PhD Studentship: Addressing Hidden Hunger Through Education and Dietary Diversification in a Marginalised Community in Northwest Pakistan

Applications are invited for a PhD (via MPhil) studentship in the Centre for Global Development, within the Health, Social Work & Sport. The studentship is funded through the school and be part of the UCLan Doctoral Training Centre for Industry Collaboration and is tenable for up to 3.5 years full time [subject to satisfactory progress]. Both Home and EU/International Applicants may apply but EU/International Applicants will be required to pay the difference in tuition fees between the UK and EU/International fee rates. The studentship will provide successful applicants with an annual stipend in line with UKRI rates (2024/25 rate £19,237 per year) subject to satisfactory progress.

Project Description:

Macronutrient deficiency is widespread in rural Pakistan (UNICEF, 2019), and our recent research has shown that dietary patterns are typically low in micronutrient density, and food insecurity is highly prevalent (Brazier et al., 2022). The proposed project outlined below will be undertaken in partnership with the Abaseen Foundation UK, a UK registered charity and Abaseen Foundation Pakistan, a PK Government registered community organisation.

A community kitchen and kitchen garden at the Mian Gul Model School for girls will soon be established by the Abaseen Foundation in collaboration with UCLan. The ambition is that this facility will serve three vital roles: 1) a nutrition education facility for students attending the school; 2) a demonstration kitchen and nutrition support facility for the community, targeting mothers with young children; 3) vocational cookery training facility for women.

The priorities of the aforementioned community kitchen project are:

• Promoting good nutritional practices, with a particular focus on mothers and children during the ‘1000-day window’;
• Providing micronutrients for young children and their mothers and de-worming drugs for young children
• Providing micronutrients through food fortification for all (through promotion of use of biofortified flour).

The aim of the proposed project is to examine the efficacy of implementing nutrition education through the community kitchen, and to improve dietary diversity, thereby improving micronutrient intake. The findings from this PhD will determine whether further such community-based nutrition education projects can/should be implemented in rural Pakistan to improve nutritional status amongst mothers and children, and resilience to future shocks to the food system as seen following the recent floods in Pakistan.

Further information

Informal project related enquiries about the post can be made to Professor Nicola Lowe (nmlowe@uclan.ac.uk).

For the full details go to: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/studentships

Applications should be completed on our online application system, selecting the following options:

• Type of Study – Research Degree (Postgraduate)
• Course - Master of Philosophy/Doctor of Philosophy
• Campus – Preston Campus
• Mode of Study – Full Time

Please quote the Studentship reference number DTC12-22-23 on the online application form.

Closing Date: 12^th April 2024

Proposed Interview Date: TBC

Expected Start Date: 23^rd September 2024

CURRENT UCLAN RESEARCH STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS RESEARCH STUDENTSHIP

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