South, West and Wales consortium to nurture next generation of arts and humanities researchers
Press release issued:
The South, West and Wales Consortium, in a bid to the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) led by the University of Bristol in collaboration with seven other universities – Aberystwyth, Bath, Bath Spa, Cardiff, Exeter, Reading and Southampton – has been awarded £14.2 million funding over five years to deliver postgraduate supervision, training and skills development from 2014.
The Consortium is one of 11 new Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and seven Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) to have been awarded a total of £164m funding from the AHRC.
The South, West and Wales Consortium will offer postgraduate studentships and training across the full range of the AHRC’s disciplines, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the members of the consortium and 19 partner organisations including English Heritage, the National Trust, the BBC, Cadw and Welsh National Opera.
The funding, which equates to around 200 new studentships, will allow for innovative postgraduate support, including the development of broader skills such as partnership working and language skills, and experience in working outside academia through industry and international placements.
The Consortium's successful bid for funding was praised for its "consistent and convincing strategy for the provision of a very high quality training environment for postgraduates”.
Professor Mike Basker, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bristol, said: "This is an unprecedented opportunity to provide a new experience for postgraduate researchers in the Arts and Humanities. Our South, West and Wales AHRC (SWW) consortium represents a unique collaboration between universities and professional practitioners. It will equip our students with a combination of deep, discipline specific expertise and the broad skills that the next generation of leaders will need to develop the Arts and Humanities in academic, public and professional contexts.”
Further information
South, West and Wales Consortium: Ground-breaking research training bid in the Arts and Humanities led by University of Bristol in collaboration with Aberystwyth, Bath, Bath Spa, Cardiff, Exeter, Reading and Southampton Universities, in partnership with Arnolfini Contemporary Art Gallery; English Heritage; the National Trust; BBC Drama (Cardiff); BBC Factual (Bristol); Watershed & Pervasive Media Studio; Bristol City Council & Mayoralty; Cadw; CyMal (Museums, Archives and Libraries Wales); National Library of Wales, National Museum of Wales; Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales; Welsh National Opera; Centre for British Studies, Humboldt Universität, Berlin; Kyoto University’s Graduate Schools of Letters and Institute for Research in Humanities; University of Texas at Austin; Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, Arizona State University; Record Offices (SW&W regions).
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funds world-class, independent researchers in a wide range of subjects: ancient history, modern dance, archaeology, digital content, philosophy, English literature, design, the creative and performing arts, and much more. This financial year the AHRC will spend approximately £98m to fund research and postgraduate training in collaboration with a number of partners. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.
