A Fusion Engineering Doctoral Training Partnership

Tender description

The UKAEA, working with the fusion skills council as a cross-sector group from industry, educational establishments, and research establishments, have estimated that the fusion workforce will need to grow by ca. 2000 - 3000 individuals in the next five years to meet the ambitions of fusion development programmes in the UKs public and private sectors. The FOSTER – Fusion Opportunities in Skills, Training, Education, and Research - programme has been set up to deliver this government target as an initiative to enhance the UK’s fusion skills ecosystem, with international reach, that can train and grow the fusion generation who will be responsible for putting fusion energy on the grid. This programme will target interventions across all entry pathways into the fusion sector, from entry-level through to post-doc. The primary output that this competition is looking to achieve is the training of several cohorts of structured doctoral level (PhD, EngD, or other doctoral level qualification) students in disciplines associated with the engineering of a fusion pilot plant, with skills sets ready to be utilised within the future fusion workforce in the UK. We would also welcome wider embedding of a fusion context within undergraduate or postgraduate education and/or enhanced industrial engagement with skills development as secondary objectives of this partnership. In undertaking this competition, UKAEA have actively consulted EPSRC and will continue to do so throughout the process. UKAEA are seeking to appoint one or more educational establishments, or consortia thereof, who are interested in working with UKAEA to develop and deliver a new focussed platform for doctoral training in fusion engineering disciplines. No prior engagement in fusion doctoral training is required to enter this competition.