Job Description

About ARU:

We are ranked in the world\xe2\x80\x99s top 350 institutions in the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and we are a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. Our research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK\xe2\x80\x99s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world-leading. In 2021, we were awarded the Queen\xe2\x80\x99s Anniversary Prize for our world-leading music therapy work.

About the Role:

Anglia Ruskin University is inviting applications for a fully-funded Vice-Chancellor\xe2\x80\x99s PhD Scholarship for a period of 36 months within the School of Allied Health and Social Care, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

Project Description Background:

Digital health transformation is a national and international health and wellbeing policy priority. Digital health services are viewed as an important means of enhancing population health outcomes by helping to address the pressing current and future challenges facing health and social care. However, the promised benefits of digital health transformation have not necessarily been seen and its full potential is unlikely to be realised without a sustained nursing and midwifery leadership contribution. Following recognition that the nursing and midwifery voice was largely absent from the recent World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe Digital Health Action Plan, a commissioned Integrative Review was completed in collaboration with international practice and digital health policy leads (Janes et al, forthcoming). This studentship will build on this Integrative Review which found gaps in the current evidence, including an understanding of what constitutes nursing and midwifery leadership in a digital health context and how its impact on patient and service outcomes might be measured. The review also identified a lack of national and international infrastructure to support the nursing and midwifery contribution to digital health policy leadership and a significant gap in the current evidence addressing the \xe2\x80\x98jobs\xe2\x80\x99 domain of the WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery; despite the workforce being a key factor in the successful delivery of digital health services. The PhD aims to address the first two of these gaps to guide future practice.

The study aims to (1) Explore nursing and midwifery experiences of leading digital health policy and practice; (2) Identify how the nursing and midwifery leadership contribution may be enhanced within a multi-disciplinary context; (3) Explore the applicability of a new digital leadership framework in the nursing and midwifery context and (4) Provide policy recommendations for maximising the health gains from healthcare digitalisation by more effectively using nursing and midwifery leadership.

The award is subject to the successful candidate meeting the studentship Terms and Conditions which can be found on our website alongside further information about the project: and enquiries can be directed to

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff to share this commitment.

We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Anglia Ruskin University