Highlights

Student profile videos

Winter Induction 2024
Grania Power fieldwork

Overseas Fieldwork

Overseas Fieldwork (OFW) funding is available to doctoral researchers for whom conducting fieldwork outside the UK is essential to the successful delivery of their PhD project.  A number of our doctoral researchers are currently conducting fieldwork in countries across the world.

Here is a picture of SeNSS-funded researcher Grania Power, who is currently undertaking fieldwork in Brazil.

Overseas Institutional Visit

An OIV is a working visit, for up to three months, to a “host organisation”, that is, a Higher Education institution, or an organisation with a substantive research office, based outside the UK.   

The primary purpose of an OIV is to support and encourage the international engagement of ESRC funded researchers. SENSS is keen to encourage researchers to spend a period of time abroad to undertake activities and take advantage of opportunities that would not be available in their home institutions. The aim of the visit is to support timely completion of a researcher’s PhD; to enhance employability post-PhD and to reflect on impact potential of the project.  

“I would highly recommend other students to apply for an OIV. I have found working in a new inter-disciplinary environment to be a highly stimulating experience. The placement has invigorated my sense of purpose in my research, and interest in the wider field.”

- Jemima Scrase on her OIV at the University of Zurich, Switzerland

Placements

“I would definitely encourage SeNSS-funded students to apply for a placement. Aside from being a very enjoyable break from the grind of PhD writing and an experience of more collaborative work, I gained invaluable skills, experience and insights which I hope will set me up well as I launch into life post-PhD. Reaching out to potential organisations took some time, and was much more successful when I drew on the contacts of my supervisor and those of others working at my department.”

- Rachel Claydon on her 3-month placement at the Food Foundation