Program Overview

Program Overview

The program in question is a PhD research opportunity focused on "Learning from corporate governance: improving megaproject performance through best practices in organisational architecture." This research aims to investigate how lessons from corporate governance practices in large organisations can inform and improve megaproject governance.

Qualification(s) Available

• PhD

Entry Requirements

• At least a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) with a UK master's degree (with an average programme mark of no less than 65%) or international equivalent.
• The University uses the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities to identify the required final mark for international students.
• Country-specific requirements are detailed for various countries, including but not limited to the United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Fees and Funding

• UK fee: £5,006 Full-time degree per annum
• International fee: £22,360 Full-time degree per annum
• Fees for the academic year apply to projects starting in October 2025, January 2026, April 2026, and July 2026.
• Information on research degree funding is available.

How to Apply

1. Prepare a research proposal (between 2,500 to 3,000 words including references) and share it with the identified supervisor(s) to confirm their support.
2. Submit the application online, selecting 'Business School' under programme name.
3. Upload the research proposal, transcripts/certificates, English language certificate, and contact details of two academic references with the application.
4. Quote the project reference number: LB25-MMT-AC-unfunded.

English Language Requirements

• Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements.
• Loughborough Business School requires a minimum IELTS band 7.0 or above with not less than 7.0 in each component.

Project Details

The project explores what megaproject governance can learn from the governance of large corporations, focusing on improving megaproject performance through best practices in organisational architecture. Megaprojects often face significant challenges, including cost overruns, delays, and benefit shortfalls, which are frequently rooted in governance failures. The research aims to examine key governance principles and strategies from global corporations and their applicability to megaprojects, offering the opportunity to collaborate with major corporations and megaprojects.

Supervisors

• Primary supervisor: Professor Martin Morgan Tuuli
• Secondary supervisor: Professor Amon Chizema

Research Areas

The research focuses on corporate governance, megaproject governance, organisational architecture, and best practices in governance, aiming to contribute to a deeper understanding of governance innovation in complex, high-stakes environments.