PhD in Applied Informatics Edinburgh Napier University in United Kingdom

[Full UK or international tuition fees and a standard living allowance at the RCUK rate (£21,383 per annum, normally increased annually). Visa application costs and NHS health surcharge are not included.] Edinburgh Napier University invites applications for fully funded PhD studentships in Applied Informatics, offering an exceptional opportunity to join Scotland’s top modern university for research power. The university is ranked among the top 600 globally and provides a vibrant, interdisciplinary research environment through its Doctoral College. The Applied Informatics group, part of the School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, is the largest school at the university and has recently invested heavily in research staff and facilities.

Located in the heart of Edinburgh, students benefit from both world-class academic resources and an outstanding quality of life in one of the world’s most liveable cities. The PhD studentships cover full UK or international tuition fees and provide a standard living allowance at the RCUK rate (£21,383 per annum, subject to annual increase). International students should note that visa application costs and the NHS health surcharge are not included. Students are expected to dedicate at least 36 hours per week to their research and attend the university in person, primarily at the Merchiston Campus.

Research topics available include: research literacy and information practices, agile coaching in organisational learning, multimodal applications for cognitive differences, socially-assistive robots and voice assistants for older adults, human-robot interaction, playful engagement with politics and misinformation, interactive sound design for live theatre, sound mapping for public engagement with marine noise, techno-spiritual experiences, community building in the games industry, designing and personalising social robots, embodied AI for wellbeing, robots dancing to salsa, augmented audio soundscape design, and behaviour change interventions for cybersecurity. Innovative proposals outside these topics, but aligned with the group’s research interests, are also welcome. Projects are expected to start on 1 October 2026.

Applicants should have or expect to achieve a first-class honours degree or distinction at master level in a relevant subject, with practical research or industry experience considered advantageous. English language requirements must be met if applicable. The application process requires a 2-page research outline, a 1-page motivation statement, a complete CV with English language qualifications, and two academic references (or one academic and one professional reference if out of education for more than three years).

Applications must use project code 'SCEBE1125' and the advertised title. The deadline for applications is 9 January 2026. For further information, contact [email protected].