The WRDTP is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Our core objective in this area is to offer an inclusive and nurturing doctoral experience where a diverse group of students from a range of backgrounds are supported to realise their potential as social science researchers.
All seven of our partner institutions are members of the National Education Opportunities Network and have taken institutional-level interventions to address research student inequalities.
Responding to evidence of the under-representation of Black British students at PhD level, we have worked with the Stuart Hall Foundation since 2020 to offer 2 studentships each year for projects that align with the mission of the Foundation and the legacy of Stuart Hall.
In recent years, as part of an ESRC-pilot scheme we have offered Summer Research Experience Placements for Black British Undergraduate students. These placements have provided eligible Undergraduate students the opportunity to undertake a short research project alongside an academic supervisor whilst also benefitting from peer mentoring.
We collect and analyse anonymised EDI data from our applicants every year and use this to inform our EDI initiatives and policies. This helps us to ensure that we i) address any barriers that applicants might face during the applications process and ii) make our training events as inclusive as possible for our PGRs.
We have transformed our studentship processes to place a stronger emphasis on an applicant’s potential and motivation for research; and to ensure that all applicants have clear and useful information to enable them to submit high quality studentship applications.
We offer social science PGRs (regardless of funding) from our partner institutions the opportunity to claim the cost of any additional childcare costs incurred whilst attending our compulsory WRDTP training events: Welcome Event, Research Data Management and Open Scholarship, Advanced Methods Showcase and the Annual Conference.
Finally, we have an EDI Advisory Group made up of individuals and organisations (both academic and non-academic) working in the UK EDI space (including two of our PGRs) to critically inform our EDI initiatives and future EDI priorities. The Advisory Group meets twice a year, and membership includes representatives who campaign on behalf of and/or support PGRs who:
Inequalities in access to higher education are well known, and progression onto PhD amongst specific under-represented groups is low, due to a range of factors. We will seek to address pipeline issues by raising awareness of research opportunities amongst under-represented groups.
Research suggests that success in PGR application processes can rely on tacit knowledge. We will seek to provide accessible and timely information about our application processes, and working with partners actively promote clear guidance to potential applicants from under-represented groups.
Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE) analysis indicates that UK graduates from minoritised backgrounds are under-represented in PGR communities across UK universities. We have already revised our studentship application forms and assessment criteria in order to focus on potential for research. We will continue to keep our application material and processes under review, in order to reflect best practice in partner institutions. We will ensure that all reviewers of our studentship applications undertake EDI training in order to minimise unconscious bias.
We recognise the demands that PhD study places on research students’ mental health and wellbeing, especially for students from under-represented backgrounds. In order to support an inclusive and nurturing doctoral experience, we will work with supervisors to establish clear expectations for PhD projects; work with partner institutions to raise awareness of institutional wellbeing support mechanisms; and work with our PGR Committee to facilitate the development of student networks and communities.
We are committed to equipping our students for a broad range of careers within and beyond academia. We will offer a diverse and flexible range of ‘Research in Practice’ placement opportunities, and engage with external partners and WRDTP graduates to raise awareness of the variety of career opportunities available to social sciences researchers. Our emphasis on PGR careers will span the duration of the doctoral programme with the aim of embedding careers training, planning and employability across each year of study. We aim to empower PGR students in careers matters and the management of their own career needs to prepare for a wide range of career possibilities.
