Please review the guidance provided on the Application Resources page before submitting your application.
You will need to prepare the following documents to complete your application:
1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Maximum of 2-pages in length. This should outline your education and work history, key achievements and any relevant publications (please note we do not expect all applicants to have had prior research publications).
2. Research Proposal (using the provided template)
If your proposal is incomplete or submitted without the provided template, your application may be automatically rejected. Research proposals should outline novel research projects that align with our Citizen-Centred AI research themes. They should describe and justify (i) the AI and society-related challenge that the research aims to address, (ii) the proposed methodology and/or methods, (iii) a brief state-of-the-art literature review, and (iv) any ethical, equality, diversity and inclusion implications (v) provide a statement of alignment with CCAI, i.e. how you align with the citizen-centred research vision for AI; and how your proposed research relates to our existing research themes.
We provide a list of references within each research theme webpage that you may draw on when preparing your proposal. We also encourage applicants to use diverse literature relevant to their specific challenge.
3. Personal Statement
Please use this section to provide further information regarding your background and you as an individual. We are keen to hear from all applicants and if you identify with a societal group less represented within Computer Science and/or Higher Education Research (e.g. Women, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME), Disabled, LGBTQIA+, first-generation student, a student from a low-income household, carer, etc.). Personal statements should be approximately 700 words in length and should (i) Outline your learning and career journey, including any career/learning breaks taken (ii) Reflect on systemic barriers that may have impacted your learning and career journey- highlighting how you navigated those barriers.
These will be reviewed by a specialist panel with expertise and/or lived experience in issues related to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Interviews (week of the 17th – 21st February 2025)
Interviews with shortlisted applicants will take place online. To prepare for the interview, candidates will be provided with two academic papers to discuss with the panel; and expected to reflect on their proposed research based on feedback provided during the shortlisting.
PhD Offers to successful candidates (late February 2025)
We will contact successful candidates and make formal offers to join the CCAI CDT. Offers must be accepted or rejected by the deadline of 11th March 2025.
Second cohort starts their PhDs (late September 2025)
All students will be based at Northumbria University’s Newcastle-upon-Tyne campus. We do not offer remote or distanced PhD studentships, and students will be expected to be on campus for CDT training and research activities.
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