AI-Enabled Digital Accessibility (ADA) PhD

What you will study

Our ADA PhD gives you the opportunity to undertake an interdisciplinary research programme in conceptual, experimental and/or applied areas of AI-enabled digital accessibility.

You could explore a topic such as:

• Meaningful image/video -to-speech/text accessibility through AI
• Meaningful speech-to-text accessibility through AI
• Improving text comprehension and simplification through AI
• Tools for meaningful cross-language ADA, especially low-resource languages
• Enhancing assistive technology through AI
• Developing novel methods to personalise ADA.

As a PhD student, you’ll become part of Surrey’s Leverhulme-funded Doctoral Scholarships Network for AI-enabled Digital Accessibility (ADA-DSN), putting you at the heart of a community of academics, postdoctoral researchers, industry representatives and advocates in this emerging field.

During your PhD, you’ll embark on a training programme including:

• Interdisciplinary seminars
• Bespoke lectures
• Tutorials and masterclasses
• Student-centred workshops
• Activities focused on developing interdisciplinary, cohesion, integration, team-working, team-building and practical skills.

These workshops are designed to meet individual training needs, strengthen existing and acquire new skill sets, develop personal training plans and consolidate project plans.

Please note: Studentships and PhD topics are subject to availability as places are limited.

Assessment

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners.

You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

After your first 12 months, you’ll complete a confirmation report, which will be assessed by independent examiners. 

Location

This course is based at Stag Hill campus. Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6.0 in each individual category and at least 7.0 in the writing component. 

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept. 

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.