Community-Smart Consultation & Consent Project (CSCC): Enabling Systemic, Inclusive and Equitable Participation

The Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM) at The University of Queensland (UQ) has recently been awarded a multi-year grant from the independent philanthropic BHP Foundation, and their Natural Resource Governance Program. This involves close collaboration with three world-class international not-for-profit organisations: RESOLVE, Landesa and Conservation International. As the academic partner on this grant, a key objective for CSRM is to build the capacity of future researchers on consultation and consent in natural resource governance. To deliver on this objective, we are calling for expressions of interest (EoIs) from prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PhD candidates interested in working with us on the broad topic of consultation and consent. You would be part of an international cohort of students working on this project.

We are seeking candidates to explore consultation and consent experiences and opportunities across a variety of multi-disciplinary contexts including, but not limited to:

• Green energy development on First Nations/ Native Title lands
• Energy transitions and just transitions in mining regions
• The effect of structural disadvantage for project-affected people, notably First Nations peoples, as they engage with developers
• The role of negotiated agreements in rights-compatible consultation and consent
• Geopolitics and natural resource governance
• Extraction, and supply chain of critical metals
• Resource extraction and conflict over land and water resources
• Post-mine land uses and mine closure

We would also encourage the potential candidate/s to apply to the UQ central Scholarship scheme for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

In addition to this Top-Up there are also funds available to support relevant field research, travel and participation in relevant conferences.

Whilst our preference is to recruit candidates for a PhD degree, we are open to considering MPhil applications on a case-by-case basis.

You're eligible if you meet the entry requirements for a higher degree by research.