Collaborative and Strategic Joint Studentships

In addition to our pathway-specific studentships, the Midlands Graduate School DTP will offer a number of Collaborative Studentships involving research or other activities with external public, private or third sector organisations. As part of the Midlands Graduate School, we also offer a number of Strategic Joint ESRC DTP Studentships. Students will be fully registered and hosted at one of the Midlands Graduate School institutions, but will have a second supervisor at another MGS institution.

Applications for Collaborative and Strategic Joint studentships for October 2026 entry are now open.

For information on supervisor-led opportunities for entry in October 2026, please refer to the email you will have received from the pathway contact at your institution.

Collaborative Studentships

In order to apply for one of the advertised collaborative studentship projects as listed below, you will need to complete the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP Collaborative Studentship Application form (there is a separate link for each project, available below), and ensure that you upload all application material as part of the online application process.

Additionally please read the Collaborative Guidance Notes for Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP applicants  before completing the application form.

University	Training Pathway	Collaborating Organisation	Research Topic (including link to advertisement)	Application Deadline (23:59 GMT unless otherwise stated) and link
Aston University	Health & Wellbeing	Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust	Benefits and challenges of digital interventions for aphasia: Are group-based interventions feasible? Link opens in a new window Further InformationLink opens in a new window	Monday 2 March 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Birmingham	Living in a Digital Society	Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust	RE-MIND STUDY: Regulated Engagement with Smartphones and Mental health In adolesceNts: An EMA Explanatory StuDyLink opens in a new window	Friday 20 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Birmingham	Management and Business Studies	UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)	Misinformation, Trust, and Vaccine Uptake: Theory and Evidence from the UKLink opens in a new window	Monday 23 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Birmingham	Psychology	Operation Encompass	Understanding and Supporting Children's Accounts of Domestic Abuse: Memory Accuracy, Suggestibility, and the Child's Voice in Safeguarding PracticeLink opens in a new window	Monday 23 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Birmingham	Psychology	Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust	Understanding "Common Factors" in Therapeutic Relationships with Autistic Young People Link opens in a new window	Wednesday 25 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
De Montfort University	Health & Wellbeing	These Hands Academy	Deteriorating Unnoticed in Digital Health: Inequality and the Human Dimensions of Telehealth in Care HomesLink opens in a new window	Sunday 15 February 2026 (17:00) Application linkLink opens in a new window
Loughborough University	Education	IDEMS International	Improving Students’ Transition to University Mathematics in Low Resource EnvironmentsLink opens in a new window	Wednesday 18 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
Loughborough University	Education	Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub	Translating research into educational benefits: Dyscalculia screening and support in primary schools Link opens in a new window	Monday 23 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Nottingham	Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology	National Justice Museum	In the shadow of the penal state: A systematic historical analysis of the penal voluntary sector in England and WalesLink opens in a new window  Additional Project DetailsLink opens in a new window	Monday 23 February 2026 (12:00) Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Nottingham	Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology	Ability Beyond Borders	Non-contentious Politics? An Examination of the Ways in which Global Disability Rights Ideals are Operationalised in China and its Global ImplicationsLink opens in a new window	Monday 23 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Nottingham	Cross-disciplinary Methodologies and Advanced Data Analysis	NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)	CHISEL - Clear Health Information Supporting Empowered Lives Link opens in a new window	Monday 2 March 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Warwick	Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology	Violence Reduction Unit, Mayors Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), Greater London Authority	Understanding Homicide Data: Institutional Practices, Analytical Innovation, and the Prevention of Serious Violence in London Link opens in a new window	Tuesday 17 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window

Strategic Joint Studentships

In order to apply for one of the advertised strategic joint studentship projects as listed below, you will need to complete the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP Strategic Joint Studentship Application form (there is a separate link for each project, available below), and ensure that you upload all application material as part of the online application process.

Additionally please read the Strategic Joint Guidance Notes for Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP applicants  before completing the application form.

University (where the student will be registered)	Training Pathway	Joint University	Research Topic (including link to advertisement)	Application Deadline (23:59 GMT unless otherwise stated) and link
Aston University	Health and Wellbeing	University of Birmingham	Longitudinal prediction of children's health and wellbeing outcomes from early years assessments Link opens in a new window	Monday 16 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Birmingham	Management & Business Studies	Aston University	Trade Policy, Sustainable Value Chains and Reshoring: national and regional perspectives from the UK Link opens in a new window	Thursday 26 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Leicester	Psychology	Aston University	From scarcity to persistence: Early environments, partial reinforcement and problematic gamblingLink opens in a new window	Monday 23 February 2026 (12:00) Application linkLink opens in a new window
Loughborough University	Cross-disciplinary Methodologies and Advanced Data Analysis	University of Nottingham	Understanding the relationship between housing inequality and wellbeingLink opens in a new window Additional Project Overview and RationaleLink opens in a new window	Friday 20 February 2026 (17:00 GMT) Application linkLink opens in a new window
University of Nottingham	Psychology	University of Birmingham	Adopting a research-informed approach to develop play interactions to improve executive functions in neurotypical and neurodiverse familiesLink opens in a new window	Wednesday 18 February 2026 Application link
University of Warwick	Education	University of Birmingham	Educational Mobility and Trajectories: Advanced Quantitative Analysis of Pupil Movement and Long-Term Outcomes in EnglandLink opens in a new window	Friday 20 February 2026 Application linkLink opens in a new window

Project-Linked Studentships

There are no Project-Linked studentships currently available.