More than half of the UK’s civil nuclear workforce and 70% of its subject-matter experts are due to retire by 2025, and the country needs a new generation of researchers to replace them. This Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) aims to train the next leaders in nuclear fission science and engineering. The UK government’s nuclear strategy requires the option to deploy a range of fission technologies in the coming decades, but a severe skills shortage threatens that ambition. Because it takes 10–15 years to develop high-level R&D expertise, the programme addresses an urgent, immediate gap. The CDT will deliver long-term, fundamental research (Technology Readiness Levels 1–3) across multiple universities—Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield—in collaboration with industry partners. Its scope complements a separate centre focused on nearer-term development (TRL 4–6). If successful, the training will secure the UK’s ability to manage its nuclear legacy, generate low-carbon energy, and support defence and security policies. The research itself tackles processes from the molecular to the macroscopic scale, underpinning real industrial challenges without immediate commercial application.
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In UK Energy strategy, nuclear fission is growing rapidly in significance. Government's recent Nuclear Industrial Strategy states clearly that the UK should retain the option to deploy a range of nuclear fission technologies in the decades ahead, and that it should underpin the skill base to do so. The primary aim of Next Generation Nuclear is to provide high quality research training in the science and engineering underpinning nuclear fission technology, focused particularly on developing a multi-scale (from molecular to macroscopic), multi-disciplined understanding of key processes and systems. Nuclear fission research underpins strategic UK priorities, including the safe management of the historic nuclear legacy, securing future low carbon energy resources, and supporting UK defence and security policies. It has become clear that skills are very likely to limit the UK's nuclear capacity, with over half of the civil nuclear workforce and 70% of Subject Matter Experts due to retire by 2025. High level R&D skills are therefore on the critical path for all the UK's nuclear ambitions and, because of the 10-15 year lead time needed to address this shortage, urgent action is needed now. Next Generation Nuclear is a collaborative CDT involving the Universities of Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, which aims to develop the next generation of nuclear research leaders and deliver underpinning (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1-3), long term science and engineering to meet the national priorities identified in Government's Nuclear Industrial Vision. Its scope complements the Nuclear IDC (TRL 4-6), with both Centres aiming to work together and exploit potential synergies. In collaboration with key nuclear industry partners, Next Generation Nuclear will build on the very successful Nuclear First programme to deliver a high quality training programme tailored to student needs; high profile, high impact outreach; and adventurous doctoral research which underpins real industry challenges.
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