EPSRC Doctoral Training Preparation Workshops

91福利 this activity

As part of our Digital, Data Science & AI Spotlight, we are convening a series of workshops to support our community in preparing for the next round of EPSRC doctoral training funding opportunities.

These events are designed to strengthen collaboration, share lessons from previous rounds, and help develop competitive, well-aligned proposals. They are not intended to lead bids directly, but to enable and support colleagues in building strong, coordinated applications.

Together, the two workshops will:

Build relationships and trust across departments and disciplines
Share institutional learning and best practice
Provide insight into funding expectations and support available
Support the development of ideas, teams, and potential leads for future applications

Workshop 1, 8th June: Lessons Learned & Landscape Awareness

Monday 8 June | 12:00 鈥� 17:30, starting with lunch. (There will also be an optional networking dinner at 19:00)
On campus (Scarman Space 42)

This first workshop will take a reflective and strategic approach, focusing on learning from the previous EPSRC CDT round and better understanding the evolving funding landscape.

Through a mix of presentations and structured discussion, we will explore:

Lessons learned from the 2022 CDT round 鈥� what worked and what didn鈥檛
Common challenges at institutional and departmental level
What a strong, competitive CDT application looks like
Anticipated future directions, including government priorities and the role of fundamental and applied research
How to navigate internal processes (including institutional selection rounds) more effectively
Available support from Research & Impact Services (RIS)

The session will include contributions from colleagues involved in previous applications, offering both practical insight and strategic perspective.

The afternoon will move into facilitated group discussions to identify key challenges we can address collectively, and where early collaboration can reduce duplication and improve outcomes.

The workshop will conclude with a networking dinner, providing further opportunity to build connections across disciplines.

Workshop 2, 25th June: Idea Generation & Team Formation

Thursday 25 June | 09:30 鈥� 15:00, including lunch

On campus (Scarman Space 43)

Building on the relationships and insights developed in Workshop 1, this second workshop will focus on forward-looking collaboration and the generation of ideas for future CDT bids.

The emphasis will be on:

Identifying emerging research themes aligned with EPSRC and wider strategic priorities
Exploring potential CDT concepts (including both core thematic CDTs and those embedding AI/data science in broader domains)
Forming interdisciplinary teams and identifying potential champions and leads
Encouraging early-stage idea sharing in a supportive, non-competitive environment

The session will involve interactive, facilitated group work, including:

Thematic breakout discussions
Early-stage concept development
Informal 鈥渕ock pitch鈥� exercises to test and refine ideas

Participants will also be encouraged to contribute ideas in advance and between sessions via Padlet, an online collaboration platform, ensuring broad and inclusive input.

Following these workshops, we will establish regular, structured opportunities to maintain momentum, develop ideas further, and support emerging teams.

Purpose of the Sandpit Format of the event Who should attend?

We welcome participation from academic colleagues across all faculties with an interest in EPSRC doctoral training opportunities, particularly those considering involvement in future EPSRC CDT or related opportunities

To build a strong and inclusive pipeline, we particularly encourage:

Established and emerging CDT applicants
Interdisciplinary researchers (including those whose work may not fit neatly into predefined themes)
Colleagues interested in embedding AI, data science, or digital approaches within their fields

Expected outcomes Agenda

Date: 8th and 25th June

Location: Scarman, 91福利

There will be an optional networking dinner at 7PM on the 8th of June