The University of Bristol is using EPSRC funding to train the next generation of PhD students and early-career researchers in engineering and physical sciences. This matters because the UK needs a steady pipeline of skilled researchers to maintain its competitive edge in fields like robotics, artificial intelligence, digital health, and cybersecurity—areas that underpin modern infrastructure, communications, and manufacturing. The grant supports strategic allocation of funds: 80% goes to core training and new academic staff, 10% to international and industrial partnerships, and 10% to a Doctoral Prize Fellowship that gives top PhD graduates a launchpad for their careers. If successful, this approach will produce researchers who can tackle real-world challenges—from securing networks to developing composite materials—while strengthening collaborations with industry and global partners. The project is fundamentally about building human capital, not generating immediate breakthroughs, but the trained researchers will drive innovation across sectors that quietly keep society running.
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The DTP Strategy of the University of Bristol and fit with EPSRC Priorities The University of Bristol is proud to work in partnership with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to offer a wide range of research opportunities to Doctoral Research Students and Early Career Researchers. The EPSRC DTP funding enables the University to attract the next generation of talented PhD students and Early Career Researchers. The University of Bristol research is aligned with EPSRC priorities, the Industrial Strategy Challenge fund and other key initiatives. Examples of strategic research areas include Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Digital Creativity, Digital Health, Future Communications and Networks, Cyber Security, Nuclear and Composite Materials. We are committed to support these strategic areas, as well as other large grant applications, and couple this DTP-supported research with the support of new and established staff. Management of the DTP The Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) award for 2018/19 and 2019/20 will be managed day-today by the EPSRC DTP Management Group, with policy and oversight by a Strategic Management Group. It is designed to ensure that we have a responsive and agile mechanism to target specific opportunities in response to both funders' priorities and our own strategic ambitions in Science and Engineering. We will continue to employ the Strategic Core Allocation (80% of the DTP award) to support, for example, new academic staff who are successful in their first grants. This portion of the DTP award will be allocated locally to Schools and Departments considering the quality of the student, supporting the research of new and early career staff, supporting successful EPSRC-funded research grants, and matching external funds, for example from industry. Responding to drivers to enhance the value of EPSRC investment and its impact, we are committing to expand our collaborations in doctoral training to stimulate leverage of EPSRC funding. We are planning to allocate 10% of the DTP award in a new International and Industrial Leverage Allocation. We will target this portion of the DTP award to stimulate collaboration with Industry partners, partner Universities and other PhD stakeholders. It will also strengthen our responsiveness to Industrial Strategy and international Global Challenge Research Fund. We will continue to use the facility of the Doctoral Prize Fellowship (10% of the DTP award). This will be used to support individual Early Career Researchers, directly after completion of their EPSRC-sponsored PhD, where there is potential for significant development and evolution of their PhD research. This specific partnership will provide a launchpad for talented individuals at the start of their academic careers, enable the University to open up new strategic areas, and inspire the cohort of DTP PhD students by providing opportunities for developing leaders. Training and Support of Students We are committed to creating and sustaining an excellent development and learning environment for our EPSRC DTP students. Our mechanisms for PhD programme quality assurance and monitoring of student progress will be used to support a process of continual development. We attribute the highest level of importance to the development of both the research and the generic professional skills of postgraduate students, to increase their effectiveness as researchers, and to underpin their future careers. The Bristol Doctoral College (www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college/) will work with Academic Supervisors, central Professional Service divisions, and the Faculties and Schools across the University to deliver a comprehensive offering of training and development activities for all research students (www.bristol.ac.uk/doctoral-college/current-research-students/ppd/). The training will include specific modules to help our students to work effectively with all our stakeholders.
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