Quantifying the impact of farm animal use in education to inform evidence-based guidelines

About the Project

This project is one of five opportunities being advertised by Harper Adams University as part of our annual competition for a funded PhD studentship. The successful candidate will receive a studentship consisting of full tuition fee coverage, a stipend and approved research costs.

Quantifying the impact of farm animal use in education to inform evidence-based guidelines

Farm animals are widely used in agricultural and veterinary education to develop students’ practical skills, confidence and professional competence. However, despite the prevalence of this practice across schools, colleges and universities, there is currently very limited empirical evidence on how educational use affects animal welfare.

Educational settings present a unique context for farm animals. Animals may be handled repeatedly by inexperienced or unfamiliar students, exposed to variable handling quality, and involved in frequent teaching activities. At the same time, educators and institutions face increasing expectations to demonstrate ethical, welfare-focused animal use, driven by professional standards and evolving regulatory frameworks, including requirements from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. There is a clear need for robust, evidence-based guidance to support high-quality education while safeguarding animal wellbeing.

This PhD will address this gap by combining animal welfare science with social science approaches to deliver practical, implementable solutions. The overarching aim is to quantify and characterise the welfare impacts of farm animal use in education, and to develop evidence-based guidelines that balance animal welfare with effective student learning.

The project has four key objectives:

1. Characterise how farm animals are currently used in UK educational settings, in order to identify perceived welfare impacts, constraints, and opportunities for refinement.
2. Quantify welfare impacts of educational activities on farm animals using behavioural, health, and production‑linked indicators, accounting for species‑specific responses and individual variability.
3. Develop, pilot, and evaluate practical refinements to educational practice that reduce negative welfare impacts while maintaining or enhancing educational value.
4. Produce evidence-based best practice training resources and guidelines for the monitoring and management of farm animal welfare in educational settings.

The successful candidate will receive interdisciplinary training in animal welfare assessment, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and stakeholder engagement. The project is based at Harper Adams University, within a supportive and collaborative research environment with strong links to educational institutions and sector stakeholders.

This PhD will produce high-quality publications and applied outputs with real-world impact, including guidance that can be adopted across educational establishments to improve the welfare of large numbers of animals. It offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated candidate interested in animal welfare, human–animal interactions and applied research with direct policy and practice relevance.