News

Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training – 15 fully funded four-year studentships now available

Home applicants: application deadline is 3rd January 2023
International applicants: application deadline is 12th December 2022

Interview Days:  February/March 2023 (to be confirmed)
Start Date: 25th September 2023

Register now for our online webinar for prospective applicants:
Introduction to the Horizon CDT 
Professor Steve Benford, Horizon CDT Director
11am-12pm, Friday 1st December 2022

About the Horizon CDT PhD Programme

Our EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Creating Our Lives in Data is establishing technologies and methods to enable producers and consumers in the Digital Economy to co-create smarter products in smarter ways, re-establishing trust in the use of personal data. Smarter products combine physical and digital technologies to deliver personalised blends of goods, services and user experiences. These are made through co-creation and data creativity in which consumers actively engage in shaping the products they use.

The Centre brings together leading figures from computing and engineering as well as the social sciences, business and humanities from the University of Nottingham; plus researchers from the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility at De Montfort University. We are co-funded by EPSRC and over 40 industry, third sector and international partners.

Our students are innovating applications across sectors including consumer goods, creative industries, high value products, and health and wellbeing – seeking out new synergies between them. We do not expect every student to be an expert in all of the areas mentioned above; our aim is to train people to work in transdisciplinary teams, ready to become future leaders in industry, the third sector and academia.

Our innovative four year PhD programme combines research, technical and professional skills training, an internship with a partner organisation, and opportunities for international exchanges. The programme is led by Director Professor Steve Benford, previously an EPSRC Dream Fellow, Visiting Researcher at Microsoft, the BBC’s first Visiting Professor, and the recipient of four BAFTA nominations; and Deputy Director Dr Nicholas Watson, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering.

Horizon CDT students benefit from:

  • A fully-funded four year PhD programme that integrates a leading-edge research project with research training in transdisciplinary skills.
  • An external/industry partner to help embed your research in the real world.
  • Placement with a partner organisation and opportunities for international exchange.
  • A generous enhanced annual stipend  (£19,981 for 2022/23 – awaiting confirmation for 2023/24).
  • Being part of a cohort of high achieving PhD researchers.
  • A world class research environment with a track record of 85+ Horizon CDT graduates to date.
  • Developing highly sought after interdisciplinary skills and experience.

How to apply

For more information about the application process, including eligibility and selection criteria and the documentation you will need to provide please see How to Apply.

The minimum academic entry requirement is a 2.1 undergraduate degree. For non-native English language speakers an IELTS average score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any element is required.

Recruitment process

After the published closing date applications will be reviewed by a shortlisting committee and candidates will be notified by email regarding the outcome of the shortlisting meeting.  Shortlisted candidates will first be invited to an academic interview at the University of Nottingham.  Candidates who pass the academic interview will also need to pass a partner interview before a studentship offer can be made. The academic interview date is normally advertised, however candidates should be aware partner interviews will be organised following the outcome of the academic interviews therefore the partner interview dates are unknown at this time. Partner interviews are usually carried out via Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

PhD studentships 2023 poster

PhD student experience video

In this short video below, Horizon CDT student Pepita Stringer shares her experiences of studying for a multidisciplinary PhD within the EPSRC Horizon My Life in Data CDT.

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Horizon: Creating our Lives in Data is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under grant reference EP/S023305/1.