ESRC Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership

The Open University sees success as one of the collaborating research organisations in an ESRC-funded Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).

The ESRC has commissioned 14 new DTPs, which will provide approximately 500 studentships through the whole network, and replace their current Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs). These DTPs and have been accredited for six years from the first student intake in October 2017.

The Grand Union brings together The Open University, Brunel University London, and the University of Oxford to create a social science research training community with distinctive and complementary research strengths, student profiles and approaches to research training. The partners combine:

• World-leading research excellence;
• A dynamic student-centred approach to postgraduate training, and;
• A firm commitment to intellectual exploration and widening participation.

By working in partnership, new thematic training pathways have been developed that expand the provision of cross-institutional training and co-supervision, and ensure scholars benefit from the best elements of all three universities.

The partnership also brings together academics; building collaborations and new thematic research networks. Each of the universities will learn from the others, and share innovations in doctoral pedagogy, knowledge exchange, collaboration and widening access.

For more information about this ESRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership, visit the Grand Union website.