Aim
Our aspiration is to support non-HEI organisations to deliver doctoral training in partnership with higher education institutions (HEIs) for the next generation of arts and humanities researchers. These training partnerships aim to identify and address short and long-term skills challenges and foster interdisciplinarity between the cultural, creative, and heritage sectors with academia and other employers.
The overall aim of the collaborative doctoral landscape award scheme is to support a high standard of collaborative research training through:
- giving non-HEIs greater autonomy in the selection of doctoral projects they would like to support and supervise
- providing non-HEIs, individual organisations and consortia with a firm funding horizon of collaborative doctoral awards to support their research training strategy, and the development of enhanced programmes of doctoral study that provide students with career development opportunities outside the standard academic route
- fostering collaboration between collaborative doctoral landscape award holding organisations and consortia in the development of wider training and development opportunities for the doctoral students they support
Scope
In May 2022, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) announced its transition to collective talent funding across talent initiatives, with the UKRI Doctoral Investment Framework launching in November 2023. From January 2024, all UKRI doctoral support have been framed around two types of awards: doctoral landscape awards and doctoral focal awards.
Doctoral landscape awards provide:
- broad, flexible funding to support talented doctoral students to contribute to a vibrant, internationally attractive and world-leading research and innovation system
- breadth and diversity in the research supported to ensure that as a community we are rapidly responsive to new and emerging research ideas and areas
- opportunities for a variety of engagement with non-academic partners
We are looking for innovative and inclusive doctoral programmes designed to train students to undertake research and gain the core skills needed for a variety of careers.
You will be expected to deliver pioneering research and innovative training across AHRC’s remit and address strategic challenges faced in relevant sectors, such as, the cultural, heritage and creative sectors. Your application must demonstrate that the collaborative doctoral landscape training programme offers a high-quality research training environment and sufficient research capacity to deliver that training.
Training remit
Applications must outline a coherent training programme which demonstrates how students will undertake individual research projects in collaboration with both the non-HEI and HEI organisations. We will need to understand how you will support collaborative doctoral research training, ensuring that:
- individual student needs are considered and met
- students are given appropriate supervisory support, access to resources, and unique training and development opportunities to deliver their studies effectively
It is important that organisations offer more than access to resources, collections or archives. Assessors will be looking for commitment to enable students to undertake additional development opportunities, such as, placement activities and the chance students to be involved in the organisation on a wider scale.
Collaborative doctoral landscape award holders are expected to work together to deliver a programme of cohort training (see below) and we will need to understand how you will contribute to the programme and facilitate your students’ engagement with it.
You are advised to identify where you have world-class expertise and infrastructures to develop their doctoral candidates including:
- demonstrating an existing commitment to supporting postgraduate research, such as through organisation research and strategies, previous experience in supporting collaborative doctoral research or both
- how becoming a collaborative doctoral landscape award holder will support wider research strategies within your organisations
- how you intend to manage this award effectively (for example, by ensuring clear and robust arrangements are in place for project and supervisor selection and ongoing review)
Collaborative doctoral landscape awards should provide doctoral training in areas of research relevant to the AHRC’s remit and priority research areas. These are covered in AHRC’s strategic delivery plan.
Training delivered by these collaborative doctoral landscape awards may build on existing infrastructure where applicable. We encourage engagement with relevant sector networks and other AHRC and UKRI doctoral training investments.
We support interdisciplinary research (for example, heritage science) proposals but ask that applications demonstrate how interdisciplinary research will be immersed in an environment where the students will understand the impact of their research on the arts and humanities research landscape.
Note that, whilst the call for studentship projects can outline broad priority areas, it is not possible to ring-fence awards for specific projects or organisations.
Alignment with UKRI core offer
Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training.
The UKRI core offer sets out the expectations for all UKRI studentships, including support and student experience, research skills and methods, and professional and career development. This information has been used to define the assessment criteria for this funding opportunity. See the section ‘How we will assess your application’ for further details. All applications must clearly state how the requirements outlined within the core offer will be delivered as part of their application.
UKRI good practice principles in recruitment and training at a doctoral level
You should also demonstrate how you will deliver UKRI good practice principles in recruitment and training at a doctoral level. These principles aim to make the doctoral pathway accessible and attractive to a diversity of potential applicants and outline good practice principles in equality, diversity and inclusion across the following four key stages of the doctoral recruitment and training process:
- finding talent: to make the doctoral pathway accessible and attract potential applicants who may not currently view a doctoral study as accessible to them
- shortlisting and interviews: to ensure the applicant shortlisting and interview process is fair and transparent
- nurturing talent: to make the student training experience as inclusive as possible
- monitoring and reporting: to be used effectively to foster a diverse and inclusive environment
Defining an excellent collaborative studentship
All collaborative doctoral landscape studentship projects must be delivered in partnership with HEIs. Applications can also include additional project co-leads and project partners. These collaborative projects should be characterised by:
- excellent research: challenging, feasible and realistically achievable doctoral projects that stimulate excellent research, providing tangible benefits to all partners through a truly collaborative approach
- a high-quality training environment: access to distinctive but complementary high-quality training environments across the partnership stimulates collaboration and encourages students to acquire novel skills and expertise
- a focus on student experience: partners will enrich the integrated training experience through joint supervision of students, wherein the student gains a greater understanding of their research impact and is supported throughout their research journey
Collaborating with HEIs
A key component of the collaborative doctoral landscape opportunity is the collaboration and partnership between the non-HEI, as the overall award holder, and the HEIs with which they choose to partner, to develop different research proposals. The HEI will become the training grant holder for individual studentships (collaborative doctoral awards).
Non-HEIs will work closely with a range of HEIs to develop proposals, recruit, supervise and support students, and manage the collaborative doctoral studentships. The studentships are student career focused, with the student spending up to half of their time in the non-HEI organisation and benefitting from the support of two supervisors, one within and beyond academia.
This collaboration, and the development of these partnerships, is one of equality, where one partner is not simply a support for another. Ongoing decision-making, support for students and management of awards is a joint process with both partners contributing on an equal basis.
Coordination Group and collaborating with other award holders
The coordination group is a central component of the collaborative doctoral landscape awards. Its purpose is to enhance the training and development opportunities available to students and to share good practice among award holders. We expect all successful non-HEIs and consortia to work together within this group.
We will provide additional funding to support student cohort development and the coordination group’s activities via an individual and separate award. Collaborative doctoral landscape award holders must commit to participating and contributing to the group, including providing in-kind contributions. For example, use of time, space and expertise.
The coordination group will deliver cohort development and training to students, enabling them to develop their research, build their careers, network, and support partner organisations, and shape the future of the UK’s sectors in which they work. It aims to build a community of students from across the different collaborative doctoral landscape cohorts and the diverse organisations involved in this scheme.
By participating in the coordination group, award holders contribute to a collaborative environment that benefits both the students and the broader research community.
Project development and supervisor selection
An important element of collaborative landscape awards is the development of collaborative projects and the selection of supervisors. Non-HEIs must outline how they will engage university researchers to develop projects and collaborations, ensuring a broad range of applicants and studentship projects.
This engagement is crucial for fostering diverse and academically robust projects.
Non-HEIs will work closely with university researchers to develop proposals, recruit, supervise and support students. The projects should be collaborative in nature, jointly conceived, and structured to be delivered as a joint programme of work. This collaboration ensures that students benefit from the expertise and support of both the non-HEI and HEI supervisors.
For interdisciplinary research proposals, it is essential that students receive supervisory support from supervisors covering the different disciplines involved. This approach ensures comprehensive guidance for students and fosters interdisciplinary learning.
If the application involves a consortium of non-HEI organisations, it is important to explain how the project and supervisor selection process will be managed across the consortium.
Additionally, include details of any advisory bodies or external input into your selection processes. This external input can provide valuable perspectives and enhance the quality of the selection process.
Management and governance
You are expected to explain how governance, monitoring, and student progress will be managed within the partnership.
The management of the award needs to align with the principles of responsible innovation, trusted research, and environmental sustainability, to create value for society in an ethical and responsible way.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
EDI is a core feature of this funding opportunity. In line with UKRI’s principles on EDI, we want to work with our partners to shape a dynamic, diverse, and inclusive system of research and innovation that is an integral part of society.
You will need to explain how your EDI action plan will embed the core principles of EDI at all levels and across all aspects of the collaborative doctoral landscape award.
You will need to ensure that:
- students from diverse backgrounds are recruited in a fair, open and transparent way
- any barriers to engagement are mitigated
- all students receive ongoing support, according to their needs, to deliver the best research they can
We will require collaborative doctoral landscape award holders to put in place monitoring of these arrangements, across the consortium partners, if applicable, to enable it to review the effectiveness and openness of its recruitment process and strategies for student support.
This will be an ongoing process of review and analysis. Where this process identifies concerns, responsive changes should be implemented.
Your collaborative doctoral landscape programme should work to provide everyone involved with an opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, the award.
Through the EDI action plan, you must demonstrate how your EDI strategy will embed the core principles of EDI at all levels and across all aspect of the doctoral programme, including:
- increasing PhD access, including recruitment practices
- working practices, including individualised student support
- wellbeing support, including mental health
- monitoring and evaluation, including a baseline and plans for improvement
We would expect the EDI strategy outlined in the plan to describe how your doctoral programme is accessible to a diverse range of people and needs, and how you will be removing barriers to participation across your doctoral programme and associated processes. Your application should demonstrate how you will create and maintain a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment for all students and staff.
You should refer to equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI and AHRC’s equality, diversity and inclusion action plan. As a mandatory requirement, the EDI plan, including strategies, activities and commitments stated by successful applicants will be regularly reviewed by AHRC. This data will be collected on at least a yearly basis via annual reports , and we will reserve the right to access these data across the lifetime of the award. See the UKRI data collection policy for more information.
Reporting requirements and monitoring
The monitoring and evidencing of progress toward the vision and objectives of these partnerships, as well as their impact, is an important component of this award. Information gathered from training grant holders will be used by AHRC to review the success of our training investments, to provide assurance that the awards are being managed appropriately and are progressing in accordance with the original funding application. This will be conducted in various ways, including:
- mandatory annual reports
- hosting regular visits by AHRC staff, in meetings or in person
We will request key information from collaborative doctoral landscape award holders, such as doctoral candidate recruitment, collaborative partner engagement, training and development activities offered, and examples of doctoral achievements.
Successful applicants will be expected to respond to other reporting requirements when requested.
Duration
This award will support four years worth of student intake, starting in October 2027. Each studentship will last four years, meaning the total duration of the grant will be seven years (84 months).
Funding available
AHRC is intending to offer up to 50 studentships per year, for four years, through collaborative doctoral landscape awards. We reserve the right to adjust these numbers to meet the requirements of the funding opportunity and to balance our overall studentship portfolio.
You can apply for a minimum of three students per year. Smaller, less experienced non-HEIs have the flexibility to apply for two students per year, provided they offer a clear rationale for doing so within their application. Doctoral projects would be aligned to the non-HEI organisation’s priorities and undertaken with a university partner.
All doctoral projects will need to be within AHRC’s remit. The first cohort would start in October 2027.
You should state in your application the number of studentships per year that you are bidding for. This will need to be justified in relation to your track record of engagement with postgraduate research and training. Please bear in mind the total number of awards available for the scheme; to achieve a balanced portfolio, it may be necessary for AHRC to award fewer studentships than requested.
Organisations that are successful in their application to become collaborative doctoral landscape award holders will be allocated a ‘notional’ number of studentships per year. The collaborative doctoral landscape award organisation or consortium has the autonomy, within AHRC guidelines, to select the collaborative doctoral projects it wishes to support in collaboration with a UK HEI partner. It then nominates these to AHRC for funding. The allocation is notional in the sense that the funding for each doctoral studentship is paid to the academic partner involved, rather than to the non-HEI organisation.
Studentships will include sufficient funds to meet the annual UKRI minimum stipend and fee levels and research costs in the form of a research training support grant. Collaborative doctoral landscape studentships will also include a stipend uplift to reflect the collaborative nature of their award and the costs this can incur, for example, travelling between the HEI and non-HEI.
Financial support for students
The collaborative doctoral landscape award holding organisation is expected to make a financial commitment to the students recruited, recognising the higher costs which doctoral students may incur in undertaking a collaborative project (especially where the HEI and non-HEI are geographically distant).
In-kind support from the collaborative doctoral landscape award holder and HEI partners is mandatory. This includes in enabling engagement with the cohort programme.
Supporting skills and talent
If applicable to your application, we encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.
