The University of York is participating in an innovative pilot programme trialling a new route into postgraduate-level research. Their new Doctoral Training Programme is called the EPSRC Mobility DTP in Leadership and Excellence in Circular, Resource-efficient, Sustainable Manufacturing.
This unique programme is offered as a CPD opportunity for candidates with an industry background to undertake academic research and gain a PhD.
With full funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and backing from industry partners, this doctorate with a difference responds to a need to address skills gaps, strengthen links between academia and industry and widen participation in advanced research.
The UK government has ambitious plans to increase investment in research and innovation by strengthening and diversifying the expertise needed to lead the way. Re-skilling, up-skilling and growing the pool of researchers working on industry-backed research projects will help to address existing skills shortages and forge new links between business and academia making for easier sharing of knowledge, best practice and talent.
The unusual degree of flexibility offered in this Doctoral Training Programme is proving useful as a way of responding to the barriers sometimes faced by candidates from non-standard backgrounds. For example, this programme recognises that leaving employment to do a PhD would, for a candidate from industry, likely mean making the difficult decision to give up their salary. For lots of people this is not realistic and their dream of doing a PhD ends there. This programme is different. It doesn’t require candidates to leave their jobs or take a career break. This way, they retain their income, their professional standing and their industry links and networks. They don’t need to step away from industry to enter academia – this programme allows them to co-exist in both.
The pilot programme has been admitting candidates since 2021 and is inviting applications for the remaining few places for entry in the current academic year (2022-2023). Employers can nominate their employees as candidates for the programme. Employees may also nominate themselves. If you’d like to know more about the programme or are considering applying, please direct any enquiries to the programme’s Admin Manager, Jen Gibbard, at chemgrad@york.ac.uk.
