The London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership

The London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership funds PhD students to study environmental science across multiple UK research organisations. This matters because the UK needs a steady pipeline of skilled environmental scientists to address challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The partnership pools resources and expertise from several universities and research institutes, allowing students to access a broader range of supervisors, facilities, and training than any single institution could provide alone. If this succeeds, the UK will have a cohort of researchers equipped to work on environmental problems that affect infrastructure, water quality, agriculture, and energy systems. The training covers fundamental science—understanding how the natural world works—rather than developing a specific product or technology. Past fundamental environmental research has led to breakthroughs in weather forecasting, flood risk mapping, and carbon accounting, all of which now underpin policy and industry decisions. This partnership aims to sustain that pipeline of discovery.