De Montfort University’s Faculty of Business and Law is inviting applications for a Doctoral Studentship offered on a fee-waiver basis.
This studentship will support the delivery of the European Research Council Synergy programme, JUSTICE, a six-year international research programme that began on 1 June 2025. The doctoral research will be expected to focus on the topics and activities within the MRQ1 strand of the programme. It is likely to appeal to researchers with an interest in applied approaches to policy, practice and law.
The project will focus on the development and use of tools that measure compliance with the Méndez Principles within individual jurisdictions. The research will examine legal systems, people, statute law, law in action, and the potential need for local adaptations within an international programme.
The programme will also explore police methods, interrogation techniques and procedural safeguards from a range of stakeholder perspectives. This may include examining individual cases, reviewing statute and practice, observing decision-making processes, planning strategies, and supporting the cross-jurisdictional sharing of expertise, with the aim of strengthening compliance.
As the JUSTICE programme has an international focus, applications are welcomed from candidates with experience of working across different cultural contexts, as well as those with experience of working with practitioners in relevant fields. Some international travel is expected as part of the PhD, with various funding streams available to support this.
The successful applicant will be based in the Law School within the Faculty of Business and Law and will follow the Faculty’s PGR training pathway. Additional training and support in interrogative coercion, police practice and international law will be provided through the JUSTICE team, who will supervise and oversee the PhD.
This studentship is available to applicants with home fee status only and is available on either a full-time or part-time basis.
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