Strathclyde University is one of the institutions in a Scotland-wide consortium awarded funding by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for a new Scottish Doctoral Training Centre, which will deliver postgraduate training for researchers in the social sciences.
Beginning later this year, 65 studentships will be allocated annually across Scotland for the next five years. The awards are worth approximately £20 million over that five year period. Ten of the 65 studentships will be for pathways designated by ESRC.
The Scottish Doctoral Training Centre is one of 21 accredited by ESRC to fulfil the aim of delivering 'truly excellent postgraduate training provision' and was approved following a rigorous peer-review process. ESRC took the decision to introduce a new Postgraduate Training Framework in Spring 2009, with the main objective being to raise standards of postgraduate training across the social science research base in the UK, delivered through the creation of a national doctoral training network of individual institutions and consortia.
Institutions had to provide clear evidence of high quality in their proposed training provision and a willingness to innovate both in its content and structure. The training centres are also built on the principle of collaboration - between institutions in the design and delivery of the training - and between the training centres and a wide range of public, private and third sector organisations. Strathclyde's activity will be concentrated in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) and the Business School.
Welcoming the announcement, Strathclyde Business School Dean, Professor Susan Hart said, "The success of the bid for a Scottish Doctoral Training Centre, and Strathclyde's role in it, is an endorsement of the many strengths in these fields at Strathclyde and elsewhere in Scotland. We are delighted the bid has been accepted and look forward to playing a significant part in the centre's progress as it delivers significant social and economic benefits."
HaSS Dean Professor Tony McGrew said, "It is a great achievement for Strathclyde and the partner institutions that the Scottish Doctoral Training Centre is coming to fruition, after a rigorous review process.
Professor Susan Hart"We will be building on our own record of excellence in social sciences and will be taking full advantage of opportunities to work with partners, to enable our students to be people of leadership and influence in the future."
The Scottish Doctoral Training Centre, which takes effect in October 2011, is linked to the Scottish Social Science Graduate School, created by the partner institutions to provide enhanced training opportunities for PhD students. The application for the Scottish Doctoral Training Centre was led by the University of Edinburgh.