Education sectors covered by doctoral studies include Early Childhood Education, Primary and Secondary Education, as well as Higher, Adult, Community and Vocational Education settings.  Studies also include boundary crossing between formal and informal learning settings as well as workplace-based education and learning.  A full archive of previous PhD studies undertaken in the ELRC is visible here. 

Studies cover a range of options such as transformative, expansive and transgressive learning for sustainable futures, curriculum transformation, evaluation, ethics-led education, creative practices, youth movement building, decoloniality, and skills system transformations. 

Methodologies include creative practice approaches, arts-based methods, critical realist and post-humanist studies, realist evaluation methods and expansive learning approaches, amongst others.  We encourage methodological innovation and theoretically interesting studies, as well as co-engaged research. Research includes both micro-level studies, and wider system-oriented studies.

The studies all focus on the role of environment and sustainability education in transforming social and education systems in the context of contemporary lives and settings. Studies offer new perspectives on how educational methods and approaches can contribute to Regenerative African Futures, and responses to global changes influencing people, workplaces, and communities in Africa.

The Doctoral research programme is led by the DSI/NRF SARChI Chair of Global Change and Social Learning, Distinguished Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka, who works with a team of other PhD supervisors including Professor Eureta Rosenberg, Chair of Environment and Sustainability Education, Associate Professors Lausanne Olvitt and Ingrid Schudel, and Drs Injairu Kulundu-Bolus and Dylan McGarry. Co-supervision across Faculties is also possible, depending on the focus of the particular study. 

Between 10 and 15 scholars are registered in this programme at any one time, and the ELRC supports and active Community of Practice approach to scholarly engagement and support.  Doctoral researchers are supported through regular Doctoral weeks (three times per annum), regular seminars, high quality supervision and support, electronically accessible library resources and access to significant knowledge networks. Doctoral scholars are encouraged to do research that is connected to networks and /or their own social and workplace contexts. 

Doctoral researchers can study either fulltime or part-time. Excellent facilities exist for full-time doctoral researchers at the ELRC. 

Funding Opportunities 

Some full time Doctoral scholars can also apply for DSI/NRF bursaries under the SARChI Chair. These normally close by early June for the following year, so candidates interested in applying for Doctoral Studies and DSI/NRF bursaries should approach the Chair early on in the year preceding their studies (between March – May).  The Rhodes University post-graduate bursaries office also regularly advertise scholarships for post-graduate study.  NOTE:  PhD scholars are responsible for their own fees, unless they obtain a bursary.