South, West and Wales consortium awarded £14.2m to nurture next generation of arts and humanities researchers

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 the Welsh National Opera. The funding, which equates to 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 Nick Talbot, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research at the University of Exeter said: “This national recognition of the research excellence in the Humanities at Exeter, and the wider region, creates new opportunities for creative and productive collaborations not only with our academic partners but with a network of arts, heritage and media organisations of global renown.’

James Clark, Professor of History at Exeter and Consortium Chair said: “This is a very exciting prospect for any student in Arts & Humanities. Our DTP will offer a unique blend of academic expertise and the chance to experience work in the creative and cultural industries that are so central to the UK economy.”