Peter Kahn is Professor of Digital Education for the School of Environment, Education and Development. His research is focused on applying critical realist perspectives to the study of higher education, addressing within this overall field such areas as digital technologies, generative artificial intelligence, collaboration and sustainability. Research activity complements a primary focus for his academic role on the development of digital education within SEED. As part of this role within SEED he acts as the academic e-learning lead for the School.  

Professor Kahn can be contacted at [email protected] 

He was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2014, and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He was Editor of the international journal Teaching in Higher Education from 2020-2025.

Professor Kahn was previously Director of the Centre for Higher Education Studies at the University of Liverpool, where he led a large-scale online professional doctorate in higher education studies.

Prior to that, Peter worked at the University of Manchester from 2000-2007 as a Senior Professional Development Advisor in the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Office. In this role he established a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education within the University, and acted as Project Manager for the project that agreed the University's framework of academic regulations during the merger between the University of Manchester and UMIST. He was responsible for introducing Enquiry-Based Learning as a focus for excellence in teaching and learning within the University.

I am not able to consider further applications for PhD studies at this point in time for September 2026. Note that I am a principally qualitative researcher, and I have supervised approaching 30 doctoral theses to completion, having acted as the director of a professional doctorate in higher education studies for some 11 years. You may find the following short guide to critical realism helpful in considering the relevance of this paradigm to a potential research project. 

Please note that it is highly competitive to secure funding from organisations in the UK to fund full-time doctoral research in Education (whether from the University of Manchester, the ESRC or so on). Please do consider alternative ways of funding your doctorate (e.g. part-time studies while working in paid employment or funding from a national programme from beyond the UK). 

Any approaches around doctoral supervision for September 2027 onwards should be specifically tailored to the interests indicated in this profile, and should include attention to how you propose to fund your doctorate. It is essential that you give consideration in your proposal to the nature of the (significant and original) contribution that your research would make to the field of education. I will not be able to respond to all requests for possible supervisions.  

MA Digital Technologies, Communication and Education

'Blended learning in a digital age' (EDUC70032), Course unit leader.

'Education, Communication and Technology' (EDUC70141), Tutor.

'Digital Education Research 1' (EDUC70441), Tutor.