DTA - University of Birmingham

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds a network of Doctoral Training Partnerships that provide postgraduate training across universities and research organisations. This funding structure addresses a critical gap in the UK's research pipeline: training the next generation of scientists and engineers. Without coordinated investment in doctoral training, the country risks losing its competitive edge in fundamental and applied research. The partnerships consolidate resources, allowing multiple institutions to share expertise, facilities, and supervision capacity rather than working in isolation. If this model succeeds, it will produce a steady stream of highly skilled researchers equipped to tackle complex challenges across sectors—from energy and manufacturing to healthcare and digital infrastructure. The impact is systemic rather than immediate: a trained workforce that can drive innovation in industries most people never think about, such as water treatment systems, semiconductor fabrication, or grid-scale battery storage. This is primarily an education and skills investment, not a single research project. Its success is measured not by a specific discovery but by the quality and quantity of PhD graduates entering the UK's research ecosystem. Similar training partnerships have historically underpinned breakthroughs in everything from fibre optics to medical imaging.