Co-Designing Place-Based Participation: Participatory Design and Policy Innovation in UK Local Authorities University of the Arts London in United Kingdom

The University of the Arts London invites applications for a PhD project titled 'Co-Designing Place-Based Participation: Participatory Design and Policy Innovation in UK Local Authorities.' This research opportunity addresses the growing challenges faced by local authorities across the UK in engaging residents who are underserved, marginalised, or structurally excluded from mainstream participation in services and policy development. The project leverages co-creative and participatory methods to open new forms of dialogue, imagination, and collaboration, ultimately fostering belonging and agency among communities who are rarely heard.

Applicants are encouraged to propose research-through-design projects that are both situated and practice-based, engaging critically with relevant theoretical perspectives. The project is particularly suited to those interested in participatory design, critical social theory, and policy studies, supporting a plural and critically engaged approach to community building, service design, critical policy studies, and disability studies.

The PhD offers an opportunity to explore how co-creative, situated, and participatory practices can reimagine participation in the design of services and policy at the local level. Research themes may include displacement (migration, refugees), disability, homelessness, climate justice, and community or capacity building. The emphasis is on participatory and co-creative methods, such as challenging dominant models of participation, foregrounding lived experience, and developing inclusive relationships between communities and local government teams.

The successful candidate will work closely with teams from two London borough councils in a secondment-style arrangement, gaining access to organisational knowledge and working practices. This collaboration will enable the student to co-design place-based processes and interventions aligned with local council strategies. Candidates with existing partnerships with UK-based local government or public services are also welcome to incorporate these collaborations into their research.

The project is hosted by the IsITethical Research Hub at UAL, providing access to research collaborations, peer support, and cross-sector engagement, including participation in conferences, events, and publications. The candidate will also have opportunities to apply emerging research insights through pedagogical tools and activities within the LCC Design School's postgraduate programmes.

Supervision is provided by Dr Keir Williams, Dr Malé Luján Escalante, and Dr Rachel Clarke, each bringing expertise in participatory and practice-led research, knowledge exchange, community building, and visual communication. The PhD student will also participate in UAL-wide research networks and communities, such as Space and Place (LCC), Centre for Sustainability (London College of Fashion), Policy Lab (Central Saint Martins), and the UAL Doctoral School.

Applicants should have a relevant undergraduate or master's degree and demonstrate interest or experience in participatory design, co-creative methods, or working with marginalised groups. The application deadline is May 11, 2026. For further details and to apply, visit the project link provided.