Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDAs) provide funding for PhD-level research projects which are developed in partnership between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and non-HEI organisations or businesses. The funding is awarded to the HEI and the student receives a stipend.

Organisational partners will be invited to submit project proposals to the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH), which will then be circulated to member HEIs across ten universities. The individual HEIs will respond to those partners they are interested in working with. The organisational partner will then select an HEI to work with to take the proposal forward to the formal application stage.

Partner organisations will be expected to nominate a member of staff to work with the student over the course of the three-and-a-half-year PhD research project (or seven years part-time). This should include the student working on the project within the organisation for at least six months, and up to 18 months. The exact duration and pattern of attendance (full-time/part-time/flexible) within the host organisation will be dependent on the individual project, and should be agreed by all parties at the outset.

Students should be provided with desk/work space and resources in line with standard staff arrangements.

Students are fully funded to undertake their PhD, including the time spent within the partner organisation. This period should be integral to the completion of the project and is not an optional extra or internship.

Funding decisions will be made by panels coordinated by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH). SGSAH receives funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to support doctoral training (i.e. PhD level research) in Scottish HEIs.

Organisational partners are expected to contribute £500 in each year of the project (i.e. £1,750 in total) towards student costs. In exceptional circumstances, the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) may consider applications from organisations that are unable to meet this cost.

SGSAH will award up to 20% of the total FTE studentships to CDAs. This is likely to be between 10-16 CDAs.

The partner should assign a member of staff to act as the organisational supervisor for the project. The HEI should assign one or more academic supervisors to the project. The student will undertake the project with the support of the supervisors. SGSAH will oversee the CDAs at national level and coordinate biannual meetings for all parties. SGSAH will also provide training for academic and organisational partner supervisors.

Partners commit to being fully engaged in the project as an active participant for the entire duration of the PhD (3.5 years full-time or 6/7 years part-time). Partners must have the capacity to host and support the PhD student within their organisation for a period of 6-18 months, depending on the requirements of the project. Partners should be involved in at least three formal meetings with the PhD student and students each year, and attend biannual SGSAH CDA Gatherings, which will bring participating students, partners and academics together as a cohort.

A.      Organisational Partner Led

The organisational partner submits a 500 word proposal. SGSAH circulates the proposal to its HEI members across 10 universities. The HEIs respond directly to partners. Partners select an HEI to work with. All parties collaborate on the final application form. If there is no student attached to the project at the point of application, the project should be advertised to students if the application is successful. Organisational partners and HEIs should collaborate to select a student. Appendix A outlines the timetable for the CDA process.

B.       HEI Led

The HEI supervisor will develop the project with an organisational partner and submit an application in February 2024. If there is no student attached to the project at the point of application, the project should be advertised to students if the application is successful following the panel review in March 2024.

Under route A (as outlined above), partners will have free reign to propose a research topic related to their work. Academic supervisors, once selected by partners, can provide assistance in framing the topic as a PhD question, as required.

A PhD is the highest academic award offered by universities. In order to undertake a PhD, a student must normally complete an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree. The duration of a PhD is normally 3.5 years full-time or 6/7 years part-time, at the end of which a thesis containing new knowledge will be produced. Candidates who are awarded a PhD may use the title ‘Doctor’. PhD students are also referred to as doctoral researchers.

The SGSAH AHRC-funded programme is highly competitive. The rigorous application and selection process ensures excellent PhD candidates.

Organisations across the public, private and third sectors based anywhere in the UK are eligible to apply as part of a Collaborative Doctoral Award.

The student will produce a PhD thesis containing new knowledge and undertake tasks agreed by the organisational partner in order to deliver a specific project related to the partner’s area of work.