Higher Education PhD

University of Surrey

At the Surrey Institute of Education, our aim is to produce the next generation of researchers, ready to address the complex challenges in higher education, and help shape higher education policy and practice at local, national and international levels. The Institute is one of the largest institutions in the UK dedicated to multidisciplinary research solely within higher education. We’ve secured research grants from a variety of funders, including the British Academy, the Australia Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Office for Students (OfS), the Leverhulme Trust, the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) and the Wellcome Trust. You’ll benefit from our vibrant research culture and you’ll work alongside leading academics who are at the forefront of their respective fields, giving you access to expertise in a range of areas of higher education. The University of Surrey is 33rd in the UK rankings for overall research quality by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. The research quality of the Surrey Institute of Education was ranked 20th out of 83 submissions for Education. In terms of outputs [research papers and other published works], 43 per cent of the Institute’s outputs were considered world-leading (4*) for their originality, significance and rigour, placing us 11th out of the 83 submissions. For impact, we have been ranked 20th with 100 per cent of impact case studies judged to have outstanding or very considerable impacts in terms of their reach and significance.