Northumbria University named as Centre for Doctoral Training

Northumbria University, Newcastle has led on a consortium bid with the University of Sunderland that has secured £1.2m from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

This substantial grant sees the Northumbria-Sunderland consortium named as a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), providing postgraduate research opportunities that are directly engaged with industry. Aimed at supporting specific AHRC priorities (namely arts and design), funding has been awarded to strong examples of collaborative working across Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and partner organisations.

As a CDT, Northumbria and Sunderland will offer training, skills and capacity for art and design postgraduate research, building on existing partnerships with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Sunderland’s National Glass Centre. This award follows the consortium’s previous success in AHRC’s first round of Block Grant Partnership funding, which funded studentships between 2008 and 2013.

Supporting the core research work of both Northumbria and Sunderland Universities, the award will support a number of studentships and also provide placement opportunities and additional training in research skills. It will also create opportunities for joint supervision, student events and conferences and peer support networks.

Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, said: “These studentships will create life-changing opportunities for some of the nation’s most talented prospective new researchers in the arts, reflecting the AHRC’s strategy for producing world-class postgraduates.

“The Council’s award is an indicator of Northumbria University’s growing research strengths in arts disciplines, building on our award-winning collaboration with BALTIC, and will significantly enhance our interaction with the creative economy.”

Northumbria University has also been recognised by the AHRC for its work in the heritage sector as one of several partners working with Hull University.