Three year PhD studentship in Health Policy: Corporate influence over European public health policy

22 July 2013

Applicants are invited for a full-time University PhD studentship to support and work in the Department of Health, alongside Professor Anna Gilmore and colleagues, with links to Professor David Miller in the Department for Social & Policy Sciences.

Background

We are currently offering a fully funded, full-time PhD studentship, to explore transnational tobacco company and/or other corporate efforts to influence European or UK policymaking.

The successful candidate will join the Tobacco Control group, based in the Department for Health at the University of Bath.

The project

The Studentship is designed to run alongside a major US National Cancer Institute grant and provides a potentially exciting opportunity to examine corporate influence over European or UK policy.

The successful applicant will be expected to agree a plan of work which is consistent with the grant outline. Our hope is that applicants will concentrate on corporate influence on risk regulation in Europe or Better Regulation in the UK, on aspects of corporate influence on the European Tobacco Products Directive (including the role of impact assessment and stakeholder consultation in mediating such influence), or on the implementation of Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Europe.

Such work is intended to further previous research undertaken by the group including:

• Smith et al. “Working the System”- British American Tobacco's Influence on the European Union Treaty and Its Implications for Policy: An Analysis of Internal Tobacco Industry Documents. PLoS Med 2010
• Smith et al. Is the increasing policy use of Impact Assessment in Europe likely to undermine efforts to achieve healthy public policy? Journal of Epidemiol Community Health, 2010
• Smith et al. Tobacco industry attempts to undermine Article 5.3 and the ‘good governance’ trap. Tobacco Control 2009

When making your application you should provide a summary outlining how you propose to take this research forward.

Award criteria

We welcome applications from graduates with a strong academic record who wish to develop a career in research.

You will have a good undergraduate degree (First or Upper Second) in a relevant discipline (which may include subjects within the social and policy sciences as well as public health, business studies and human geography) and preferably a good taught postgraduate degree.

Non-native English speaking applicants must meet the Departmental English Language requirement at the point of application.

Award funding

If successful, you will be supported for three years of full-time study at the Home/EU rate (non-EU candidates will need supplementary funding).

The award includes:

• a £13,726 (2013/14 rate) per-annum stipend
• an annual Training Support Grant

Research progress is assessed each year and continuing receipt of funds will depend on satisfactory progress.

You will be expected to commence your PhD programme on 30 September 2013 and to complete the PhD during the award period.

How to apply

1. You can apply online through the normal application process for a full-time PhD in Health (make sure you quote the project title, see above, on your application).
2. Although this studentship is to work on a specific project, there is scope for you to shape the work, therefore you must complete the section 3b of the Funding Request Form (to be uploaded with the application for a full time PhD in Health) outlining how you propose to take this research forward.
3. You must also send two examples of your written work by email to: health-pgr-admissions@bath.ac.uk (ensure you quote your full name and the project title in any correspondence).

Informal enquiries

Informal enquiries regarding the project can be made to:

Professor Anna Gilmore | email: a.gilmore@bath.ac.uk
Professor David Miller | email: d.miller@bath.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding the application process please contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office.
email: health-pgr-admissions@bath.ac.uk | Tel: +44 (0)1225 38 3037