Inclusive & Creative Societies

The former Yugoslavia dissolved violently in the 1990s, but notions of “Yugoslavism” and discussion of Yugoslav politics and culture persist in the Western Balkan region, from all different perspectives.

A wealth of community heritage assets are hidden; they belong to individuals, to families, tucked away in attics or cupboards and their wider cultural value is often not fully appreciated.

Women entrepreneurs can significantly contribute to National GDP’s. In sub-Saharan African countries, inclusive entrepreneurship must be considered as part of poverty alleviation strategies. However, research identifies women entrepreneurs face unique challenges specifically with accessing finance. This study explores the intersection of feminism and women's entrepreneurship.

Health and the city are strongly integrated issues. The under-developed, derelict pathogenic conditions and lack of people-centred urban design lead to an unhealthy city to live in for all ages.

Future care planning is an important tool in, among other areas, the holistic care and management of degenerative and terminal conditions. Allowing individuals to make informed decisions about their own future care and treatment in advance of any loss of capacity is a key mechanism in upholding individual autonomy.

Ever since the seminal case of Soering v UK 1989 human rights have conditioned extradition practice.

Previous research into independent bookshops in Scotland has found that in relatively isolated communities, they provide more than a place to buy books; they can also be a gathering space, a place of safety and at times a hub for the local community (Laing 2020).

Exploring barriers to Game Design, Production, and the industry with community-driven design research.

The analysis of designers’ engagement with digital tools is fascinating and complex, this project aims to help solve a few issues around the extension of the mind into the digital realm.

There are a number of technological innovations - such as Building Information Modelling and the use of smart contracts - which could revolutionise construction practice.

This PhD would examine aspects of the vexed relationship between art and activism.

Charities are increasingly under scrutiny to demonstrate genuine public benefit, yet existing definitions and regulatory frameworks often lag behind modern expectations. This research aims to reconceptualise "public benefit" in charity law by investigating governance practices that enhance transparency and accountability, particularly around purposes like religion, social welfare and health.

This project will develop data-driven tools and techniques to control complex networks and interconnected systems where precise modelling of the dynamics, and their interconnection becomes challenging. This problem will be studied in the context of robotics, autonomous and multi-agent systems, power distribution and other complex networks.

SMEs adopting Nature-based solutions to address climate and environmental concerns are emerging in response to #netcarbonzero agendas.

Cultures and subcultures differ in the moral values they uphold, which can lead to divisions within and between societies (Haidt, 2012).

In the context of Higher Education, digital competencies are increasingly recognised as a necessary skillset that students should continuously develop to navigate an evolving digital learning and professional landscape. However, the existence of digital divides in students creates significant challenges, even at the level of baseline digital literacy.

This project calls for a practicing artist or art historian with some experience of working in disability arts in its widest sense. The project can be practice-based, practice-led or traditional long form research-based PhD. The focus is on the intersections between disability, histories and practice of contemporary art.

Upholding individual autonomy and respecting individual decisions is key in medico-legal decision-making.

Environmental and climate change can undermine livelihoods, which fuels grievances and increases the likelihood of violent conflict.

This project will evaluate the impact of Denis Law Legacy Trust Initiatives in Aberdeen City and Shire on the health and wellbeing of its participants.

Digital platforms like Instagram and TikTok are significant in shaping visual culture and are recognised as simulated physical spaces, which provide opportunities for connection, self-expression and reflective nostalgia. Qualitative research exploring how communities engage with nostalgia in digital spaces would provide valuable insights into how these platforms are used to shape identity.

This study relates to workplace health and wellbeing and focuses on exploring how health and wellbeing of the workforce is prioritised through the employer’s purchase and implementation of Occupational Health and Wellbeing services. These services can help employers retain valuable staff, increase productivity and enable the workers to live better for longer.

We invite research proposals exploring transdisciplinary approaches to fieldwork, engaging embodied, sensory, and material knowledge within contemporary art and allied disciplines.

Mental wellbeing amongst University students is of growing concern.

Contract law underpins large parts of construction law. As more questions are asked about improving project delivery, dispute avoidance and dispute resolution, it is worth asking whether the concepts underpinning contract law generally can help in the search for solutions.

The ageing population across the UK requires us to identify ways of supporting individuals through these transitions. The increasing prevalence of conditions that involve a gradual loss of capacity, including dementia, pose challenges for the exercise of legal rights, and the mechanisms by which ethical duties are upheld.

This project seeks to promote entrepreneurship opportunities and break down systemic barriers (such as funding, networks, or education) to make entrepreneurial resources accessible to underrepresented groups.

As offshore wind energy development expands, conflicts with other marine users and critical ecological areas important to the marine environment are becoming more frequent. This PhD aims to address these challenges by using Evolutionary-Computing inspired methods of offshore wind farm layout design that balance energy production with ecological and marine user needs.

As is well recognised, the UK's withdrawal from the European Union ("Brexit") has had a significant legal impact within the UK.

We invite PhD proposals examining how memory and material transitions shape and transform cultural and physical landscapes, past, present, and future.

Menopause can cause symptoms that affect work productivity and lead to workplace departure. Despite 77% of women wanting menopause support at work, less than 20% receive it. Fear of stigma often prevents disclosure which may in turn reduce support seeking. Allyship could support menopausal women, but there is a paucity of research on what women want.

This topic explores how neocolonial influences shape corporate governance practices in the Global South, arguing for a divergence from Western models to better suit local contexts and needs. It examines the impact of historical and ongoing economic dependencies, cultural differences, and socio-political factors on corporate governance frameworks.

This research investigates the push toward standardisation in international contracts, examining the roles of the CISG, AfCFTA, and other emerging trade frameworks. It explores how these international agreements, alongside the efforts of non-governmental organisations, attempt to harmonise contract standards to improve enforceability, dispute resolution, and trust in cross-border transactions.

This research investigates the evolving role of NGOs within global governance frameworks, focusing on how digitalisation and shifting global priorities impact their influence and accountability.

This project will investigate optimization techniques using mathematical graph theory and computational methods to model transport networks across the UK. Combining urban planning data, business intelligence, and vehicle tracking with spatio-temporal modelling and metaheuristic optimization, it aims to enhance both urban mobility and commercial transport efficiency through evidence-based solutions

There are a number of documented age differences in memory. Information processing speed decreases with age, recall becomes more variable, and older adults can experience difficulty in encoding items for recall.

We welcome specific ideas from applicants for a potential research degree topic. The University offers several potential self-funded topics in each School which you could consider developing your research project around.

Chronic exclusion by peers is harmful to children (Crowley et al., 2010).

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Scots emigrated in huge numbers. In the north this applies especially in Canada, where Scots settled across the whole country.

National identity and sense of place are important features of fashion and can be influential across all stages of the lifecycle - in terms of design, production, communication and retail. We welcome proposals that seek to explore fashion within particular geographic contexts or in relation to specific aspects or initiatives.

Children are future urban managers. Sustainability inevitably means fair resource allocation so that the future generation would not encounter resource depletion due to improper urban management and decisions.

Gender parity is a pressing global issue with far-reaching implications for social, economic, and political development. This research explores global gender parity from diverse perspectives. By delving into cross-stratum dynamics, it is aimed to uncover actionable insights that pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable world.

The transition to university can be an anxious time for students, the aftermath of remote working has exacerbated these feelings of uncertainty and unhappiness (Watermeyer et al. 2021).

International and national law have responded to transnational and extraterritorial crime by providing for expansive jurisdictional claims.

Many developing countries have major infrastructure development deficit.

The prevalence of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation in society has been described by experts as an ‘infodemic’. Dark knowledge may be hidden or forbidden knowledge used to produce these forms of disnormative information. These forms are particularly prevalent within political contexts and may adversely influence democratic processes.

Borders are inevitable political manifestations since the civilisations began to understand the differences in social classes, religion, races, and resources allocation.

Generative AI can produce beautiful and useful image content for a variety of applications. The identification of AI-produced content is important for both humans and future generative AI models. This project seeks to create a hyper-robust way of actively watermarking generated content by creating visible yet commonly imperceivable watermarks.

Young caregivers (YCs) contribute towards the health and wellbeing of a dependent family member. The role can place burdens upon the YCs that can result in negative outcomes such as stress, anxiety and social isolation.

Hemp could be a key to #netcarbonzero in Scotland’s agronomic industries providing carbon sequestration, contributing to a greater biodiversity, land recovery and remediation.