North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP)

The UK Research Councils are funding a network of universities to train the next generation of social scientists through the North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP). This matters because social science research—covering economics, sociology, psychology, and political science—requires skilled researchers who can tackle complex societal problems. Without coordinated training, the UK risks a shortage of experts who can analyse issues like inequality, public health, or economic change. The NWSSDTP brings together multiple universities to pool resources, share expertise, and offer students a broader training experience than any single institution could provide alone. If successful, this partnership will produce PhD graduates equipped with rigorous research methods and interdisciplinary perspectives. These researchers will go on to work in universities, government, think tanks, and industry, where their work can inform policy decisions, improve public services, or help businesses understand consumer behaviour. The impact is indirect but systemic: better-trained social scientists mean better evidence for the decisions that shape everyday life, from transport planning to healthcare delivery. The project is primarily about building research capacity rather than answering a specific scientific question. It is a training infrastructure investment, not a discovery-driven project.