Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship 2022 (up to £5,500)

Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship 2022

Application for Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentships 2022/23 for research projects on Commonwealth related themes is now open. Apply now!

What is the Studentships?

The Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentships is a PhD studentships that provide support for research projects on Commonwealth related themes. Two studentships are available each year, one for UK-registered students and one for Commonwealth students in other countries.
The studentships are funded by The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs and the journal’s publisher, Routledge, in association with the ACU.
What is a Studentship?
A studentship is a grant or payment made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievements.

Benefits of the Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship

The studentships have a maximum value of GBP 5,500 (5,63,926.55 INR) each. Due to the pandemic, the studentship will not fund travel.
The research must be conducted in the applicants’ country of residence. Proposed research must fulfil at least one of the below criteria:

1. Relate to the Commonwealth as a whole or to any Commonwealth-wide institution or organisation
2. Have a strong Commonwealth comparative aspect
3. Be of relevance to a Commonwealth country other than the UK.

For example, a research project comparing LGBT rights in South Africa and Uganda would be eligible, as would a project on the reform of colonial-era anti-LGBT legislation in India, but a project on the role of Stonewall in advocating for LGBT rights in the UK would not.

What are the Post-studentship Requirements?

• Successful applicants will be required to submit, no more than twelve months after the take-up of the award, an article of between 4000 and 6000 words based on their research, for consideration for publication in the Routledge/RoundTable Commonwealth studentship  journal.
• Successful applicants will also be required to make a podcast on their research, for publication on the journal’s website

Eligibility for the Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship

Applications are welcomed from a broad range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, but preference may be given to disciplines usually covered by the Round Table journal, including (but not exclusively) politics, international relations, economics, international history, geography, law, development studies, and area studies.
The 1st studentship is open to registered PhD students from UK universities, although not necessarily UK citizens.
The 2nd studentship is open to registered PhD students from ACU member universities in Commonwealth counties other than the UK, and to Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarship alumni who are PhD students at any Commonwealth university outside the UK.
Check here for the list of ACU member universities.

Application process of the Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship 2022

Mentorship:

• The applicants are required to identify and work with a mentor at an ACU member university in a country other than their own, as part of the studentship.
• The mentor should be an expert in a subject linked to the applicant’s subject of research, who will be able to provide support and advice during the studentship.
• Before applying, applicants are encouraged to informally approach at least one potential mentor and, if their application is successful, will then be required to obtain a letter of support from their mentor to agree to the mentorship before their studentship is confirmed.

Role of The Mentor:

• The mentor will be expected to hold a minimum of 2 virtual meetings with the student during the period of the studentship.
• They will be expected to be in contact with the student by email to share their experiences in their relevant field, provide advice around publishing, events and trends in their field, and to challenge and empower the student to consider new ways of thinking.
• The mentor will also be expected to contribute to either the podcast or the article submitted by the student (see post-studentship requirements section below for more information) and will be paid an honorarium of GBP 500 (51,270.76 INR), payable at the end of the studentship.
• Mentors must read and abide by the mentor code of conduct guidelines.

Mentor Code of Conduct Guidelines

• The relationship between mentor and mentee should not be exploitative in any way, nor open to misinterpretation
• Mentors are responsible for setting and keeping appropriate boundaries that govern interactions with mentees
• Mentors should maintain a clear mentoring relationship with mentees and not allow personal bias to influence their actions
• Mentors should maintain confidentiality, objectivity and equal partnership
• The mentor’s role is to respond to the mentee’s needs and agenda rather than imposing their own agenda
• Mentors will share the responsibility for creating a smooth end to the relationship with the mentee, once it has achieved its purpose
• Any personal data relating to the mentee held by the mentor should be deleted as soon as it is no longer needed.

Deadline and Important Dates of the Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship 2022

• Deadline for applications: 23:59 UTC on Sunday [July 31, 2022] (5:29 AM IST, Monday): August 1, 2022
• Announcement of winners: September 2022
• Take-up of awards: November 1st, 2022 to July 2023

How can I Apply?

Applications for the Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentship should be submitted by 23:59 UTC on Sunday July 31, via the online application form.
As part of the application, applicants should submit:

• A CV
• A studentship plan, outlining:
• The work you plan to carry out during the studentship, in non-technical language
• The likely impact of your studentship work, and how it will advance knowledge in your field and contribute to greater understanding of the Commonwealth
• The planned outcomes and outputs of the studentship
• Letters of support from referees, one academic (preferably your PhD/DPhil supervisor) and one personal
• An outline of the intended use of the funds.

Apply here
For more information: Visit the Routledge/Roundtable Commonwealth Studentships Official Webpage