GW4+ - a consortium of excellence in innovative research training

The GW4+ consortium brings together four research-intensive universities in South West England and Wales to train the next generation of environmental scientists. This matters because the UK faces pressing environmental challenges—from climate change impacts on coastlines and water resources to biodiversity loss and natural hazard risks—that require skilled researchers who can work across traditional disciplinary boundaries. No single university can provide the breadth of expertise, facilities, and supervisory capacity needed to train doctoral students across the full spectrum of environmental science, from atmospheric chemistry to ecology to geology. If this training succeeds, the UK will gain a pipeline of PhD graduates equipped to tackle complex environmental problems that cross scientific fields. These researchers will go on to work in academia, government agencies, environmental consultancies, and industry—improving how the country monitors ecosystems, manages water supplies, assesses flood risk, and plans for climate adaptation. The consortium model also allows students to access equipment, field sites, and expertise that would be unavailable at any one institution alone. This is primarily an education and skills investment rather than a specific research programme. The impact lies in building the human capacity that makes future environmental discoveries possible.