We are delighted to announce the formation of a new consortium to promote the Social Sciences. This important and exciting new research collaboration extends across eight universities in the South and East of England (University of East Anglia, University of Essex, Goldsmiths University of London, University of Kent, University of Reading, Royal Holloway University of London, University of Surrey and the University of Sussex).
The Consortium has confirmed its first commitment which is to bid for an ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership. The Economic and Social Research Council announced in February 2015 that it will be delivering its postgraduate training strategy and studentship funding through a network of approximately 15 Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and 5 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) from 2017 onwards. The ESRC call will be announced in September 2015.
The Consortium will build on the achievements of current ESRC Doctoral Training Centres in the region and unite partners who have had previous success working together as part of a number of existing academic collaborations and formal partnerships, including the ESRC South East Doctoral Training Centre, NERC EnvEast Doctoral Training Partnership and the AHRC Doctoral Training Partnerships (Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) and TECHNE).
The first meeting of the Consortium was held in London on 20th March 2015 at which the proposed vision for the collaboration was set out as a strong and collegial partnership at the forefront of disciplinary and interdisciplinary development and recognised internationally for the strength of its social science research and training.
We look forward to working in partnership with academic staff and postgraduate researchers from across the Consortium to develop this shared vision and to enhance the future research and training environment for the next generation of social scientists.
A further update on the Consortium will be provided to staff in June 2015 and this will include additional advice on how preparations for responding to the ESRC DTP call will be taken forward.
The University of Kent lead academic representative on the Consortium Steering Group is Prof Diane Houston, Dean of the Graduate School and the senior administrative lead is Suzie Morris, Graduate School Administration Manager. Please direct any queries relating to the formation of the new consortium to graddean@kent.ac.uk (copied to s.m.morris@kent.ac.uk).
Further information about the ESRC DTP and CDT commissioning process is available at: www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/postgraduates/dtc/dtc-policy/commissioning-doctoral-training.aspx