What is CHASE?

The Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-east England (CHASE) brings together 8 leading institutions engaged in collaborative research activities including an AHRC doctoral training partnership. These are the Universities of East Anglia, Essex, Kent and Sussex, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Goldsmiths, University of London, Birkbeck, University of London and SOAS, University of London. Together, we offer a new and unique environment in which to undertake doctoral research.  

It is central to our ethos that serious disciplinary research is interdisciplinary. Across the arts and humanities, we study periods, cultures and communities in which modern disciplinary boundaries simply did not and do not exist; equally, emergent or less-established fields of study require new forms of attention, practice and communication. 

CHASE supports discipline-based projects, but also specialises in interdisciplinary research and research in emerging fields of study and creative practice. Our research and training environment encourages doctoral researchers to develop new methodologies. In addition, our network of partnerships with leading organisations in the creative and public sectors provide an outstanding resource for future CHASE scholars. 

How does CHASE support Doctoral research?

CHASE offers more than 50 AHRC doctoral studentships each year through our studentship competition, supporting doctoral researchers with fees and living expenses, as well as access to support funding for research trips and other costs.

  • We offer an extensive programme of training and development for all doctoral researchers in arts and humanities areas across our member institutions.

  • We partner with external organisations to support innovative placement projects, giving doctoral researchers the chance to use their research skills in contexts outside of academia, and to broaden their career prospects.

  • Our bi-annual student Encounters conference brings together research across disciplinary boundaries, and our open-access student journal Brief Encounters publishes original research and creative contributions by doctoral and early career researchers.

  • CHASE researcher networks bring together researchers working in related fields to share insights and for peer support.

PGR achievements

Featured
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Frances Saddington | University of East Anglia

The first year of my CHASE studentship has been full of exciting opportunities. I made trips abroad to visit archive collections of primary source materials.

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Sarah Butler | Open University

I have been working as a CHASE funded student since October 2015, studying for a PhD in creative writing. CHASE funding has allowed me to focus solely on my novel and associated research

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Aimar Arriola | Goldsmiths, University of London

In 2016 I was invited to present my thesis-related exhibition 'AIDS Anarchive' in San Sebastian, Basque Country, as part of the city's programme as the 2016 European Capital for Culture.

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Giovanni Casini | The Courtauld Institute of Art

As a CHASE student, I have been able to engage with new audiences whilst developing my research project. The opportunity to build networks between academia, local charities, independent presses and bookshops has been particularly rewarding.

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Penny Simpson | University of Essex

As a CHASE student, I have been able to engage with new audiences whilst developing my research project. The opportunity to build networks between academia, local charities, independent presses and bookshops has been particularly rewarding.

Emma Winston Goldsmiths, University of London
Emma Winston Goldsmiths, University of London

I attended the ‘CHASE Practices: Situations in Art and Technology Practice’ training day at Sussex University, at which I was taught ixi lang, a programming language for the live performance of music, referred to as ‘live-coding’.

Amy Stevens, University of Essex
Amy Stevens, University of Essex

This year CHASE funding enabled me to attend a week long doctoral training school at the Centre for Research, Information, Surveillance and Privacy (CRISP) at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Evgeniya Kondrashina, Goldsmiths, University of London
Evgeniya Kondrashina, Goldsmiths, University of London

During my second year I was awarded the Edison Fellowship at the British Library Sound Archive. My PhD research focuses on records of Russian music during the Cold War.

Sarah Middle | Open University
Sarah Middle | Open University

Being part of the CHASE community has provided opportunities that would not otherwise be possible, and which have provided huge benefits for both my research and my professional development.