
Women’s Leadership Development Programmes (WLDPs) in sport have grown in prominence as efforts to address the gender imbalance in sport leadership have advanced (Elling et al., 2019; Matthews & Piggott, 2021). Single- and mixed-sex programmes varying in duration, scope and remit are organised or supported by sport organisations, consultancy companies, and leadership development and coaching businesses. Research has critiqued some aspects of such programmes and their outcomes, with positive elements being the development of richer social networks, greater recognition of cultural diversity, and enhanced confidence and competencies (Hanlon and Taylor, 2022; Pike et al., 2018). Nevertheless, questions have been raised as to the extent to which WLDPs challenge problematic organisational cultures, move away from conditioning women to ‘fix’ their self, engage in dialogue about the role and engagement of men and male allies, rely upon ‘Western’ methods, facilitators and conceptions of leadership, welcome underrepresented groups, and have any formal links to employees’ development plans (see Banu-Lawrence et al., 2020; Frawley et al., 2018; Pike et al., 2018).
The Women’s Sport Leadership Academy (WSLA) was established in 2014 to provide unique development opportunities for women leaders in sport to step up and make a change (WSLA, 2023). Over 400 women based in nearly 70 countries have completed a WSLA programme, mostly via the annual residential week hosted at the University of Chichester since 2014, with participants holding middle-to-senior positions within their organisations. Over time, WSLA has benefitted from sustained support from organisations such as the International Paralympic Committee, World Rowing, sportscotland, Sport England, The Football Association, and also many sport-for-change organisations. In 2023, Olympic Solidarity supported seven women from the Olympic Movement to attend.
Applications are welcomed for PhD studentship(s) regarding the following project ideas:
-
-
- A longitudinal study of the impact of WSLA
- A critical examination of the effectiveness of WLDPs
- An alternative project idea focusing on gender inclusion in sport leadership and governance
-
The ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP) is a collaboration between the Universities of Southampton, Brighton, Portsmouth and Chichester and aims to deliver the latest developments in training in research methods and skills to produce highly qualified and rounded social scientists, equipped to meet contemporary economic and social challenges.
Successful applicants will join the SCDTP cohort of PhD studentships from across these institutions and benefit from a dedicated PhD training programme based upon a carefully designed development needs analysis that will enhance knowledge and skills even further. The SCDTP studentship provides a basic annual maintenance grant of £18,622 (2023/24 UKRI Rate) as well as access to a Research Training Support Grant. Moreover, a three-month research-in-practice opportunity with a relevant organisation is embedded as part of the studentship, meaning employability prospects are maximised.
The University of Chichester has supported three PhD studentship completions on women in sport leadership and activism over the past decade and we are excited to continue our commitment, especially with the 9th International Working Group on Women and Sport World Conference (Birmingham, UK, May 2026) on the horizon.
Applications close 17:00 (GMT) on 19th January 2024 for an anticipated September 2024 start. Please note: One application must be submitted via the SCDTP portal and another application must be submitted via a forthcoming University of Chichester portal. Applicants are actively encouraged to contact supervisors (see below) in advance to help construct their applications.
Applicants are required to locate their proposed research using the seven thematic clusters by the SCDTP. These have been carefully designed from years of specialised input. Applicants are encouraged to input one primary and up to two secondary clusters in the application form to help the SCDTP in identifying and organising suitable activities for students. There are different ‘steers’ and ring-fenced awards across the whole SCDTP too, one of which is interdisciplinary research.
Please contact Dr Jordan Matthews (jordan.matthews@chi.ac.uk) or Dr Suzanne Everley (S.Everley@chi.ac.uk) for more.