College welcomes inaugural inclusive scholarship recipients

Nirushan Sudarsan, Firial Benamer and Kirsty Lee were welcomed to the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences this academic year as the first recipients of our inclusive PhD scholarships.

The scholarship opportunities, which were announced at the start of 2024, will promote the benefits of SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy) researcher careers to more diverse communities.

The scope of the research projects that Nirushan, Firial and Kirsty will work on are wide ranging and diverse, covering urban planning, language learning and public health messaging. The successful applicants were given the opportunity to choose from one of 10 pre-determined projects or they could propose their own.

Nirushan, who comes from Cardiff, has started work on the predetermined project Inclusive spaces for future generations: Co-producing urban spaces and plans with children and young people from ethnic minority communities in Cardiff with academics from the School of Geography and Planning.

Firial, who comes from Benghazi in Libya and Kirsty who originally comes from Dorset, both opted to propose their own research projects. Firial is working with the School of Modern Languages and the School of Social Sciences on the project Understanding the experiences of learning languages as part of the new Curriculum for Wales for learners from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities or have English as an Additional Languages whereas Kirsty is working with the School of Journalism, Media and Culture to research The role of public health messaging in healthcare inequalities, focussing on BAME women and women with trauma.

Dean for Research and Innovation for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Claire Gorrara said, “We’re so pleased that Nirushan, Firial and Kirsty have begun their research projects as part of our Inclusive PhD scholarships programme. Cardiff University’s research culture needs to reflect the thoughts, ideas and experiences of groups that have been previously underrepresented. I’m proud that our College is making progress by way of this opportunity. I look forward to seeing how each project evolves, as well as the personal and professional development of the outstanding young people who have been awarded these bursaries.”

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Professor Urfan Khaliq said, “These scholarships are the first of their sort at Cardiff University, and we think in Wales. Many universities are perceived as being apart from wider society and our diverse communities. Paradoxically, many universities perceive themselves as integral parts of those communities where they are physically located. But the evidence is irrefutable. As key anchor institutions, it is beholden upon us to be better reflective of the rich tapestry of communities that constitute modern Britain. In the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, particularly, the funding landscape for doctoral awards has never been more challenging. Thus, these awards were created as a testament to our commitment to our varied disciplines and also to nurture new voices and areas of inquiry that can challenge some of the established narratives.”