Doctoral focal award plus: innovating in data-driven research (Grant)

This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for ESRC funding and have the infrastructure in place to provide postgraduate training.

Project lead and project co-leads

Organisations can only apply as the project lead on one application but can be a co-lead or project partner on any number of applications. The lead organisation will act as the training grant holder.

The project lead organisation and any project co-lead organisations will host the studentships and act as the principle base organisation for students.

You may apply as a single-institution or a multi-institution consortium. Within a single-institution application, the project lead will be the only hosting organisation. For multi-institution applications, you should identify one of the organisations as the project lead.

The project lead does not have to be an organisation with doctoral research degree awarding powers, but an organisation with these powers must be present within your consortium. In addition, where organisations without doctoral research degree awarding powers are hosting studentships, formal agreements must be in place from the start of the award with another relevant organisation with these powers.

Identification of the project lead should not be interpreted as recognition as the dominant partner or where the majority of studentships will be hosted. While only one project lead can be included on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service, UKRI welcomes applications that reflect flexible and joint leadership models.

Partnerships must show a clear and joint strategy for delivering their vision and fostering the growth and maturation of collaborations over the funding period.

Project partners

Organisations that are not eligible for UKRI funding may act as project partners on your application. Information regarding the nature of these collaborations must be included within your application in the project partners section. Any organisation acting as a project partner may do so on any number of applications as long as they are able to support them if funded.

Organisations which are eligible for UKRI funding but will not provide the principal base (host) for students during the award may also be named as project partners. An organisation cannot act as both a project lead (or co-lead) and a project partner in the same application.

We welcome applications to include a wide range of project partner organisations contributing to research and training within the scope of this funding opportunity. This can include, but is not limited to:

• universities that are not leading or co-leading the proposal

• businesses of all scales

• public sector organisations, such as public sector research establishments and government at all levels, including devolved administrations

• third sector organisations

• voluntary, community and social enterprise

• other key stakeholders across the research and innovation landscape

Your application must demonstrate that there is significant added value from any project partners you choose to form part of your consortia. This may include, but is not limited to:

• other collaborative studentships

• placements for students

• training for students, researchers, or both

• access to facilities, equipment, or both

• financial commitments to partially, or fully, fund additional studentships

• commitment to cover the costs of access to facilities or training that cannot otherwise be provided

• strategic links to an important stakeholder or user

There is no limit to the total number of organisations you may include within your application. However, each member of the consortia must make meaningful contributions to the delivery of the training grant, as outlined in your application.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

• career breaks

• support for people with caring responsibilities

• flexible working

• alternative working patterns

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Remit

Complete and submit the remit query form, if you are unsure whether your proposed training falls within the remit of ESRC.

Demand management

Demand management is being applied to this funding opportunity. Further details are provided in the ‘additional information’ section.

Vision

We are funding one doctoral focal award plus to develop a cadre of social scientists across career stages with the creative vision and skills needed to use data-driven research approaches in imaginative and insightful ways, applying their skills to understand the world and address complex societal and economic challenges.

This will be achieved through a combination of doctoral training and targeted training and capacity building (TCB) activities for mid-career and senior researchers. Further information on what a doctoral focal award plus is can be found in the ‘Additional information’ section.

We want social scientists at all career stages to have the skills and capability to maximise the value of large and complex data available for research purposes. Social scientists should be equipped with both the technical skills and the robust conceptual and methodological understanding necessary to design and undertake innovative data-driven research. The skills that are required span qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods approaches.

We take a broad definition of what ‘data-driven research’ encompasses, and more detail can be found under ‘Additional information’. We expect a broad range of disciplinary perspectives, within the social sciences and beyond, to be involved in the award.

For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, go to the ‘Additional information’ section.

Innovation in data-driven research will be the core focus of this doctoral focal award plus.

We expect the following outcomes:

• a cadre of doctoral researchers with the knowledge and skills needed to use innovative approaches in data-driven research to transform our understanding of the world and inform policy and practice

• piloting new approaches to postgraduate training (i.e. level seven and eight) and opening it up to a wider audience who may not want to undertake a traditional PhD, therefore diversifying the doctorate and addressing employer needs in sectors outside of academia

• in addition to the provision above, a tailored training programme that uses innovative pedagogical approaches alongside cutting edge methods to effectively upskill social scientists across career stages and relevant to a range of careers

• highly skilled researchers able to undertake research using novel data-driven approaches, including applying methods and data in innovative ways, to deliver new insights

• sharing of good pedagogical and methodological practice

To enable a continuing pipeline of researchers, the learning and good practice developed by the doctoral focal award plus will be actively shared across the social science community and beyond, and resources will continue to be made available beyond the end of the funding period.

The doctoral focal award plus will complement and add value to ESRC’s and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s existing portfolio of training and capacity building initiatives and data infrastructures.

However, this funding is not intended to duplicate or extend existing provision within those infrastructures. If used, proposals should instead seek to support their novel use to address emerging research priorities and optimise their value.

Where relevant, we expect you to set out how you will build upon, support and integrate with existing research and innovation research centres, infrastructures and facilities, to realise the potential of data-driven research in the social sciences.

You are expected to be able to articulate a clear, concise vision for your doctoral focal award plus. It should be situated within the wider social science talent landscape and identify how the aims will advance knowledge as well as deliver impactful benefits.

Approach

The doctoral focal award plus will achieve its aims by delivering a training and capacity building offer through a programme of doctoral training and a suite of training and capacity building activities supporting mid-career and senior researchers.

We encourage novel and imaginative approaches. The design of the doctoral focal award plus will need to be interdisciplinary to fulfil its objectives. The leadership team must comprise expertise from across social science disciplines, drawing on contributions from other research council domains as required. You should not feel constrained by established areas of interdisciplinary working or the use of specific datasets.

The training provided must ensure learners understand the breadth of social science methods, extending beyond the qualitative/quantitative binary, and that the research question should drive the data and methodological approaches used. Applications for a doctoral focal award plus that are focused solely on the use of either qualitative or quantitative approaches will not be assessed as a priority.

The investment should recognise and build upon broader innovative practice across the sector.

You may wish to include a logic model as part of your response.

Doctoral training

The doctoral focal award plus will support an innovative doctoral programme that will:

• produce a new generation of doctoral graduates that have strong capabilities across a conceptually broad range of fields relevant to data-driven research and can apply a diverse range of research methods

• develop novel new learning pathways and models that diversify the doctorate

• create an innovative programme design and pedagogical approach tailored to support the efficient and effective teaching of data-driven research skills

UKRI is committed to developing its support for doctoral training to better meet UK workforce needs. This is an opportunity to explore and pilot more flexible and inclusive approaches which better support the upskilling of the existing workforce and widen the UK talent pipeline.

Approaches should reflect employer needs in a range of sectors and you should consider how you can support the delivery of this requirement for example by leveraging additional income for level seven and level eight training that cannot be provided using ESRC funds. Any planned co-funding models must be clearly explained in your application.

The programme design and pedagogical approach should:

• include a curriculum that unifies skills training and conceptual knowledge; and effectively embeds relevant advanced and specialised training within its core training programme

• embed the teaching of digital skills to ensure researchers are confident in digital data collection from digital sources (including ownership, curation and storage), and analysis

• support research projects focused on the novel use of data-driven approaches

Training provision must be student-centred and flexible. ESRC’s postgraduate training and development guidelines 2022 details our minimum expectations for core conceptual, general and specialist research training and ‘Research in practice’. The guidelines also set out our expectations with respect to:

• collaborative studentships

• development needs analysis

• supervisory practice and supervisory teams

• placements

• equality, diversity and inclusion

Brief overviews of our expectations in these areas can be found in the “Additional information” section.

Applications must set out how you will meet the expectations set out in our postgraduate training and development guidelines, including how you will:

• meet our expectations for core conceptual, general and specialist research training

• run the studentship allocation process

• put in place the processes to meet our expectations for development needs assessments, including how you will engage with supervisors to ensure that they are aware of the different training opportunities

• embed research in practice as a core component of the doctoral experience for all ESRC funded students

• ensure all students have access to high quality, innovative and experientially based professional development opportunities throughout the doctoral experience which should develop transferable skills and provide opportunities to apply knowledge in different contexts

• demonstrate a clear strategy for communicating with supervisors and ensuring that they are fully engaged with the aims and objectives of the doctoral focal award plus

• encourage members of staff, including early career researchers, to join the supervisory teams

• deliver comprehensive inductions for new supervisors and support development for supervisory teams in line with an inclusive culture of excellent research supervision

• identify and meet supervisors’ training and professional development needs

• monitor the performance of supervisors

A strong cohort identity must be developed across all students funded via the doctoral focal award plus. Students are expected to be able to benefit from the opportunities coming from being part of a rich and diverse research training environment in data-driven research. You should evidence the quality of the research environment you will provide for students. This should include:

• Research Excellence Framework (REF) metrics (output, environment and impact)

• supervisory capacity

• completion rates

• major grant funding or centres of excellence

• other indicators they believe demonstrate the quality of the research environment.

All UKRI funded training grants must offer the option of studying on both a part-time and full-time basis. You should detail how you will support students and staff who require a flexible working pattern.

Supporting mid-career and senior researchers

Our scoping work (see ‘Additional information’ for more detail) identified a strong need to support the upskilling of the social science community at all career stages. The doctoral focal award plus will deliver targeted training and capacity building activities for the wider social science community.

Collectively, the proposed programme of activities will:

• buy out researcher time to develop and apply new skills

• enable skill development in different disciplinary and sector settings

• support trainers and supervisors working with students utilising data-driven research approaches

• develop sustainable peer networks

Activity should draw upon and open up the core and advanced training developed for the doctoral programme to a wider audience. Applications can also include mechanisms that address barriers to upskilling such as allowing researchers to buy out their current roles to support their continued skill development. For example, through running a devolved funding opportunity.

Partnerships and collaboration

We are committed to knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers and the private, public and civil society sectors. Collaborative working benefits both the researchers and the individuals/organisations involved.

Through collaboration, partners learn about each other’s expertise, share knowledge and gain an appreciation of different professional cultures. Collaborative activity can therefore lead to a better understanding of the ways that academic research can add value and offer insights to key issues of concern for policy and practice.

You will be expected to work collaboratively with non-academic partners. Your application should set out how your partnerships and collaborations will add value to the doctoral focal award plus, including:

• how you will leverage additional studentships

• how your approach will enhance the training offer, for example, by offering additional specialist expertise or opportunities

• how your approach will enhance the experiences of learners and the impact arising from activities delivered through the doctoral focal award plus

• why you are confident that your approach will deliver the outcomes expected such as the co-funding required and placements

• plans for scoping a flexible programme of activities across various sectors

• how different audiences and stakeholders will be targeted and justify any prioritisation strategies

• proposed co-funding and/or cost-recovery models

Sustainability

The doctoral focal award plus is expected to work with the ESRC Research Capability Hub to ensure training and capacity building materials and activities developed by the investment, such as online resources; networks; and communities of practice, are sustainable beyond the end of the funding period.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our student and research community and ensuring that we provide an inclusive and supportive environment for all.

You must set out your strategy for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to support participation of learners from all backgrounds, as well as details of the support systems in place to protect and promote physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The strategy must consider EDI broadly, recognising the full range of protected characteristics and socio-economic backgrounds. It should include the embedding of EDI principles at all levels and in all aspects of research and training practice in the doctoral focal award plus, including the selection and management of doctoral candidates and other cohorts.

All institutions within the partnership must have procedures in place that allow them to capture EDI data on all applicants, for each stage of the recruitment process, from the outset of the doctoral focal award plus. We want to collect socio-economic data based on the measures set out by the Social Mobility Commission and this will be built into the annual reporting template the doctoral focal investment will need to submit.

You must describe your strategy and actions in a dedicated EDI plan as part of your response to the EDI assessment question.

Sharing good practice

This investment will play an important strategic role in developing our understanding of both how to effectively open up doctoral training to wider audiences; and how changes to pedagogical practice can improve the teaching and learning of data-driven approaches in the social sciences across all career stages.

You are encouraged to consider how the doctoral focal award plus can benefit the wider UK social science community. The successful team will be expected to have in place mechanisms to share this learning. Additionally, the investment should seek to showcase broader innovative practice from across the sector.

Delivery, management and governance

The doctoral focal award plus must be led by a strong interdisciplinary team with:

• the relevant scientific, professional and administrative expertise and resource to deliver the proposed programme of activity

• good awareness of relevant innovations taking place across the social sciences, both in the UK and internationally, and at the interface with other research council domains, for example, the digital humanities; computational and biosocial research

• the ability to manage and encourage partnerships with non-HEI organisations across government, industry and civil society

• demonstrable experience of managing and delivering high-quality doctoral training and supporting diverse cohorts of students

• the capacity to design and implement inclusive and accessible training approaches that widen participation and support equality, diversity and inclusion

• experience of developing sustainable training resources and approaches that can have impact beyond the lifetime of the award

• strong leadership and governance arrangements to effectively manage complex, multi-partner programmes

• the ability to embed skills development aligned with current and future workforce needs across academic and non-academic sectors

• experience of monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement to ensure the programme delivers high-quality outcomes

Based on our experience of supporting doctoral training investments, at a minimum, research organisations need to provide the following resourcing to support the delivery of doctoral training:

• a senior level director post (more than 20% full-time equivalent (FTE) for single institution doctoral focal award plus, more than 30% FTE for consortia institution doctoral focal award plus)

• a deputy director

• an identified training lead

• an experienced senior level manager and an administrator (with administrators or points of contact based at each partner institution for consortia proposals)

• management board commitment and support for finance and knowledge exchange

• other support that will depend on the individual institutional configuration.

You should consider what additional resources will be required to support the broader aims of the investment beyond doctoral training.

The project lead should be an ambitious and aspirational research leader with appropriate experience of leading research grants. Where the role represents a significant career advancement, applications should demonstrate a commitment by the research organisation to supporting the individual and enabling them to develop the necessary leadership capabilities they need to fulfil the role.

You will need to explain the suitability of the director and the senior management team. We expect that the director will remain in place for the duration of the doctoral focal award plus. If they step down, we will be required to approve their replacement.

Applications should address how the proposed leadership and management arrangements will provide adequate operational capabilities and resources to meet the demands of the planned activities.

Proposed governance arrangements must be clearly articulated. The doctoral focal award plus must have a mechanism through which it can get independent strategic advice on its development and delivery such as an independent advisory board.

Monitoring and reporting

The monitoring of progress towards the goals and evidence of impact is also important.

You will be expected to describe in your application:

• what success looks like for doctoral candidates, mid and senior career researchers and wider audiences or stakeholders

• what evidence you will capture to measure progress and show impact towards your goals, and the process of capturing the data

You will be required to attend and participate in bi-annual investment management meetings with ESRC and bi-annual Doctoral Training Network investment director’s meetings.

You will also be required to submit an annual report on doctoral and other training provision to us. This includes the reporting of EDI information for applications received and studentships awarded.

Duration

Funding for a cohort of eight studentships will be provided per year for three years with students expected to start in October 2027, therefore the award must start by 1 October 2027.

Funding allocated to support mid-career and senior researchers must be fully utilised within the first four years of the award (by September 2031)

Funding available

ESRC will contribute a maximum of £5.85 million.

You will be expected to support a minimum of 10 studentships per year for three consecutive cohorts (the first being 2027 to 2028 and the final cohort commencing in 2030 to 2031).

We will provide funding for eight of those awards. Additional funding equivalent to at least two students per cohort must be secured from other sources. You will need to indicate your commitment to meeting this requirement and provide evidence of the sources for additional funding.

For the purpose of applying, you are advised to allocate around £3.1 million of the funding for the studentship costs. The remainder of funding, around £2.75 million, should be allocated to supporting activities targeted at other career stages.

A minimum of £10,000 (100% FEC) must be ringfenced within the grant to work with the ESRC Research Capability Hub to ensure online resources are sustainable beyond the end of the funding period.

Costs associated with academic staff will be funded in the usual way with ESRC contributing 80% of these costs and the remaining balance being guaranteed by the research organisation.

All salary costs, expenses, equipment and other costs must be clearly and adequately justified. Costings must be correct and provided as instructed on the UKRI Funding Service.

If successful, applicants and the host research organisation will be expected to respond promptly to requests for information to support subsidy control checks

Additional funding leveraged by the investment, either through its participating research organisations, other funders or external co-funding partners, should be noted in the application but not included in the budget requested.

What we will fund

Studentship costs

The funding for the studentship element will be provided on the basis of the ESRC notional cost of a studentship. We cannot be precise about the total value at this point as this will depend on the stipend and fee rates relevant to each academic year, and whether the research organisations within the doctoral focal award plus are eligible for London weighting or not.

Funding will, therefore, be provided on the basis of each studentship being four years in duration inclusive of a three-month placement. However, the actual funding allocated to individual students should reflect any prior training as identified through a development needs analysis.

Funding to undertake a three-month placement has been embedded within the standard PhD model, with all studentships having access to three and a half years of funding and £1,000 allocated to support the additional costs of undertaking a placement (for example, travel and subsistence). Those who do not take part in a placement will receive funding for three and a quarter years.

As noted above, funding equivalent to at least two students per cohort must be secured from other sources, for example, from non-academic partner(s) in business; public and/or voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors.

Further information on the terms and conditions of this funding, including how training grants are administered, can be found in our Postgraduate Funding Guide.

Notional costs include:

• stipend calculation: UKRI set minimum stipend levels annually. The latest rate (for academic year 2026 to 2027) is £21,805. Calculated per student per year

• fees calculation: UKRI set minimum fees levels annually. The latest rate (for academic year 2026 to 2027) is £5,238. Calculated per student per year

• research training support grant calculation:£940 per student per year.

• overseas fieldwork calculation: £450 per student per year

• student and cohort development calculation: £3,330 per student which includes £1,000 to support the development of placement activities. Please see the Postgraduate Funding Guide for examples of other activities that can be supported by this funding

• London allowance calculation: £2,000 per student per year for those studying at a London institution

The costs provided for studentships are fixed and do not require any further justification.

Further information on the terms and conditions of this funding, including how training grants are administered, can be found in our Postgraduate Funding Guide

We are keen to support researchers to develop the capability to operate in a global context. Therefore, we will continue to provide support for overseas fieldwork for doctoral students and provide extensions to allow time for difficult language training. We will also provide funding for overseas institutional visits of up to three months to undertake specialist research training and to develop collaborative links.

The normal flexibility of UKRI training grants will apply.

What we will not fund

We will not pay salary or admin costs associated with the studentship element of the funding.

Funding for the participation in level seven, apprenticeships programmes or standalone master’s courses cannot be claimed and, where included, must be delivered on a cost-recovery basis.

Non-studentship costs

What we will fund

Non-studentship costs will support the upskilling of mid-career and senior researchers. The breakdown and justification of these costs must be provided in the application.

Costs can be requested to support the delivery, coordination, and management of non-studentship activities to allow the successful doctoral focal award plus to establish structures and processes to develop and deliver opportunities.

Costs associated with academic staff will be funded in the usual way with ESRC contributing 80% of these costs and the remaining balance being guaranteed by the research organisation.

Costs for training resources developed for the wider community may be funded at 100% full economic cost (FEC). Initiatives and activities, including devolved funding schemes, targeted at upskilling an individual should be funded at 80% FEC.

Please note that indirect and estate costs cannot be claimed for staff costs listed under ‘Exceptions’.

Supporting skills and talent

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.

Data requirements

We recognise the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded activity must be well-managed by the researchers involved to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research. See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements.

ESRC funding is conditional on adherence to the research data policy. Therefore, any non-doctoral researchers funded through the doctoral focal award plus must also adhere to this policy. You should explain in your application how this will be managed.

Students must be made aware of good data management practice within the social sciences and referred to the ESRC Research Data Policy that is available on our

website. Decisions on whether the results of a student’s work are published are at the discretion of the student and supervisor. ESRC-funded students are strongly encouraged to offer copies of any machine-readable data created or repurposed during the lifetime of the award for deposit in the UK Data Service. ESRC-funded students who are likely to produce data of any kind as a result of their award are recommended to read the UK Data Service data management guides.

Further guidance on the importance of managing and sharing data; content for inclusion in a data management plan; and data deposit is available on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website.

Impact

We expect applicants to consider how the doctoral focal award will have impact by generating new knowledge, improving lives and driving growth. This can be achieved at a macro level through the influence of the doctoral focal award plus on the sector; and at a micro level through the potential scientific, societal and economic impacts of the research undertaken by learners funded through the award. The successful applicants will be expected to capture its outcomes and impacts and share them with us.

Research ethics

We require that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to proper professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance.

We have agreed a Framework for Research Ethics that all submitted applications must comply with. Read further details about the Framework for Research Ethics and guidance on compliance. In particular, consideration must be given to how the legal, responsible and ethical use of data in research will be embedded within the work of the doctoral focal award plus.

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

Panel assessment

A commissioning panel will use the evidence provided by your application to assess the quality of your application and rank it alongside other applications to provide a shortlist.

The commissioning panel will conduct interviews with shortlisted applicants after which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

ESRC will make the final funding decision.

Interview

Shortlisted applications will be invited to interview which we expect to be held week commencing 18 January 2027.

Timescale

We aim to communicate decisions in February 2027

For more information on how we prioritise applications for funding please visit How we make decisions.

Feedback

We will give feedback with the outcome of your application.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment (DORA) and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI Principles of Assessment and Decision Making.

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review

Reviewers and panellists are not permitted to use generative AI tools to develop their assessment, including to correct language, spelling, grammar and formatting. Using these tools can potentially compromise the confidentiality of the ideas that applicants have entrusted to UKRI to safeguard.

For more detail see our policy on the use of generative AI.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas we will use are:

• vision

• approach

• positive culture and environment

• capability to deliver

• governance

• justification of costs

• project partners

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Find details of assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Application questions’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section.

Click https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP1310/apply/1338 in the UKRI Funding Service to apply. We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

To apply

Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.

1. Confirm you are the project lead.

2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password.

3. Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.

4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.

5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.

6. Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant.Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.When including images, you must:

• provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit)

• insert each new image on a new line

• use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format

Images should be used sparingly and only to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include:

• sentences or paragraphs of text

• tables

• excessive quantities of images

A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.For more guidance on the Funding Service, see:

• how applicants use the Funding Service

• how research offices use the Funding Service

• how reviewers use the Funding Service

References

References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application.Hyperlinks can be used in reference information. When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that:

• references are easily identifiable by the assessors

• references are formatted as appropriate to your research

• persistent identifiers are used where possible

General use of hyperlinks

Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information. You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment.

Deadline

ESRC must receive your application by 14 October 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.You will not be able to apply after this time.Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines.Following the submission of your application to this funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and submitted applications will not be amended. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

Personal data

Processing personal data

ESRC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member needs to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email: DataDrivenResearch@esrc.ukri.orgInclude in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].Typical examples of confidential information include:

• individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)

• declaration of interest

• additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section

• conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection

• the application is an invited resubmission

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.

Institutional matched funding

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

Publication of outcomes

ESRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at What ESRC has fundedIf your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

Summary

Word limit: 550In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.We may make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information. Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example:

• opinion-formers

• policymakers

• the public

• the wider research community

Guidance for writing a summary

Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:

• context

• the challenge the award addresses

• aims and objectives

• potential applications and benefits

Core team

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

• project lead (PL)

• project co-lead (UK) (PcL)

• specialist

• grant manager

• professional enabling staff

• research and innovation associate

• technician

Only list one individual as project lead.If partner higher education providers are hosting studentships to have access to the grants, they need to be listed as a project co-lead on the ‘Team’ section of the award.UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application.Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications.

Application questions

Vision

Word limit: 1,000What will this training investment achieve? How will this support UK capability and capacity needs and why is it important that UKRI support this activity?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Please outline:

• a clear vision, and objectives that will make a positive contribution to the scope of this investment opportunity and deliver high quality doctoral education with tracking measures

• the positive outcomes and impact for society and the economy that the investment is aiming to deliver. Describe the strategies to deliver these, grounded in a model that results in highly skilled doctoral graduates, employable across a range of sectors and careers

• how your vision aligns and will positively contribute to relevant wider strategies and priorities, including national capability and capacity needs. If relevant, describe how it will provide additionality to your existing doctoral provision

References may be included within this section.You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Approach

Word limit: 3,500How will the training programme, that you deliver through this grant, support your vision, and align with UKRI’s ambitions for its investments?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your choice of training programme will:

• deliver your vision and any specific requirements set out in the opportunity documentation, including why this approach is necessary to achieve your expected outcomes

• embed delivery of UKRI’s statement of expectations for its students so that the programme provides a holistic approach that delivers high quality doctoral research. Also, how it integrates in-depth subject knowledge, research and methodological skills, and wider skills development opportunities

• embed delivery of UKRI’s statement of expectations for its students so that the programme supports students to build their understanding of what conducting high quality research involves

• embed delivery of UKRI’s statement of expectations for its students so that the programme prepares globally competitive researchers, able to use their skills to thrive in a range of sectors and careers. And also, operate across interdisciplinary, collaborative and challenge-led environments

Within the Approach section we also expect you to:

• identify how the requirements set out in the ESRC Postgraduate Training and Development Guidelines will be met, including Research in Practice; Development Needs Analysis; and supervision

• evidence the quality of the research environment in data-driven research you will provide for students

• explain how the training investment will ensure learners will manage and share data appropriately and encourage the uptake of good practice set out in ESRC and UKRI policies

• articulate a clear and targeted approach to supporting mid-career and senior researchers to develop and apply advanced data-driven skills, addressing how your offer will address their distinct needs and drivers to upskill

• demonstrate partners are committed to working together, with effective two-way engagement; and that they will positively and constructively contribute to the delivery of the training programme with learners benefitting from these interactions

• justify your approach to partnership and collaboration, clearly setting out how proposed partners have been selected and how their contribution will enhance the quality and relevance of the training provision

• explain how collaboration between partners will add value beyond what could be achieved by individual organisations, including how it will strengthen capability, innovation and impact

• share learning and good practice with the wider social science community

You can include a logic model as part of your response. Logic models should be clear and concise and must support the application. It must not be used to introduce new information. It can be added as an image.References may be included within this section.You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Positive culture and environment

Word limit: 750How will you create and maintain an inclusive and supportive culture and environment for all those involved?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your training programme will:

• create and maintain a positive, inclusive and supportive environment for all students, researchers and staff involved, addressing a variety of needs and supporting good wellbeing including relevant, specific support and training for supervisors where needed

• champion and embed equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) for students and staff, across all aspects of the training grant, including supervision, training design and approaches, and flexible student support

Capability to deliver

Word limit: 2,500Who will lead and drive delivery of this application’s vision?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Demonstrate that those leading the delivery of this award have:

• secured the appropriate research and pastoral capacity to support the number of studentships that you expect to deliver through this award

• a well-evidenced track record of the experience and skills needed to deliver the proposed vision, training programme, and scale

• a well-evidenced track record of contributing to a positive research culture and the wider community

• a well-evidenced track record of supporting the training and development of others, particularly previous involvement in delivering doctoral training successfully

Partnerships and governance

Word limit: 1,000How will you manage the award to successfully deliver its objectives?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how the proposed award will be managed, demonstrating that it:

• will be effectively governed, including details about advisory structures

• will be effectively and inclusively managed, demonstrated by a clear management plan

• has clear leadership team roles and responsibilities

• will manage and encourage partnerships with non-HEI organisations across government, industry and civil society

• has plans for monitoring your progress as well as self-evaluation throughout the lifetime of your award

• will put in place appropriate governance and administration to deliver the range of devolved funding opportunities

• has equality, diversity and inclusion embedded in plans for convening and engaging with their community and the allocation of the awarded funds

Within the Governance section we also expect you to demonstrate that:

• arrangements are appropriate for the size and complexity of the investment and ensure continuity of the programme’s capabilities

• continual improvement is supported

• legal duties of the programme and providers will be managed appropriately

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Justification of costs

Word limit: 1,000What will you need to deliver the non-studentship element of your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a single, overall grant value for your proposal, Confirm the total cost for studentships and the total cost of non-studentship activity.The overall or individual funding levels do not need to be justified where these have been mandated by UKRI, such as studentship costs.Provide a breakdown and justify the costings for all non-studentship activities, which allow the successful doctoral focal award plus to deliver its planned activities in particular:

• staff

• significant travel for collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)

• any equipment that will cost more than £25,000

• any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities

• all facilities and infrastructure costs

• all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’

• any devolved funding opportunity or scheme

Further information on costs can be found in the ‘What we are looking for‘ section.Studentships costs will be awarded on the basis set out in the funding opportunity and cannot be changed.Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all resources.Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:

• are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified

• represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes

• maximise potential outcomes and impacts

For detailed guidance on eligible non-studentship costs please see the ESRC Research Funding Guide.

Your organisation’s support

Word limit: 1,000Provide details of support from your research organisation.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Provide a statement of support from your research organisation detailing how they will support you, as the applicant, and your proposed activities. This should include details of any additional support that might add value to the work.Assessors will be looking for a strong statement of support from your research organisation. This information should have been approved for submission by an appropriate institutional authority.You must also include the following details:

• a significant person’s name, their position and office or department, or all

• office address or web link

Project partners

Add details about any project partners’ contributions. If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service.A project partner is a collaborating organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed activities. This may include direct contributions for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities. Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.Add the following project partner details:

• the organisation name and address (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable)

• the project partner contact name and email address

• the type of contribution (direct or indirect) and its monetary value

If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Project partners letters or emails of support

Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the Project Partner section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box, or if you do not have any project partners enter ‘N/A’. Each letter or email you provide should:

• confirm the partner’s commitment to the project

• clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them

• describe any additional value that they bring to the project

• be no more than one A4 page in length

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the project partners’ section.For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.Do not provide letters of support from host and project co-leads’ research organisations.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Word limit: 1,000What approaches and activities do you have planned that will embed EDI into your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

Explain how your EDI plan:

• is effective and appropriate to embed EDI

• comprehensively identifies the key EDI challenges and how they will be addressed and/or managed

• will report and measure EDI outcomes

• will maximise awareness of and mitigate against bias in your team and the wider community in terms of gender, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic through processes, behaviours and culture

• describes how your approach will build upon and integrate existing EDI good practice into your proposed work

• will share good practice with the wider community to ensure your research has maximum impact

You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the service.References may be included within this section.

Facilities

Word limit: 250Does your proposal require the support and use of a facility?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

If you will need to use a facility, follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Ensure you have prior agreement so that if you are offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project.For each requested facility you will need to provide the:

• name of facility, copied and pasted from the facility information list (DOCX, 42KB)

• proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicated on the facility   information list

• confirmation you have their agreement where required

Facilities should only be named if they are on the facility information list above. If you will not need to use a facility, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

Trusted Research and Innovation is the protection of the UK’s intellectual property, sensitive research, people, and infrastructure from potential theft, misuse, and exploitation.Organisations receiving UKRI funding are obliged to act in line with UK government legislation. They are also expected to undertake appropriate due diligence assessments of organisations involved in research partnerships, collaboration agreements, and commercial contracts.You will be asked about:

• which areas of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act your project relates to

• who you intend to collaborate with and how

• if your project requires an export control licence

Your answers may affect the T&Cs of your funding agreement if you are successful. We may use your answers to determine that our current T&Cs are sufficient or if additional T&Cs are required.

Background

You should ensure you are familiar with the scoping work that has informed this funding opportunity.

Defining data-driven research

We are broadly using the following definition for data-driven research used by the Data-driven Research Skills (DDRS) Steering Group in its report:“determined by or dependent on the collection and/ or analysis of data. It has acquired new significance given recent changes in the speed, scale and forms of data available for social science research. These changes – accelerated by digitalisation and increasingly ubiquitous computing – provide significant new opportunities for social science research including the increasing volume of large and complex data spanning innovations in textual and visual methods, observational methods, digital technologies, machine learning and AI as well as developments around large and complex data structures and big data”

What is a doctoral focal award plus?

Doctoral focal awards provide support for areas that require a concentration of studentships in combination with a highly tailored training programme.Doctoral focal awards:

• provide a focus on the advancement of a specific theme or research challenge, or to build capacity in an area where there is a demonstrable skills gap

• address the development of a theme, research challenge or skill that would not be addressed at scale through a landscape award

• facilitate cohort-based and interdisciplinary training both within and beyond council boundaries (same thematic focus but open to a range of disciplines)

• promote collaboration beyond academia within a specific sector

In addition to supporting doctoral training, a doctoral focal award plus typically provides training and capacity building opportunities for researchers at other career stages. The types of activities supported will vary and are informed by the strategic needs in the theme/challenge area being targeted.

Research and innovation impact

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment, to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

Expectations for doctoral training

Full details of our expectations can be found in the ESRC postgraduate training and development guidelines. Below is a summary of key areas.

Allocation of studentships

The allocation of studentships will be devolved to the doctoral focal award plus. To ensure an applicant’s potential is the primary criterion, we expect the studentships to be allocated through a fair and transparent open competition, not based on internal quotas.

Collaborative studentships

Collaborative studentships, developed in partnership, with non-academic organisations will be an important part of the doctoral focal award plus offer, providing direct benefit to students and host organisations.Undertaking a studentship in partnership with a non-academic organisation gives students access to training, facilities and expertise not available in an academic setting alone. It can also give students an opportunity to develop a range of valuable skills and significantly enhance their future employment prospects.For the users themselves, the benefits of collaborating include accessing experts and cutting-edge research, accessing innovative ideas that could improve policy or practice and enhancing organisational creativity, performance and productivity.With the requirement of providing Research in Practice placements we do not want to lose the benefits collaborative studentships bring. We have therefore set a target that at least 15% of the studentships we fund should be collaborative with non-academic organisations in the public, private or civil society sector. Collaborative studentships can also include a placement as part of the funding opportunity. While co-funding is encouraged it is not required.

Development needs analysis

Development needs analysis (DNA) is fundamental to achieving more flexible and responsive doctoral training. Students should benefit from a tailored DNA experience that allows for specific training needs, learning outcomes and research in practice elements to be clearly defined.At the outset of the PhD, the DNA will be used to inform the structure of funding that is appropriate for each student, taking account of prior knowledge and experience and at a minimum we expect this to be reviewed annually.

Research in Practice

Research in practice should comprise of a suite of options aimed at developing students’ skills in a number of core areas relating to employability. These are:

• ability to apply research skills in different research contexts

• ability to collaborate across sectoral and disciplinary boundaries

• communication with impact, developing networks, entrepreneurship and leadership skills

• ability to proactively engage in their own personal development and career direction

The doctoral focal award plus is encouraged to work in partnership with other training providers outside of their organisation to develop and deliver opportunities and also consider opportunities for student-led activities.Students will be expected to participate in a range of opportunities, tailored through the development needs analysis according to their previous experience, goals and development needs.As part of Research in Practice, our ambition is that all students have the opportunity to complete a placement in academia, policy, business or third sector organisations. This will give them the practical opportunity to develop their transferrable skills and apply their research skills in different contexts.

Supervision and supervisory teams

Effective supervision is critical to the success of the doctoral training programme. Formal systems are required for:

• monitoring the performance of supervisors

• identifying their training and professional development needs

• ensuring that these needs are met

Ensuring that supervisors are engaged with the doctoral focal award plus is essential to ensure that the student gets the most out of their ESRC studentship and the range of opportunities available to them.Full details can be found in the ESRC’s postgraduate training and development guidelines 2022.

Supporting documents

EIA for the opportunity (PDF, 168KB)

Demand management

Organisations can only apply as the project lead on one application but can be a co-lead or project partner on any number of applications. The lead organisation will act as the training grant holder.

Research disruption due to COVID-19

We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:

• breaks and delays

• disruptive working patterns and conditions

• the loss of ongoing work

• role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic

Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.

Contact details

Get help with your application

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page.The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

Related content

• UKRI policies and standards

• ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide

• ESRC Postgraduate Training and Development Guidelines

• UKRI training grant terms and conditions

• ESRC guidance for applicants

Contact Details

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact DataDrivenResearch@esrc.ukri.orgAny queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.Email: support@funding-service.ukri.orgPhone: 01793 547490Our phone lines are open

• Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm

• Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries quicker, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.For further information on submitting an application read How applicants use the Funding Service.