PRESS RELEASE : Over 4,700 newly funded post-graduate places in UK universities to create new generation of engineers and scientists [November 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 November 2024.

Thousands of post-graduate students will be backed by government to study biological, engineering and environmental sciences at 45 universities across the UK.

Thousands of postgraduate students will study cutting-edge science at universities across the UK as part of a £500 million skills drive announced today (Wednesday 13 November) by the Science Secretary Peter Kyle.

This backing of our higher education sector will unearth new discoveries and bring through the expert workforce that can grow our economy and improve lives for years to come.

Support will be targeted to areas of study where universities are particularly strong, with over 4,700 talented students and 45 of our world-class higher education institutions unlocking the next generation of transformative discoveries, from pursuing the next lifesaving drug to investigating the clean energy of the future, and beyond.

The Doctoral Landscape and Doctoral Focal Awards, provided by UKRI and announced on National Engineering Day, will open doors to bright students to study projects in biological, engineering and physical, and natural and environmental sciences. The funding has been made available to universities and prospective students will apply in the coming months ahead of beginning their studies next year.

It supports our world-leading universities by creating opportunities to commercialise discoveries which could in time bring in millions of pounds to institutions, reflecting the key role they play in getting ambitious projects off the ground. These successes also enhance the reputation of our great universities, signalling them as centres of excellence in their subjects, which can attract more of the brightest researchers to study there and funding to support further research in their areas of expertise.

Similar funding packages supported former University of Leicester PhD student, Dr Roland Leigh, to create a tool now available to millions around the world to reduce the harm of air pollution by monitoring its levels. His work as Chief Technical Officer at UK-firm Earthsense continues to tackle its impact – with bases in six continents – as the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, linked to shorter lifespans and chronic diseases like asthma.

It also led to the foundation of Wild Bio by former University of Oxford student Ross Hendron – a spinout launched with £12 million of seed capital, the largest ever seed fundraise in plant science in Europe. The project is working to make crops such as wheat and maize grow faster by integrating expertise in plant biology with computer algorithms to analyse crop genetics, to tackle the challenges of global food security and climate change.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

Backing the next generation of great scientific minds to fulfil their potential is crucial to unlocking the discoveries which improve our lives and keep our economy growing over the long term through highly skilled jobs.

This £500 million investment will support our vitally important higher education sector while supporting more bright students to pursue their talents and in turn deliver the life-saving drugs and clean energy alternatives of the future, that benefit all of our lives.

The aim of this funding is to support the next generation of researchers in further groundbreaking work across the breadth of scientific discovery, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in health, physics, engineering and more, and driving the economic growth we need in the UK.

Other past recipients of similar funding packages include Dr Jennifer Olsen, who was named among the Women in Engineering Society’s ‘WE50 Engineering Heroes’ for her PhD work at Newcastle University to improve the function and comfort of prosthetic limbs, with her research continuing into improving the safety of prosthetic sockets.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

Our universities are vital engines of growth, and this government is backing them to cement this status by building a pipeline of skills that will drive the country’s economic recovery.

We have also been clear that we want to work with the higher education sector on a wider programme of reform, with Skills England helping ensure young people and adults have the training they need to access real opportunities in tomorrow’s economy, particularly those essential to advancing our clean energy goals and achieving a sustainable future.

UKRI Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said:

UKRI’s investments in Doctoral Training are pivotal for the UK’s research and innovation endeavour.

The awards provide funding for Universities across the UK to nurture a cadre of creative, talented people to develop their skills and knowledge, to build partnerships and networks, and to pursue the discoveries that will transform tomorrow, with diverse benefits for society and economic growth.

Dr John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:

We warmly welcome this announcement on National Engineering Day, which celebrates the transformative power of engineering to shape the world around us and improve our lives. UK engineering research has a strong global reputation and today’s support from government is an investment in our future economy.

Research advances in engineering and science provide the foundation for new products and services that generate jobs and benefit society. Engineering traverses the modern economy and engineers are involved in almost every economic sector, including many ‘non-engineering’ industries like financial services and the media.

Notes to editors

More than £564 million of funding announced will be allocated through three of UKRI’s research councils:

• Jointly, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Natural Environment Research Council Doctoral Landscape Awards will invest £293 million in more than 2,300 studentships across five cohorts.
• The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council will invest £279 million in doctoral landscape awards, supporting 2,400 studentships at 40 universities.
• The Natural Environment Research Council will invest a further £11.4 million to support around 90 studentships through 4 focal awards.