The Appointment
We invite applications from highly motivated researchers to contribute a major role in a collaborative project on sport, health and participation, focusing on golf across Europe. Candidates from any relevant discipline are welcome to apply, but the ability to work effectively with colleagues from social and biological / medical sciences is important. This GoGolf project is an innovative venture within the Erasmus + programme, the European Union’s new initiative for education, training, youth and sport. The project comprises a research element and practical efforts to increase participation in golf across European countries. You will play a major role in the completion of a literature review exploring golf and more widely sport together with health and participation within a broad sustainability framework. You will also design a quantitative survey, conduct qualitative research and analyse quantitative and qualitative results to examine the effects of the practical interventions undertaken across the participating European countries.  

You will be based in the Department of Geography and Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews but will work closely with research and project management partners including the European Golf Association, the PGAs of Europe and participating national golf federations and associations. The role will require some international travel. You should have a PhD in a relevant discipline. You will have excellent communication skills and will be able to articulate research goals and outcomes to academics and non-academics. You should be willing to engage in interdisciplinary research and to link theory and practice. Particular experience and/or interest in sustainability, sport, golf, health and/or sport participation would be an advantage.  

The research project
GoGolf is a transnational collaborative project under EU Erasmus+. The aims are to establish an evidence base for the health benefits of golf for the European citizen and to drive increased participation through youth based initiatives in the sport at a pan-European level. The research element will, firstly, undertake a review of relevant literature to explore potential relationships between golf and well-being. Secondly, it will comprise the development and implementation of research tools to assess the efficacy of innovative youth training schemes and youth participation across the participating European states and the analysis of data deriving from this process. Finally, it will include research to seek deep, rich understanding of the barriers and opportunities to youth uptake of golf and health benefits. Research participants will include youth players and their families, coaches, local golf clubs, school staff and other golf stakeholders within participating countries. The participating countries are Portugal, Estonia, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia and France and the project is driven through the European Golf Association. Research dissemination will include peer reviewed papers, policy briefs and project reports. To realize positive impact, discussion with policy makers at national and international levels will be required. Whilst the project supports the practical work of golf organisations across Europe, there is also potential to address interesting theoretical questions through this research.  

Please conduct informal enquiries to Dr Rehema White on +44 (0)1334 462022 or rehema.white@st-andrews.ac.uk.  

The candidate is expected to start as soon as possible and the post concludes at the end of the project in December 2017. The post is part time at 0.4 (2 days per week equivalent), but some flexibility will be required and can be offered around which days are worked.

The University of St Andrews is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all, which is further demonstrated through its working on the Gender and Race Equality Charters and being awarded the Athena SWAN award for women in science, HR Excellence in Research Award and the LGBT Charter;  http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/hr/edi/diversityawards/. 

Please quote ref: AR1678KC

Closing Date: 5 August 2015

Further Particulars: AR1678KC FPs.doc

Department of Geography and Sustainable Development
Salary: £31,342 per annum, pro rata
Start: 1 September 2015 or as soon as possible thereafter; not later than October 2015
Part Time / Fixed Term