QUADRAT DTP projects are a mixture of CASE and non-CASE projects. A CASE Studentship is a project that has been developed and will be delivered by the host University in collaboration with a non-academic partner from the private, public and third/civil sectors (i.e. an organisation whose primary activities are not research and/or education). CASE studentships tend to stem from real-life issues encountered by that particular organisation, a project will be designed to tackle a specific problem. As such, all collaborators gain from the research output of the studentship.

CASE studentships provide PhD students with enhanced training opportunities by ensuring they spend between 3 and 18 months, in total, with their CASE partner in a workplace outside the academic environment. This will usually be in the form of regular meetings, specialist training and an internship.

The role of CASE partner contacts will vary from a formal supervisory role, an advisory role or provision of facilities, expertise, training and data collection. CASE partners will have a vested interest in the scientific outputs of the project.

Not every project it suited to being a CASE studentship however we aim for a minimum of 25% of our studentships to be CASE over the duration of the DTP. 

Organisations eligible to receive NERC research funding will not be eligible to act as a CASE partner. This includes NERC research centres, independent research organisations (IROs) and all organisations listed on UKRI Eligible for Funding

International CASE partners are eligible provided they are a non-academic organisation. The DTP must be able to evidence that the CASE criteria has been met and that the placement provides an opportunity for the student to gain skills that could not be provided by a UK-based partner. The student must be fully supported by the DTP and CASE partner throughout the placement period.

CASE partners are required to supplement the studentship, and thus enhance the research project, by:

  • The CASE partner(s) must supplement the studentship by a minimum of £1,000 p.a. for the lifetime of the studentship (3.5 years). This payment should be made to the lead Research Organisation to supplement the RTSG and not be paid directly to the student. This minimum requirement can be met collectively by multiple CASE partners.
  • The CASE partner(s) must host the student for between three and eighteen months during their PhD, during which time they will undertake work outside the academic environment. This placement does not need to occur in one single continuous period.
  • CASE partners are expected to meet the extra expenses incurred by the student when visiting and working within their establishment.
  • CASE partners are expected to contribute in cash or in kind towards necessary materials and/or facilities not possessed by the Research Organisation concerned that are required by the student to undertake research integral to their CASE studentship.