Skip to content Accessibility statement

White Rose Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership launched

News

Posted on Tuesday 11 October 2016

A consortium of northern universities is launching a new £16.8 million Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership, which aims to support postgraduate students in accessing the highest quality research training throughout their time at university.

The scheme, which brings together the Universities of Hull, Bradford, Sheffield Hallam, and Manchester Metropolitan, is part of the White Rose Doctoral Training Centre, led by the Universities of York, Leeds and Sheffield. 

The new partnership, which was announced at the White Rose University Consortium conference in Brussels, is one of 14 new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) accredited partnerships across the UK and will offer training in seven interdisciplinary themed training pathways, providing 38 fully-funded studentships a year for six years. 

Matthew Festenstein, Director of the Research Centre for Social Sciences at the University of York, said: “This new partnership recognises the quality of our Social Sciences postgraduate research and will enable interdisciplinary research training to address the major global social challenges that we face. It provides an exciting opportunity to work with new partners and we look forward to welcoming students next year.” 

Impactful research

The training focuses on providing skills such as working alongside international partners; handling different forms of data; and collaborating with others to develop impactful research.  The scheme also includes opportunities to work with non-academic partners and build research links with different city regions to conduct collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects. 

Professor Deborah Smith, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of York, said: “"We are delighted to be hosting postgraduate students engaged in this prestigious training programme, which builds on the excellence in social science research across our northern universities.  

“There has never been a more important time to be pursuing research that addresses social questions, often in an interdisciplinary context, that are of relevance to the critical global issues of our time.” 

Highly commended

The scheme was highly commended by the Research Council UK’s peer reviewers for building an innovative and dynamic postgraduate training environment through cross-university events, cutting-edge online learning platforms, and providing unique links between social sciences, humanities and STEM subjects. 

The first cohort of students will commence their studies in October 2017. 

Research newsletter

Our monthly research newsletter features a curated mix of news, events, and recent discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up

Explore more news

News

17 August 2026

A forgotten landscape that once drew world-leading botanists to North Yorkshire could hold the key to restoring lost wildlife, according to new research.

News

13 August 2026

Only 13 low-and middle-income countries offer smokers the full support needed to help them quit, leaving around 1.3 billion people without access to effective care, according to a new study.

News

12 August 2026

Professor Luke Mackinder is to undertake a 10-year project to unlock the secrets of how algae capture half of global carbon dioxide in a bid to combat climate change.

News

10 August 2026

Nearly two million households in England and Wales are living in water poverty according to a report published by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), and compiled by researchers at York.

News

4 August 2026

A new study has shown that the “iron grip” of the UK Treasury on public spending is a myth.

Read more news