Doctoral Training Centres

About the project

The University of Aberdeen is part of several Doctoral training centres carrying our world class research across disciplines. Each Centre or partnership provides funded PhD positions) and place significant importance on development into an independent researcher, as part of a larger cohort, under the guidance of an expert supervision team.

The multi-million pound project, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a research and training programme designed to equip PhD students with the skills, expertise, outlook, and real-world experience to become the next generation of scientific leaders capable of addressing the most pressing environmental grand challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability.

It brings together research and teaching centres of excellence in biological sciences and geosciences from the University of Aberdeen and Queen's University Belfast and collaborative partners to provide a transformative platform for PhD Research and training.

The £1 million project directly address the urgent global need to develop new and innovative strategies for the sustainable production of chemicals and materials using renewable feedstocks and renewable energy.

Funded jointly by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council, the University of Aberdeen is a partner in the SGSAH, the world's first national graduate school in the Arts & Humanities. The DTP offers offer unparalleled training and support to doctoral researchers in Scotland.

Funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council, the University of Aberdeen is a partner in the SGSSS, the UK's largest facilitator of funding, training and support for doctoral students in social science. By combining the expertise of sixteen universities across Scotland, the school facilitates world-class PhD research.

EASTBIO is the East of Scotland BioScience Doctoral Training Partnership. The University of Aberdeen is a partner in this DTP, funded by the BBSRC and supported by the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance.

Funded by the natural Environment Research Council, the SUPER DTP addresses an interdisciplinary "catchment to coast" research portfolio, combining the expertise of a well-established collaborative group of universities, delivering world-leading research and training in natural environmental sciences

Established with government support, through the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC), this multi-million-pound global centre of excellence works in partnership with government and industry to deliver research and training aimed at transforming oil and gas decommissioning and mature field management.

Political Concepts in the World (POLITICO) is a Horizon2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral training programme for ground-breaking research on how political concepts, such as citizenship, civil society and rule of law, are used in the world.

The Hydro Nation scholars programme is part of the Scottish Government's Hydro Nation strategy. The objective of the strategy is to develop the economic, environmental and social value of Scotland's water resources

Funded jointly by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council, the Industrial Biotechnology (IB) Innovation Centre (IBioIC) supports industrially-relevant PhD projects that bring biotechnology closer to industrialisation.

Funded by the Medical Research Council, The MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP) aims to Improve health by improving trials. The DTP presents an opportunity to undertake training for a PhD in trials methodology. Projects will be available in various areas including statistics, data analytics and informatics, computer science, health economics, qualitative methods, mixed-methods, clinical medicine and psychology.

The SUSTAIN Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) empowers the next generation of AI scientists to invent, develop and deploy technologies, co-created with growers and agri-food practitioners.

The £10.6 million project, funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) brings together the excellence of the Universities of Lincoln, Aberdeen, Queen’s Belfast and Strathclyde, and focuses on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to sustainable agri-food. SUSTAIN facilitates meaningful partnerships between academics and industry, investing in stakeholder-driven innovation, to provide a transformative platform for PhD Research and training.

This multimillion pound Doctoral Focal Award, funded by NERC, aims to build the future of nature markets. It is a major collaborative doctoral training programme led by the Universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, Durham and Glasgow. Its mission is simple and ambitious: To help create productive, healthy, and resilient environments and societies by developing the science and practice of nature markets — and delivering solutions directly into industry. NETGAIN works with businesses, land managers, NGOs, and policymakers to co create practical, evidence based approaches to net gain, nature finance, and environmental stewardship

Visit the NETGAIN website to find out more.

• QUARTILES: The multi-million pound project, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a research and training programme designed to equip PhD students with the skills, expertise, outlook, and real-world experience to become the next generation of scientific leaders capable of addressing the most pressing environmental grand challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability. It brings together research and teaching centres of excellence in biological sciences and geosciences from the University of Aberdeen and Queen's University Belfast and collaborative partners to provide a transformative platform for PhD Research and training. Find out more about QUARTILES
• Leverhulme Doctoral Training Centre for Sustainable Production of Chemicals and Materials: The £1 million project directly address the urgent global need to develop new and innovative strategies for the sustainable production of chemicals and materials using renewable feedstocks and renewable energy.
• Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH): Funded jointly by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council, the University of Aberdeen is a partner in the SGSAH, the world's first national graduate school in the Arts & Humanities. The DTP offers offer unparalleled training and support to doctoral researchers in Scotland. Find out more about SGSAH
• Scottish Graduate School for Social Sciences (SGSSS): Funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council, the University of Aberdeen is a partner in the SGSSS, the UK's largest facilitator of funding, training and support for doctoral students in social science. By combining the expertise of sixteen universities across Scotland, the school facilitates world-class PhD research. Find out more about SGSSS
• EastBio: EASTBIO is the East of Scotland BioScience Doctoral Training Partnership. The University of Aberdeen is a partner in this DTP, funded by the BBSRC and supported by the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. Find out more about EastBio View our currently advertised EASTBIO projects
• Find out more about EastBio
• View our currently advertised EASTBIO projects
• SUPER: Funded by the natural Environment Research Council, the SUPER DTP addresses an interdisciplinary "catchment to coast" research portfolio, combining the expertise of a well-established collaborative group of universities, delivering world-leading research and training in natural environmental sciences Find out more about SUPER
• National Decommissioning Centre Doctoral Training Centre: Established with government support, through the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC), this multi-million-pound global centre of excellence works in partnership with government and industry to deliver research and training aimed at transforming oil and gas decommissioning and mature field management. Find out more about the National Decommissioning Centre
• Politico: Political Concepts in the World (POLITICO) is a Horizon2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral training programme for ground-breaking research on how political concepts, such as citizenship, civil society and rule of law, are used in the world. Find out more about Politico
• Hydro Nation: The Hydro Nation scholars programme is part of the Scottish Government's Hydro Nation strategy. The objective of the strategy is to develop the economic, environmental and social value of Scotland's water resources Find out more about Hydro Nation
• IBioIC Collaborative Training Partnership: Funded jointly by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council, the Industrial Biotechnology (IB) Innovation Centre (IBioIC) supports industrially-relevant PhD projects that bring biotechnology closer to industrialisation. Find out more about IBioIC
• MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP): Funded by the Medical Research Council, The MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP) aims to Improve health by improving trials. The DTP presents an opportunity to undertake training for a PhD in trials methodology. Projects will be available in various areas including statistics, data analytics and informatics, computer science, health economics, qualitative methods, mixed-methods, clinical medicine and psychology. Find out more about The MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership
• SUSTAIN: The SUSTAIN Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) empowers the next generation of AI scientists to invent, develop and deploy technologies, co-created with growers and agri-food practitioners. The £10.6 million project, funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) brings together the excellence of the Universities of Lincoln, Aberdeen, Queen’s Belfast and Strathclyde, and focuses on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to sustainable agri-food. SUSTAIN facilitates meaningful partnerships between academics and industry, investing in stakeholder-driven innovation, to provide a transformative platform for PhD Research and training. Find out more about SUSTAIN
• NETGAIN: This multimillion pound Doctoral Focal Award, funded by NERC, aims to build the future of nature markets. It is a major collaborative doctoral training programme led by the Universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, Durham and Glasgow. Its mission is simple and ambitious: To help create productive, healthy, and resilient environments and societies by developing the science and practice of nature markets — and delivering solutions directly into industry. NETGAIN works with businesses, land managers, NGOs, and policymakers to co create practical, evidence based approaches to net gain, nature finance, and environmental stewardship Visit the NETGAIN website to find out more.

Research areas