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Applications are invited for a fully funded three-year PhD to commence in April 2026. 

The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and will be supervised by Professor Ale Armellini and Dr Jovana Radulovic.

Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26).Bursary recipients will also receive a total of £1,500 for project costs/consumables.

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

This funded PhD is only open to UK/Home fee paying new students who do not hold a previous doctoral level qualification.

This funded PhD studentship will deliver a rigorous longitudinal evaluation of the implementation and impact of the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú’s Connected Curriculum (CC). The project will focus on how the CC is enacted across disciplines, the extent to which its principles are realised in practice, and how its processes and outcomes can be strengthened through evidence-informed refinement.

The study will develop and apply a structured evaluation framework centred on:

1. Consistency of implementation – how reliably CC principles (student, staff and external engagement, authentic assessment, research-informed teaching and skills development) are embedded at module and programme levels;
2. Effectiveness – the degree to which the CC achieves its stated objectives for student learning, staff academic practice and curriculum coherence;
3. Impact – changes over time in student outcomes, programme design, pedagogic culture and employer engagement;
4. Context – institutional, disciplinary and policy factors that shape adoption and variation.

A mixed-methods longitudinal design will draw on:

• Quantitative data such as progression and attainment, module evaluation data, skills-mapping outputs and student engagement analytics.
• Qualitative data including staff and student interviews, curriculum artefact analysis and CC implementation case studies.
• Process data such as programme-level CC mapping exercises, CPD participation records and documentation from curriculum review cycles.

Statistical modelling and longitudinal qualitative analysis will help to identify drivers of effective implementation, critical bottlenecks and the causal pathways for meaningful change. Deliverables will include annual implementation reports for UoP, a validated CC evaluation framework and evidence-based recommendations enabling real-time enhancement of CC processes.

Indicative research questions include:

• How is the Connected Curriculum being implemented across disciplines, and what factors explain variation in consistency and effectiveness?
• What medium and long-term impacts does the CC have on student outcomes, teaching practice and curriculum authenticity?
• Which elements of the CC contribute most to sustainable improvements in learning, teaching and the employability of graduates?

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Jovana Radulovic (jovana.radulovic@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our . Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV. Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code ELL10020126 when applying. Please note that email applications are not accepted.