New community partners and researchers needed for next cycle of PhD project development

Thursday 18 May 2023

Setting the research agenda through community partnerships

The next round of PhD research project development will begin in June 2023 and run through to September 2023. This development phase is a core part of our programme where we bring together Nottingham academics and a wide range of partners from local community-focused organisations to work together to co-create new PhD research projects which address challenges relevant to Nottingham and Nottinghamshire communities.

Through this collaborative approach to research, Co(l)laboratory aims to support what we call community-engaged research – research which is grounded in the needs of local communities, and which is continuously informed by and carried out with people with lived-experience of the challenges in questions. By doing research this way, we aim to deliver project that produce evidence based outcomes which are more readily able to make a direct, relevant and meaningful impact for Notts communities.

Who are we looking for?

We’re looking for enthusiastic individuals who are willing to become proactive members of a growing community of people who want to support real, meaningful change for Notts communities through research. We need academics who want to help us drive forward an agenda of community-engaged research, and community partners who can provide a strong link to the real life practice and experience that can help ensure our research is relevant and responsive to the needs of local communities.

As a requirement of Co(l)laboratory funding, each research project needs at least 3 core partners who would ideally work together to develop the project proposal, and then supervise the successful PhD candidate, if the project is selected for funding. The core partners on each project proposal must include, as a minimum:

• An academic from the University of Nottingham
• An academic from Nottingham Trent University
• A member of a local community-focused organisation.

Our first cohort of 10 PhD research projects have already started. Click the link below to explore our current research projects to see which organisations are involved and what the projects aim to do.

What do we mean by community-focused organisations? Under the remit of Co(l)laboratory funding, community partners must be organisations who are based and operate within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Community partners can be from any organisation who’s work has a focus on the local community, whether that be large organisations such as NHS bodies and City or County Council departments, or smaller organisations such as local charities, schools, community interest groups, etc.

What do community partners get?

Community-based partners who are part of successful project proposals which go on to be funded will be able to benefit from a range of unique opportunities, as well as the benefits of the research.

• Join a community of fellow professionals involved in this pioneering new project: Community partners will join a growing community of practice network, made of up of professionals from local organisations who are collaborating with us on our research projects. You will all be directly supported by the Co(l)laboratory team to share best practice between yourselves and in getting the most out of your collaboration with us, for you and your organisation.
• Access to research training and resources: Community partners and wider colleagues from their organisation will have access to a bespoke series of research skill CPD sessions. These course offer a practical introduction to core research competencies, concepts and tools that can be applied to solving a wide array of challenges that many community-focused organisations currently face. Community partners will also receive associate access accounts to both partner universities, offering direct to world-class researcher development courses, academic resources and more.
• Addressing challenges important to you and your organisation: By collaborating with university researchers in supporting and guiding a Co(l)laboratory PhD Research project, you will have the opportunity to have challenges relevant to your organisation and the communities you work with to be addressed through the research projects.

How can you get involved?

1. Complete the Expression of Interest Form

To get involved with our latest PhD Research Project Co-Creation phase, please submit some brief details to the expression of interest form below. The Co(l)laboratory team will use this details to contact you about our information webinars and co-creation workshops, as well as to put you in contact with other potential academic and/or community partners with whom you might be interested in collaborating with on a proposal.

2. Sign Up for an Information Webinar

We strongly encourage any potential academic or community partners to attend one of our information webinars. These online sessions will provide more details about Co(l)laboratory, what being a partner on Co(l)laboratory PhD research project entails, and will give you the opportunity ask any questions you may have.

• Wednesday 14th June, 12pm-1pm
• Wednesday 21st June, 5pm-6pm
• Tuesday 27th June, 1pm-2pm
• NEW DATE ADDED: Tuesday 4th July, 1pm-2pm

3. Attend a Co-Creation Workshop

Our co-creation workshops are interactive events bringing together interested academic and community partners to help you connect with potential research collaborators and to explore some of the ideas for research that Co(l)laboratory receives from wider Nottinghamshire citizens through our crowd sourcing initiatives.

We strongly recommend that anyone looking to be involved in a Co(l)laboratory research project attends one of our co-creation workshops, which are scheduled for the following dates:

UPDATE: Please note that following your feedback, we have made alterations to the workshop schedule.

• Workshop Option 1: Wednesday 19th July, 4pm-5:30pm, In-person, Newton Building, Room NEWN31, NTU City Campus, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham, NG1 4BU
• Workshop Option 2: Tuesday 15th August 2023, 3pm-4:30pm, in-person, Newton Building, Room NEWN41, NTU City Campus, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham, NG1 4BU
• Workshop Option 3: Monday 4th September, 1pm-2:30pm, In-person, Newton Building, Room NEWN31, NTU City Campus, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham, NG1 4BU

To attend a co-creation workshop, you must have submitted your details to the Expression of Interest form linked above. Those who have will be contacted directly.

Deadline for PhD Project Proposal Submission

Final project proposals will need to be submitted by 12pm on Wednesday 27th September 2023.

Up to 12 projects will be taken forward for advertising. Selected projects will have advertising go live by mid-October 2023. Candidate interviews will take place between January and February 2024. 10 projects will ultimately be funded, with successful candidates starting in April 2024.