Agriculture and Food Security PhD

The University of Edinburgh

Our mission is to provide world-leading research and training in support of global food and environmental security, sustainable rural development, and animal and human wellbeing. Improving the effectiveness and sustainability of agri-food systems is vital to tackling the challenges of global population growth, rapid urbanisation, food and environmental security, and diet and health.

These challenges occur in low and middle income countries, as well as industrialised nations. Achieving sustainable, healthy diets underpins many of the Sustainable Development Goals – especially those concerned with hunger, poverty, health, gender equality, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.

We welcome applicants whose research interests are aligned to address one or more of these challenges, and that holds the potential to develop and translate scientific advances into policy and practice.

The University of Edinburgh, with Scotland’s Rural College, ranked first in the UK for Research Power in Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science in the last Research Excellence Framework, REF2014 (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions). The Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security builds on this strength in research excellence, and graduate student research has a central role in achieving this.

Our Global Academy encompasses research addressing global food and environmental security, sustainable rural development, and animal and human wellbeing. Our current specific expertise spans human, livestock, crop and soil nutrition and health; environmental and agri-food systems; crop and livestock production systems; climate smart agriculture; agricultural and natural resource economics; development; data science and mathematical modelling; the science-policy interface; food and land rights and law.

Most of our research is multidisciplinary in its approach, and we collaborate with other Schools and groups across the University of Edinburgh, and with a wide range of national and international partners.

Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Association of International Accountants (AIA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations through the Accredited degree accelerated route.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the EFMD Quality Improvement System.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.