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| ESRC CASE Studentship:Revealing the Economic Value of Adventurous Off-Road Cycling as a Tourism Product: a Case-Study of South West England | ||||||||||||
The University of Exeter in partnership with the Forestry Commission and the 1SW Project is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified applicant for a doctoral studentship for three years to start in April 2010. Adventurous off-road cycling is a key leisure pursuit within the UK, and it is still rapidly growing in popularity. For a region like the South West with a heavy emphasis on its environmental assets, off-road cycling offers an opportunity to broaden the tourism offer in both peak and off-peak periods. Plans are being finalised to develop off-road cycling in order to attract new markets, retain existing visitors for longer, spread pressure away from the coast, and increase visits outside peak season. At the forefront of these plans, the 1SW project (www.1sw.org.uk) aims to ensure that the development and promotion of off-road cycling in the South West takes place in a co-ordinated way to benefit all. The purpose of the studentship is twofold, namely: to develop a dedicated method for better capturing the economic benefit to regional tourism of adventurous off-road cycling; and to establish the strength of the case for adventurous off-road cycling as a regional tourism 'attractor' as part of the wider regional tourism ‘offer’. One of the principal tasks facing the project is to make sense of the wide array of contested methods, techniques, approaches and guidance on the economic impacts of tourism, leisure and recreation. The research will employ a range of quantitative and qualitative methods. Although you will be based primarily in the Business School, you will benefit from the chance to work closely with the Forestry Commission as the main project partner and with other 1SW Partners. The Forestry Commission will support you in the further development of your social science skills and will also offer you opportunities to network with key individuals in cycling, tourism and leisure, landscape and recreational land management. The Forestry Commission will also provide practical and logistical support for the project. You should hold a good first degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. Business and Management, Economics, Geography, Environmental Science, Resource Management) and have, or be about to obtain, a Masters degree in a relevant subject. Preference will be given to applicants who have completed an ESRC-approved programme of social sciences training at Masters level or equivalent. However, applications are welcome from candidates with other Masters degrees and relevant experience. Funding Notes To apply, you should be based in the UK or EU and qualify for a fees and maintenance award under the ESRC’s rules for residential eligibility (www.esrc.ac.uk). UK/EU level fees will be paid, together with a maintenance grant that matches the standard ESRC rate (for 2009/10 this is £15,290). Please send copy of your CV, names and addresses of three referees and a brief statement outlining your academic interests and reasons for wishing to undertake this studentship of no more than 2 sides A4 (you should also explain why your academic training is relevant to the research as well as your experience of conducting independent research), to Emma Roberts, University of Exeter Business School (E.Roberts@exeter.ac.uk) marked with the reference, ESRC-1SW. For further information, or informal discussion about the position, please contact one of the project supervisors: Prof Tim Coles (t.e.coles@ex.ac.uk, +44-1392-724441) or Prof Gareth Shaw (g.shaw@ex.ac.uk, +44-1392-723332). Closing date for completed applications is Friday 29 January 2010. Interviews are likely to be held on Wednesday 24 February 2010 in Exeter. |
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