University welcomes police, defence and government leaders to begin professional doctoral programme
The University of Huddersfield has welcomed a new global cohort of senior police officers, defence professionals and government representatives to campus as part of its Professional Doctoral Academy (PDA) induction day, the largest and most diverse to date.
The PDA brings together experienced professionals undertaking doctoral, MSc and MRes research designed to translate practice into evidence-based innovation across policing, defence and public service. This latest intake includes chief officers, senior operational police officers and policy staff from across UK policing, representatives from the United Arab Emirates and Spain, regional government partners from West Yorkshire, and specialist professionals with experience in the UK Armed Forces.
“The Professional Doctoral Academy is a powerful example of how Huddersfield connects research excellence with real-world impact,” said Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation Professor Monty Adkins. “By supporting senior practitioners to turn lived experience into research insight, the Academy is helping to shape leadership, strategy and innovation across policing, defence and government both nationally and internationally.”
The Academy continues to grow as a unique hub for practitioner-led research, enabling experienced leaders to develop advanced projects that inform strategy, operational delivery and leadership development.
Participants are enrolled across three key educational pathways: the Top-Up MSc in Management and Leadership; research projects being completed through the Masters by Research (MRes) route; and a number of candidates are undertaking their PhD within the PDA.
The event welcomed representation from Abu Dhabi Police, as well as a Spanish Ministry of the Interior/Guardia Civil supervision collaboration. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority also joined the new MRes cohort, building on regional collaborations in policing, community safety and public policy.
Professor John Synnott, Director of the Professional Doctoral Academy, added: “This induction reflects the scale and ambition of what we’ve built, a global community of senior professionals using research to drive meaningful change.
“Having both chief officers and senior police officers, policy specialists, international attachés and defence personnel studying together and developing applied research in areas of strategic importance to their organisations and the wider sector is something no other UK institution is doing at this level.
“It’s a genuine meeting point between practice and academia, and it’s exciting to see the next phase of that take shape here.”