PhD in Geography

Digit is offering a studentship, with a stipend and UK (‘Home’ student) or International fees covered, starting in 2026, on the role of digitalization in public service transformation in UK local government, the skills demands and use involved in the changing forms of service provision, and the way work and careers of sector workers are being shaped and will evolve in this context.

Full UK and International tuition fees, for up to four years. This studentship is open to both UK students and International students.

A stipend equivalent to UKRI doctoral stipend, £21,383 (2026/27) per annum for up to four year, or with adjustments in case of a Part Time PhD.

Supervisors at Sussex: Prof Ödül Bozkurt (Management), Dr Becky Faith (IDS) and Dr Rachel Verdin (Management)

The PhD project is expected to investigate the way digital and AI skills inform and are shaped by the transformation of public services, with particular attention to how such skills support a shift towards preventative, person-centred services that empower residents and address problems before they escalate, as well as to how the work experiences and careers of the local government workforce are redefined in the process.