On Wednesday 29th January, the Doctoral Training Partnerships and Centres for Doctoral Training were launched at a conference at the University of Nottingham.

1. Looking Forward
Professor Mark Llewellyn
AHRC Director of Research
29 January 2014

2. Caveats
• This presentation is not an announcement
• Thoughts that may feed into future proposals
• Opportunity for comments and reflections from
community (see timetable in final slide)
• Focus now is on delivering new DTP/CDTs
• But … with an eye to the future evolution of the
scheme

3. Recognition of changes
… and their pace
• BGP1 (2009 starters)
– stability
– increased efficiency and ensure decision—making devolution
• BGP2/DTPs and CDTs (2014 starters)
–
–
–
–
more significant change to the block grant model
fewer awards (lead organisation and number of studentships)
balance between DTP and CDT components
funding devolved and strategy for flexible delivery of studentships
• (BGP3…): Next phase (2019 starters)
– model has to evolve
– flexibility has to be maintained and potentially enhanced
– community collaboration and partnerships beyond the academy

4. Evolution of scheme – current and next
• Increased expectation around collaboration
– Strategic
– Delivery
• Balance between breadth (DTP) and specialism (CDT)
– which priority areas?
• Funding expectations
– Duration of studentships
• Potential to move to 4 year funding
– Continue flexibility in use of funds
• Application process
– No Expression of Interest stage

5. Funding requirements: some future
considerations
• Set budget for the scheme
– Set amount/% of overall AHRC Programmes budget for PG?
• currently 43% (FY2014/15)
• longer term aspiration (since 2010) to move to 33%
• sustainability and viability
• Bids to demonstrate minimum capacity threshold for
studentships but there will not be a maximum number of
studentships requested
• Decisions on allocation to be based on capacity, quality and
priority
• Commitment and leverage required
– Potential minimum matched funding level
– Potential % of match or additional funding from non-HEI sources;
greater incentive and demonstration of partnership

6. Timetable thoughts…
Date
Activity
First cohort of DTPs and CDTs begins
October 2014
First reports from DTP/CDTs
Early 2015
‘White Paper’ for comment on DTP/CDT2 scheme
2015/16
DTP/CDT2 scheme launched
November 2016
Application deadline for DTP/CDT2
October 2017
Proposal checking, peer review
By end February 2018
Right to reply
March 2018
Panel meeting
May 2018
Recommendations considered and decisions made
June 2018
Outcomes
July 2018
Final cohort under DTPs and CDTs begins
October 2018
First cohort DTP/CDT2 begins
October 2019