Place-based sustainability leadership

Project summary

In regional and national strategy documents, white papers and the like, it is common to see leadership cited as a key attribute or success factor in the drive towards sustainability aims and targets. It is very uncommon to find any clear description of what this leadership requires or how it might be developed in order to respond to the pace and scale of change required to meet national and international environmental goals.

This study will explore the roles of business, public sector and community leaders at every level to draw conclusions about the nature of place-based leadership that is specifically focused upon the pressing need to deliver change in support of a sustainable and regenerative future.

Research cluster

Centre for Business Improvement

Entry requirements

For our PhD programmes, we normally expect you to have a First or Upper-Second (2:1) honours degree and preferably a masters degree from a UK university or qualifications that we consider to be equivalent.

Applicants will also need to demonstrate understanding, awareness and engagement with the needs and interests of pro-environmental and pro-social business.

International students may also need to meet our English language requirements. Find out more about our entry requirements for international students.

How to apply

Please contact Dr Fred Paterson ( F.Paterson@derby.ac.uk ) in the first instance.

The University has four starting points each year for MPhil/PhD programmes (September, January, March and June). Applications should be made at least three months before you would want to start your programme. Please note that if you require a visa additional time will be required.

Funding

Self-funded by student. There is a range of options that may be available to you to help you fund your PhD.

References

We are looking for ambitious and talented students to join our dedicated research community where we will support you on your own research journey through to graduation. These pages give you all the i...

If you decide to design your own PhD project, you will need to write a research proposal that will form part of your application. Before applying, you should review the critical literature in your sub...

Find out what the tuition fees are for PhDs and MPhils at Derby, as well as what sources of funding there are to help pay for them.

• Knight, B & Paterson, F (2018) 'Behavioural competencies of sustainability leaders: An empirical investigation', Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 31 Issue: 3, pp.557-580
• Paterson, F. (2017). 'Leadership and the low carbon economy'. In Baranova, P., Conway, E., Lynch N., and Paterson., F. ‘The low carbon economy: understanding and supporting a sustainable transition’. Switzerland: Springer/ Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 167-197

Research areas