Centres for Doctoral Training

EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training exercise 2023

In November 2022, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) launched a funding opportunity for Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) to start from 2024. The peer review process and assessment criteria were set out in the original funding opportunity.

The outcome announcement took place on 12 March 2024.

Doctoral training investment

More than 4,000 doctoral students will be trained over the next nine years at the 65 CDTs, building on EPSRC’s long-standing record of sustained support for doctoral training.

Total investment in the CDTs includes:

  • £479 million by EPSRC, this funding includes £16 million of additional UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding to support CDTs in quantum technologies
  • Over £7 million from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), also part of UKRI, to co-fund three CDTs
  • £16 million by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to support two CDTs
  • £169 million by UK universities
  • a further £420 million in financial and in-kind support from business, public sector and charity partners

This investment includes an additional £135 million from EPSRC for CDTs which will start in 2025.

Given cost increases since 2018, the total number of students funded through the 2023 round of CDTs is approximately 5% less than the 2018 investment.

EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training requirements

CDTs have a requirement to:

Funded 2023 CDTs by primary EPSRC theme of relevance

Note that many CDTs are interdisciplinary and cut across multiple themes and research areas and involve multiple institutions.

Advanced materials and physical sciences

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science: harnessing aerosol science for improved security, resilience and global health

Led by: Professor Jonathan Reid, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Technology-Enhanced Chemical Synthesis (TECS)

Led by: Professor Jonathan Clayden, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Synthesis for a Healthy Planet

Led by: Professor Michael Willis, University of Oxford

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Chemical Technologies: a systems approach

Led by: Professor Matthew Davidson, University of Bath

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital and Automated Materials Chemistry

Led by: Professor Alessandro Troisi, University of Liverpool

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Biology: Empowering UK BioTech Innovation

Led by: Dr Laura Barter, Imperial College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in 2D Materials of Tomorrow (2DMoT)

Led by: Professor Irina Grigorieva, The University of Manchester

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Chemistry: feedstock to function (CDT-F2F)

Led by: Professor Peter Licence, University of Nottingham

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Modelling of Heterogeneous Systems (HetSys II)

Led by: Professor James Kermode, University of Warwick

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Use-Inspired Photonic Sensing and Metrology

Led by: Professor Derryck Reid, Heriot-Watt University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Superconductivity: enabling transformative technologies

Led by: Professor Antony Carrington, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing (IMAT)

Led by: Professor Simon Aldridge, University of Oxford

Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, digital security and resilience

EPSRC and MOD Centre for Doctoral Training in Complex Integrated Systems for Defence and Security

Led by: Professor Jordan Cheer, University of Southampton

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Machine Learning Systems

Led by: Professor Amos Storkey, University of Edinburgh

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber Secure Everywhere: resilience in a world of disappearing system boundaries

Led by: Professor Awais Rashid, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber-physical Risk

Led by: Professor Hervé Borrion, University College London

EPSRC and MOD Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensing, Processing, and AI for Defence and Security (SPADS)

Led by: Professor James Hopgood, University of Edinburgh

Energy and decarbonisation

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience

Led by: Professor Robert Dorrell, University of Hull

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in SATURN (Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear)

Led by: Professor Scott Heath, The University of Manchester

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fusion Power

Led by: Professor Roderick Vann, University of York

EPSRC Industrial Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE)

Led by: Professor David Ingram, University of Edinburgh

EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Negative Emission Technologies for Net Zero (NET2ZERO)

Led by: Professor Patricia Thornley, Aston University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Engineering Hydrogen Net Zero

Led by: Professor Dani Strickland, Loughborough University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Net Zero Maritime Energy Solutions

Led by: Professor John Bridgeman, University of Liverpool

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures

Led by: Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Heriot-Watt University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities Plus (ReNU+)

Led by: Professor Neil Beattie, Northumbria University

Engineering

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: unlocking net zero (FIBE3 CDT)

Led by: Professor Abir Al-Tabbaa, University of Cambridge

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Sound Futures

Led by: Professor Trevor Cox, University of Salford

EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Engineering Biology (EngBio CDT)

Led by: Dr Lucia Marucci, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensor Technologies and Applications in an Uncertain World

Led by: Professor Clemens Kaminski, University of Cambridge

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in ‘Diversity led, mission-driven research’

Led by: Dr Marie Muellenbroich, University of Glasgow

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Process Industries: net zero (PINZ CDT)

Led by: Professor Adam Harvey, Newcastle University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training Developing National Capability for Materials 4.0 with the Henry Royce Institute

Led by: Professor William Parnell, The University of Manchester

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Infrastructure and Resilience II (WIRe II)

Led by: Professor Peter Jarvis, Cranfield University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and AI for Net Zero

Led by: Dr Simon Watson, The University of Manchester

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Net Zero Aviation

Led by: Professor Panagiotis Laskaridis, Cranfield University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Fluid Dynamics

Led by: Dr Oliver Harlen, University of Leeds

Health technologies

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Organ-on-a-Chip Technologies (COaCT)

Led by: Professor Hazel Screen, Queen Mary University of London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training iN diGital heAlth technoloGiEs (ENGAGE)

Led by: Professor Rebecca Shipley, University College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Accelerated Medicines Design and Development

Led by: Professor Gareth Williams, University College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Healthcare (DRIVE-Health)

Led by: Professor Richard Dobson, King’s College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Healthcare Data Science

Led by: Professor Thomas Nichols, University of Oxford

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Engineering for Personalised Surgery and Intervention

Led by: Professor Sebastien Ourselin, King’s College London

EPSRC and BBSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Engineering Solutions for Antimicrobial Resistance

Led by: Dr Lena Ciric, University College London

Information and communication technologies

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Collaborative Computational Modelling at the Interface

Led by: Professor Timo Betcke, University College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Photonic and Electronic Systems

Led by: Professor Alwyn Seeds, University College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems

Led by: Dr Michael Osborne, University of Oxford

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Open SecuRe NeTworks (CDT-FORT)

Led by: Professor Rahim Tafazolli, University of Surrey

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Diversity in Data Visualization

Led by: Professor Jason Dykes and Professor Stephanie Wilson, City, University of London

Manufacturing and the circular economy

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Formulation Engineering: formulation for net zero

Led by: Professor Mark Simmons, University of Birmingham

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Machining, Assembly, and Digital Engineering for Manufacturing (MADE4Manufacturing)

Led by: Professor Neil Sims, University of Sheffield

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Innovation for Sustainable Composites Engineering

Led by: Professor Janice Barton, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital Transformation of Metals Industry

Led by: Professor Hongbiao Dong, University of Leicester

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber-physical systems for Medicines Development and Manufacturing (CEDAR)

Led by: Professor Alastair Florence, University of Strathclyde

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing

Led by: Professor Peter Smowton, Cardiff University

Mathematical sciences

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistical Applied Mathematics at Bath (SAMBa)

Led by: Professor Alexander Cox, University of Bath

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistics and Machine Learning

Led by: Dr Sarah Filippi, Imperial College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Algebra, Geometry and Quantum Fields (AGQ)

Led by: Professor Tara Brendle, University of Glasgow

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistics and Operational Research in Partnership with Industry (STOR-i)

Led by: Professor Idris Eckley, Lancaster University

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in the Mathematics for our Future Climate: Theory, Data and Simulation

Led by: Professor Dan Crisan, Imperial College London

Quantum technologies

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Information Science and Technologies Centre for Doctoral Training

Led by: Dr Jorge Barreto, University of Bristol

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Computation and Quantum Communications (QC2)

Led by: Professor Paul Warburton, University College London

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Applied Quantum Technologies

Led by: Professor Stefan Kuhr, University of Strathclyde

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Informatics

Led by: Dr Christiaan Johan Marie Heunen, University of Edinburgh

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technology Engineering

Led by: Dr Timothy Freegarde, University of Southampton

Centres for Doctoral Training exercise 2018

EPSRC launched a funding opportunity for Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) on 17 January 2018, with the outcome announcement made on 4 February 2019. Seventy-five Centres were funded to support five cohorts of students, with the first students starting in autumn 2019.

If you want to find out more about the 2018 funded centres you can explore our infographic about our funded centres on the UK Government Web Archive.

UKRI AI Centres For Doctoral Training

Alongside the 2018 and 2023 EPSRC CDT exercise, UKRI made an additional investment in research training of relevance to AI.

Find out more about UKRI artificial intelligence Centres for Doctoral Training.

Resources

Ask for more information about EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training.

Email: students@epsrc.ukri.org

Last updated: 12 March 2024

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