Workshop For Prospective Doctoral Candidates Interested in Postgraduate Research 

• Disciplines Covered: International Relations, Politics, Development Studies, Global Health and Public Health, Security Studies, Socio-Legal Studies, and related fields.
• Hosted by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia in cooperation with the School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds, UK (Professor Edward Newman and Dr. Owain Williams).

One of the first hurdles and tasks for being accepted onto a PhD programme in the UK (or elsewhere) is writing a strong PhD proposal which sets out a clear plan for original research and is designed to make a significant and rigorous contribution to academic debates. This proposal will accompany the formal application, it will play a key role in being accepted by a university and in securing funding, and it will help you find appropriate supervisors at the institution of your choice. The proposal will also guide the initial stages of your research as you develop your focus and research design.

The skills and knowledge required to develop an internationally competitive PhD proposal are not generally taught, despite their importance for postgraduate research, and this is something that can prove difficult for all potential doctoral candidates, especially those for whom English is a second language.

Staff from the University of Leeds will run a series of half-day workshops covering the development and writing of a PhD proposal. The workshops are designed specifically for those students aiming for a doctorate in the disciplinary areas indicated above and will not be of use or open to those aiming for work in other areas.

The two University of Leeds based academics have extensive experience in supervision and examination of PhDs, and in PhD admissions and scholarship panels, in particular for applicants seeking entry to programmes in the UK and Australia. They will work through the basic requirements of PhD proposals, common mistakes, and tips for raising the standard to a fully formed, attractive proposal. We will also review 5 selected proposals.

Participants will be expected to attend with a short proposal around a template the organizers will supply in advance to participants. We will then work in small teams where staff from Leeds will facilitate peer review of draft proposals and encourage the writing up of key insights, ideas and suggestions towards a more fully formed proposal.

The event is free and not restricted to students seeking to undertake research at the University of Leeds. Applicants will be judged on their fit with the disciplines indicated and preference will be given to those with a clear idea of the thesis subject areas.

Please note: this workshop will be particularly helpful for students who are interested in developing proposals which include global, regional or comparative perspectives, and those with a theoretical focus, rather than projects with an exclusively Indonesian focus.

Date : 25 March 2024

Time : 08.30– 11.30 AM (GMT+7)

Place : Faculty of Law Universitas Brawijaya

Deadline for proposal submission: 14 March 2024 at 15.00 PM (GMT+7)

Submit your proposal here

Event Tentative:

*The Committee will provide a lunch box for the participants[:]