Research Studentships to Boost Cornwall’s Knowledge Economy

Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom, July 23, 2009 --(PR.com)-- “To coincide with the College’s involvement in the Design Council’s Designs of the Time (DOTT) initiative in Cornwall, we are particularly interested in proposals that focus on user-centred design,” explained the College’s Deputy Rector, Professor Geoff Smith. “In addition, given our status as a national Skillset Media Academy and our plans to establish an Academy for Innovation & Research, we also wish to encourage inquiries around emerging media technologies, sustainable design, arts and the environment, and creative communities, industries and networks.”

The three-year, full-time studentships cover all fees and include an annual maintenance grant of £13,200. Awards will be payable in instalments upon enrolment and continuation is subject to satisfactory annual progression.

Applicants must also have a strong academic background (2.i or higher, MA preferred) with a clear and compelling proposal in relation to the College’s research strengths and priorities. Multi- and trans-disciplinary proposals will be especially welcome. Applicants will also be expected to deliver up to 90 hours of undergraduate teaching or curriculum support per year.

The College advises applicants to discuss their proposals with one of the following members of its academic staff in the first instance:

· Design – Dr Katie Bunnell (katie.bunnell@falmouth.ac.uk)
· Emerging media technologies – Professor Jason Whittaker (jason.whittaker@falmouth.ac.uk)
· Creative communities – Dr Deborah Sugg-Ryan (deborah.suggryan@falmouth.ac.uk)
· Contemporary art practices – Dr Daro Montag (daro.montag@falmouth.ac.uk)
· Contemporary performance practices and their contexts (choreography, devised theatre, music and performance writing) – Dr John Hall (john.hall@dartington.ac.uk)

The deadline for receipt of applications is 28 August, with interviews scheduled to take place during the week of 7 September 2009. Enrolment will be on 1 October.

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Key to the mission of the Combined Universities in Cornwall is the marrying of fresh knowledge and skills with business needs. These new research studentships in arts-based disciplines offer a fantastic opportunity for students to make a real and lasting impact on our economy by applying the specialist skills of University College Falmouth such as design.”

For further information about PhD studentships at University College Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/studentships, email jane.walsh@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Jane Walsh on 01326 213865.

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name. It has two campuses in Cornwall – at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.

This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth’s expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington’s expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing. The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2012/2013 that will be unique to the South West.

The College is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall Council.

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For further information about University College Falmouth, please contact Jilly Easterby MCIPR, Head of Public Affairs, Telephone: 01326 213792, or email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk