EDI in Northern Ireland’s Screen Industries: Analysis, case studies and new frameworks to promote evidence-informed inclusive policy, standards, practices and competitiveness.

Summary

The Screen Industries are critical to the ‘UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy’ (2025) and identified for innovation, productivity and internationally orientation in the NIE Programme for Government and are one of seven sector specific action plans (DfE 2024). Data on Creative Industries’ (CI) participation, diversity and inclusion is highly relevant to upcoming policy decisions (McCabe 2025).

Yet there are persistent weaknesses in baseline CI data including uneven regionality and more focus on gender and ethnicity than other characteristics.

Women account for just 28% of the Games workforce; non-binary account for 2%. (Taylor, 2020). The most recent Hollywood Diversity Report noted a decline in on-screen representation of people of colour in lead roles in Hollywood films (Ramón 2025).

The thesis will address the challenges in capturing and interpreting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the Screen sector of the CI by using NI as a case study.

Research will inform proposals for policy, practice and standards. The project is situated within a collaborative research environment and will benefit from adjacency to AHRC funded (£75.6m) CoSTAR Screenlab, Ulster Screen Academy and Studio Ulster.

Initial work will complement an academic literature review with comparative analysis of secondary CI datasets for applicability to NI (see methodology example in Purdy et al’s 2024 review for DfE).

Inequality may be embedded in practices including budgetary processes. Over 40 countries, including Australia and France produce gender budget audits to analyse the gendered effect of national budgets (O’Hagan 2018).

The researcher will apply this methodology to selected screen industry contexts (Ballantine, et al 2021).

The researcher will develop further methods and tools for qualitative and quantitative research - case study, survey, focus groups, interviews with policy makers or action research appropriate to their focus. Insights will be shared through reports, co-authored outputs and recommendations on policy, practice and standards.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Research proposal of 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Completion of Masters at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
• Practice-based research experience and/or dissemination
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)

This scholarship will cover tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £21,000* (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).  A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum is also available.

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National, or

• Have settled status, or

• Have pre-settled status, or

• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter, or

• be an Irish National

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

*Part time PhD scholarships may be available, based on 0.5 of the full time rate, and will require a six year registration period