AHRC funding to develop the next generation of academics in the arts and humanities

The South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership is to receive funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) over eight years to deliver postgraduate supervision, training and skills development from 2019.

The Consortium – a collaboration between Cardiff University and eight other universities: Aberystwyth, Bath Spa, Bristol, Cranfield, Exeter, Reading, Southampton and UWE – is one of 10 DTPs to have been awarded a total of £170 million funding from the AHRC.

The South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership was originally established in 2014 and has adapted and expanded to form a strategic regional partnership which will offer greater opportunities for staff and students alike.

In addition to new members, Cranfield University and the University of the West of England, the consortium has formalised membership with an Independent Research Organisation, the Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum of Wales.

The Consortium will offer postgraduate studentships, Collaborative Doctoral Awards, and training and development opportunities across the full range of the AHRC’s disciplines, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the members of the consortium and 23 cultural, arts, heritage and industry partners including Aardman Animations, Arts Council South West, Cornwall Museum Partnerships and Historic England.

The South, West and Wales consortium is committed to developing creative approaches across disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that will facilitate the building of a new communities of scholars, researchers and professionals who are flexible and able to respond to both fast-moving research and industry environments.

The funding will allow for the development of a diverse pool of highly trained, skilled and professional researchers who will contribute to the UK’s cultural, economic and social wellbeing.

Professor Mark Llewellyn, Professor of English Literature at Cardiff University will be a member of the Doctoral Training Partnership’s Delivery Board. Professor Llewellyn said: "Cardiff University is pleased to be able to build on the work undertaken as part of the South West and Wales consortium under the first Doctoral Training partnership. Postgraduate research students will benefit from a diverse range of subjects and supervisory expertise within Cardiff and derive the full added value of multi-institutional teams and training opportunities. Collaboration, partnership, flexibility, a wide number of cultural and creative partners for placement and other activities - the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership promises to enable new researchers to develop individual programmes alongside the work towards their thesis.

“This is an investment in talent for the next decade as new research student cohorts benefit from and contribute to the vibrancy of our institutions. Importantly for Cardiff, Wales and, indeed, the sector as a whole, the new form of working with such a major asset as Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum of Wales and its place as a member of the Doctoral Training Partnership consortium will take partnership and collaboration across research organisations forward in new ways as we co-design and co-create knowledge, research experiences and environments for the future."

Professor Edward Harcourt, the AHRC’s Director of Research, Strategy and Innovation, said: “The AHRC is delighted to announce its renewed commitment to the Doctoral Training Partnerships model. Our support for the next generation of arts and humanities researchers is critical to securing the future of the UK arts and humanities sector, which accounts for nearly a third of all UK academic staff, is renowned the world over for its outstanding quality, and which plays a vital part in our higher education ecosystem as a whole.

“We were extremely pleased with the response to our call, which saw high-quality applications from across the UK from a variety of diverse and innovative consortia, each with a clear strategy and vision for the future support of their doctoral students.”