Eduscapes: The Impact of Environmental Design on Students’ Performance and Well-being

The successful candidate will be enrolled on the PhD in Business and Management at Cardiff Business School.

This research will investigate the impact of environmental design in higher education settings on student performance and well-being. Student satisfaction plays a key role in student grade attainment and the positioning of universities in published leagued tables. Yet to date, the effect of the physical and ambient environment (labelled the servicescape or eduscape) is not captured by normative student feedback surveys. While much research has been conducted on the impact of the servicescape environment on consumers in commercial settings, which shows its importance and influence, very little research has considered the impact of environmental design on students’ cognitions, emotions, behaviours and educational performance. The project will involve a literature review on servicescape with a focus on educational settings. Primary data will also be conducted via survey and experimental techniques. The aim of the project is to produce recommendations for environmental design which can be implemented to benefit both staff and students using and working within higher-education environments.

Applicant profile:
The ideal candidate has a specialist Master Degree in Business, Management or related subjects from an internationally renowned University. Applicants with a strong first degree will also be considered. The ideal applicant has the motivation and ability to critically engage with relevant academic literature and conduct primary research using qualitative and quantities techniques (training can be offered).