SUPERVISORS

The supervisors for our CREATE PhD Programme are drawn from our 5 UK and 6 African Partner Institutions (APIs) as well as from other Health Education Institutions (HEIs) in the African countries where the fellows will conduct their research.

Our supervisors' expertise span a large spectrum of research disciplines and covers a range of global health expertise in some the most pressing public health challenges in Africa, ensuring that our fellows will be able to access the very best training opportunities

CHOOSING YOUR SUPERVISORY TEAM

The nature of the programme is such that fellows are required to have a supervisor from both the UK and African Institutions. Applicants are expected to identify supervisors once they are shortlisted in the Stage 1 application and will work alongside their supervisors in the application process.

|Access the directory of current supervisors here:

DOWNLOAD SUPERVISOR DIRECTORY

Please note that this is not exhaustive and you may wish to approach colleagues who are not on the list.

SUPERVISORY PLAN

To engender a robust research culture, an interdisciplinary and team science approach and an understanding of how the supervisory team will work with the fellow for the duration of the PhD fellowship, applicants should provide a supervisory plan in their Stage 2 application. This should justify the choice of supervisors and lay out clearly the agreed roles and responsibilities of all supervisors and collaborators, and how the team will interact.

DEFINITIONS

CREATE PhD Programme Fellow

The fellow will have full ownership of their project, act as Principal Investigator and develop skills not only in research, but also in leadership, aiming to developing an independent career as a global health leader

Sponsor

A sponsor is a person holding an established post at the respective UK or African Institution who will guarantee space and facilities for you. You will be required to have a sponsor at the UK and at the African institution. The UK and the African Sponsor will have a senior standing in the UK administering Institution and the host institution in Africa where you will be based for your research and be able to guarantee that you are adequately supported. Sponsors do not have to be experts in the area in which you are working.

UK Institution Supervisor

This will be someone who has an academic appointment at one of the partner UK institutions (UKI) where the fellow will register their PhD. They, along with the African Institution supervisor, will serve as primary supervisors and will provide oversight of the project and the fellow’s training and monitor the fellow’s progress.

The supervisor may have significant experience of supervising PhD students to completion or may be more junior academics, who have not yet overseen PhD students to completion. We encourage more junior academics taking on a lead supervisory role, but details of a “mentor supervisor” who can provide advice and support should be included.

The UKI supervisor does not need to have worked or be based in the African country where the fellow plans to conduct their research.

African Institution Supervisor

This will be someone who is based at and has an appointment (honorary or full-time) at either the African Partner Institution (API) or at an Health Education Institution (HEI) in the country where the fellow will conduct their research. They, along with the UK Institution supervisor will serve as the primary supervisor, and will provide oversight of the project and the fellow’s training and monitor the fellow’s progress. In particular they have a specific role in providing guidance on the issues that will arise when the fellow is based in the African country.

Some individuals will have a joint appointment at the UK and at the African institution and can serve as either the UK or the African institution supervisor. A supervisor who serves as the African supervisor cannot also serve as the UK supervisor.

Co-supervisors

Co-supervisors will provide expertise on specific areas of the project including disciplinary expertise that the primary supervisors may not have. Co-supervisors may be from the institution where the fellow’s PhD is registered or from other institutions.

Supervisory Team

The supervisory team includes the UKI and the African Institution supervisors and co-supervisors.

Collaborators

We anticipate that some projects will require specific input/resources from other sources. A collaborator is someone who will provide such resources e.g specific reagents, tools, hosting a fellow to learn specific skills for a short period of time, but is not responsible for providing any guidance on your PhD, and is not part of the supervisory team.

Mentor

A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor who may help with exploring careers, setting goals, developing contacts, and identifying resources A mentor may share information about their own career path, as well as provide guidance, motivation, emotional support, and role modelling.

Each fellow will be allocated a mentor who will be distinct from the supervisory team, and provide a “safe” and confidential space for discussion on progress of research and career options, and serve as another channel for communication and pastoral care. Fellows will be matched to a suitable mentor based on needs identified by the fellow e.g. clinical specialty, research discipline, personal choice etc.