you are interested in pursuing PhD study in this area

Where expressions of interest show significant potential, support will be provided to assist with applications.

Deadline

Expressions of interest must be submitted by Friday 12 January 2018.