Tagged / ESRC

New funding available for doctoral training studentships as BU joins the ESRC South West Doctoral Training Partnership

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has announced new investment in 15 doctoral training partnerships (DTPs) spanning 89 institutions over the next five years, providing professional development and training opportunities to enhance the capabilities of doctoral candidates.

BU was part of a successful £15.3m bid which now enables colleagues to bid for prestigious ESRC-funded doctoral studentships.

We have partnered with the University of Bristol, University of Bath, Bath Spa University, University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, University of St Mark and St John (Marjon), and University of the West of England as part of the South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP).

Students sat chatting outside the Doctoral College

The partnership will cover the breadth of social sciences, as well as areas of interdisciplinary research. The ESRC awards cover five years of PhD studentships, with the first intake beginning in October 2024. The ESRC aims to support 500 students a year nationwide across the partnerships.

The DTPs will also develop tailored training programmes for students and staff and support a wide variety of collaborative activities, including events and placement opportunities. 

Professor Mike Silk, Institutional Lead for BU and a member of the SWDTP Management Board, said: “This is a prestigious award which will fund over 170 studentships across the consortium of SWDTP partners and provides us with an exciting opportunity to further elevate our postgraduate provision in both disciplinary and interdisciplinary pathways aligned with the ESRC.

“It allows BU staff and students to benefit from the leadership and research knowledge across all eight institutions and for BU to enhance and extend its research environment, promote and support excellent, innovative, diverse and interdisciplinary research, and foster transferable research skills and the career development of our postgraduate researchers.”

He added that the partnership will also bring additional benefits, with all registered postgraduate research students at BU now having access to opportunities for additional training across partner institutions, sharing best practice, resources and academic knowledge, placements, and funding for staff projects and events.

Fiona Knight, Head of The Doctoral College at BU, said: “The Doctoral College is excited to be collaborating with our partners in the SWDTP and the opportunity to share best practice, resources and academic knowledge.

“This partnership will strengthen our support for all of our social science postgraduate researchers and enable access to a network of social scientists across the DTP.”

The funding means that BU will now be able to bid for ESRC-funded doctoral studentships across several areas of excellence that align to the ESRC’s funding priorities – including Health, Wellbeing, and Society; Psychology; and Climate change, Sustainability, and Society.

Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair, said: “Our vision for postgraduate training is that it will develop globally competitive social science researchers who can operate in interdisciplinary, collaborative, and challenge-led environments across a range of sectors and who have a diversity of backgrounds and experiences.

“This redesigned and expanded doctoral training opportunity will enhance the experience for PhD students and boost the UK’s capability.”

Find out more about BU studentships and opportunities through the SWDTP

Visit the South West Doctoral Training Partnership website

Parliamentary Knowledge Exchange Opportunity: Thematic Research Leads

Thematic Research Leads: Climate/Environment; International Affairs/Defence; Parliament, Public Administration and Constitution | 1 August 2022

Some very exciting news from Parliament – the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), POST and Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit have launched new (paid!) roles for researchers keen to be involved in policy. The new Thematic Research Leads (TRLs) are aimed at mid-career university researchers who will work for three days per week (0.6 FTE) to place research evidence at the heart of UK Parliament through a pilot thematic policy hub of parliamentary staff. Colleagues undertake this role whilst retaining their substantive academic post for the remaining two days per week.

Thematic Research Leads will work alongside POST, library and select committee staff at UK Parliament to help ensure the best available research evidence feeds into scrutiny, legislation and debate. They will also strengthen and diversify connections between Parliament and the research community. The roles are funded by ESRC, appointees are expected to commence their role in January 2023. Details:

This webpage contains more information on the Thematic Research Lead Call, the shared ambitions of POST and the ESRC for this activity, and information on how to apply.

POST state: We really encourage applications from everyone regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability.

Colleagues who would need flexibility or hybrid working are encouraged to apply – POST are a flexible employee, are committed to support diversity and their employees, and will consider a range of requests to support colleagues to take up a post. Deadline: 1 August 2022

BU process for this opportunity

Because this is a funded position, RDS will need to treat your application in the way we normally would for any grant bid. With a submission deadline of 1 August, we look forward to receiving the completed e-ITBs by 4 July (for the costing request please attach an outline of how often you would want to travel, as this attachment is required).

You will need your Head of Department to agree in principle that you are able to commit 0.6FTE of your time if the application is successful and that we can arrange teaching replacement and funding, so please approach them as a first step. Full internal approvals will need to be completed by 26 July.

For guidance on the process please contact Beth Steiner and for any queries relating to the positions please contact Sarah Carter.

Finally the KEU outline why you should apply for this role:

“These roles, if proven, could become highly influential prestigious roles at the heart of Parliament, somewhat akin to the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisers, but shaped for a parliamentary context. The role offers an exciting opportunity for you to see first-hand how research feeds into policy, through shaping parliamentary work with your research expertise and participating in core parliamentary processes. You will be uniquely placed to build connections with parliamentary and government stakeholders to take forward through your career, and participation will provide you with rich and varied experiences to support you on an upward professional trajectory.”