Lancaster - ESRC Standard Research Transition Standard Quota DTG

This grant funds a cohort of doctoral students across a range of social science disciplines at Lancaster University, rather than a single research project. The funding supports postgraduate training through the Economic and Social Research Council’s Doctoral Training Partnerships. These partnerships provide structured PhD programmes that equip researchers with advanced skills in quantitative and qualitative methods, data analysis, and research design. The problem it addresses is the national need for a skilled social science workforce capable of tackling complex societal challenges—from economic inequality to public health policy. If successful, this training pipeline will produce a new generation of researchers who go on to work in academia, government, and the private sector. Their work could improve how public services are delivered, how businesses understand consumer behaviour, or how policymakers evaluate the effectiveness of social programmes. The impact is indirect but systemic: better-trained researchers lead to more robust evidence behind decisions that affect millions of people. This is primarily a capacity-building investment in fundamental social science skills, not a project with an immediate practical application. However, similar training programmes have historically generated the expertise behind major policy shifts—for example, in early childhood intervention or labour market reform.