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Updated June 2026
The deadline for the 2026 Doctoral School Researcher Development Awards has now passed.
We are currently reviewing applications and will be in touch over the next two weeks to inform applicants of the outcomes and invite shortlisted candidates to interview.
Find out what winning this award means to recipients from 2025 and 2026 below.
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Information for UG and PGT students
You must:
1. Have just completed a minimum of 2 years FTE of undergraduate studies or are enrolled on a postgraduate taught programme.
2. Identify from one of the following broad categories of ethnicity:
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- Asian
- Black
- Other (to include Asian, Black, mixed and other ethnic background)
(For HESA definitions of ethnicity categories please see here – Ethnicity (applicable to E1).
3. Be available for 2-4 weeks of work (between 17.5 – 35 hours per week depending if committing to part- or full-time placement) between 15th June and 24th July 2026.
4. Have demonstrated engagement with your taught studies to date.
5. Are motivated to gain research experience and build research skills.
Your application will be assessed on meeting the criteria for the application as stipulated above:
- Criterion 1 and 2 will be assessed by your application.
- Criterion 3, 4 and 5 will be assessed via your application and at interview.
- In your application we will also ask about your skills and experience, as well as areas of interest for research. This information will help the panel understand more about your motivation, and will allow them to provide successful candidates with advice when selecting from the different research project opportunities.
Successful applicants will be required to:
- Confirm acceptance of the award which will be linked to a particular research project (allocation will be informed by successful candidate’s interests).
- Complete the research hours agreed.
- Be engaged with the project.
- Attend a session to find out more about research opportunities for future study (PGR) and for career opportunities.
- Following the placement, submit a short report (500 words), reflecting on the experience, skills gained, opportunities provided, and how the experience may support (or not) future career aspirations.
- Experience what being a researcher is about and determine whether it is for you.
- Be involved in an area of research you are interested in (where possible) or that will help you develop skills you wish to develop.
- Develop research skills experience.
- Regular (minimum of one per week) meeting to discuss and feedback on your experience as you go, with open communications to ensure you are supported throughout to allow you to gain the maximum benefit of the programme and support you in developing your research experience.
- Learn about independent research and how to take responsibility for your own learning.
You can read more about the experiences of our award recipients from last year below.
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15th May 2026
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Announce to UGs/PGTs
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Announce to ECRs
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31st May 2026, 10 am
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Applications due
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Project ideas due
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8th June 2026
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Shortlisted applicants invited to interview
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8th June 2026
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Applicants sent project information
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10 - 12th June 2026 (TBC)
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Panel interviews for applicants – applicants will advise on project choices should they be successful and why.
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15th June 2026
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Advise successful candidates and pair with ECR: Updates to both
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17th June 2026 (unless work to commence earlier, whichever is earliest)
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Deadline to accept award – Sign acceptance, and return so award can be confirmed and processed for payment
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19th June 2026
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UG/PGR mentoring training
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ECR training for mentoring and supervision
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31st August 2026
Deadline for reports
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Brief student report
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Brief supervisor report
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Reports from 2025 Participants
The Doctoral School Researcher Development Awards 2025 supported placements for 9 undergraduate and postgraduate taught students to work with Early Career Researchers on projects over the summer term.
To give you a flavour of the wide breadth of placement opportunities that we were able to fund, have a browse of the reports below written by some of the recipients.
Student Overview:
The students engaged in a wide range of research projects that provided hands-on experience in areas such as policy analysis, technical experimentation, and legal review. They developed both technical skills—like programming, data analysis, and digital ethnography—and soft skills including communication, adaptability, and leadership. These experiences helped clarify their career goals, with many inspired to pursue paths in academia, policy, market research, or legal support. Mentorship and exposure to real-world issues played a key role in shaping their professional aspirations and confidence.
Student Full Reports:
Supervisor Overview:
Supervisors consistently highlighted the value of the Researcher Development Award in enhancing their mentoring, supervisory, and project management skills. Many noted how the experience helped them refine communication strategies, set realistic goals, and balance guidance with student autonomy. Supervisors emphasized how tailoring support to individual student needs improved outcomes and built student confidence. The supervisors also reflected on the importance of collaborative learning and how student initiative reshaped project direction, offering lessons in trust and flexibility. Across disciplines, they expressed pride in their students’ growth and acknowledged the mutual benefit of the placements, often planning continued collaboration and future publication opportunities.
Reports from 2026 Participants
The Doctoral School Researcher Development Awards 2026 supported placements for 6 undergraduate and postgraduate taught students to work with Early Career Researchers on projects over the summer term.
To give you a flavour of the wide breadth of placement opportunities that we were able to fund, have a browse of the reports below written by some of the recipients.
Student Overview:
The Researcher Development Award programme provided students with hands-on research experience across diverse fields including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, public health, tourism, the creative industries, and the creator economy. Participants developed key research skills through literature reviews, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, thematic coding, participant engagement, and data interpretation. The placements also strengthened transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, organisation, critical thinking, problem-solving, and presentation skills. Many students reported increased confidence, a greater appreciation of the collaborative nature of research, and a clearer understanding of potential career pathways. Overall, the programme enhanced employability, broadened academic and professional aspirations, and demonstrated how research can contribute to addressing real-world challenges.
Student Full Reports:
Supervisor Overview:
The Researcher Development Award programme provided supervisors with valuable opportunities to strengthen their mentoring, leadership, and project management skills. Supervisors reflected on developing more effective approaches to supporting early-career researchers, balancing structure with independence, and adapting projects to students’ abilities and aspirations. Many highlighted the importance of clear communication, realistic goal setting, and fostering student confidence and autonomy. Supervisors reported that students made meaningful contributions to ongoing research through data analysis, literature reviews, participant engagement, and project outputs, in some cases informing future publications and research directions. Overall, the programme was viewed as mutually beneficial, enhancing supervisory practice, increasing research capacity, and creating positive learning experiences for both students and mentors.