PhD Journey
Connect, Belong, Thrive
DiveIn CDT’s approach is supported by three central ‘pillars’.
These aim to provide students with a transformative training experience and emphasise the importance of attracting talent, nurturing students, and sustaining impact.
Students will be supported with networking opportunities and tailored coaching to help them navigate challenges and seize new opportunities during their PhD.
In addition, DiveIn has won the backing of a wide range of external partners who will provide input and offer research and placement opportunities for our students.
The Splash Pool
Your Research Project Formation Journey
Welcome to the beginning of your DiveIn research journey!
The Splash Pool is a vibrant and empowering phase where you are supported to explore bold ideas, form interdisciplinary teams, and shape projects that reflect your curiosity, interests, and aspirations.
Through a series of workshops facilitated by sandpit specialists Knowinnovation, you will collaborate with academic and industry partners, to co-create research challenges that matter. This is your space to experiment, connect, and build something meaningful – supported every step of the way by a community that values creativity, dialogue, and mission-driven innovation.
The journey begins in your first week with a 2-day Leadership & Collaboration Foundations workshop, designed to equip you with the tools and confidence to collaborate and co-create effectively. It fosters an inclusive environment by levelling the playing field, removing hierarchy, and inspiring a sense of limitless possibility.
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Project Scope & Connect
September (Week 3)
Our cohort of doctoral researchers and potential academic collaborators come together for a 3-day workshop. During this event, participants form interdisciplinary teams and co-create compelling problem statements rooted in their expertise, curiosity, and aspirations.
The workshop encourages open dialogue and the shaping of research projects with a clear interdisciplinary focus, poised to contribute meaningfully to mission-inspired themes.
An outcome of this workshop is the formation of interdisciplinary project teams, each comprising one doctoral researcher and at least two supervisors from different disciplines. During the session, participants collaboratively identify potential academic contributors to support their project development. Teams are formally established following the event.
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Annual Industry Showcase (AIS)
Mid-November
The Annual Industry Showcase (AIS) is a dynamic event where innovation meets collaboration.
Our doctoral researchers pitch their early-stage projects to external partners, fostering potential joint collaborations and refining their research directions through feedback and dialogue.
DiveIn external partners have the opportunity to explore ways to engage with the CDT, while our researchers benefit from networking with academic and industry leaders, opening doors to future partnerships and impact.
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Project Shape & Refine
End of November
Following the AIS, teams reconvene for a focused one-day workshop. This session is designed to help project teams refine their ideas, incorporating insights gained from industry engagement and peer discussions.
During the workshop, teams present their evolving concepts, receive targeted feedback from academics, facilitators, and peers, and work collaboratively to sharpen the research focus, assess feasibility, and enhance potential impact.
This phase supports the transition from exploratory ideas to well-defined, actionable research proposals, ready for formal development and future collaboration.
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150-Day Viva
End of January
Following the Project Shape & Refine workshop and the AIS, project teams enter a more structured phase of development.
At the 150-day Viva, each team presents their refined project proposal to the CDT Management Team.
This session offers an opportunity to share progress, receive constructive feedback, and ensure alignment with programme goals before moving into full project implementation.
Interdisciplinary Research
Interdisciplinary research goes beyond simply combining knowledge from different fields – it integrates methods, perspectives, and expertise to create new approaches and solutions.
While multidisciplinary projects often involve experts working side by side, each contributing from their own field, and cross-disciplinary work borrows ideas from one discipline to apply in another, interdisciplinarity goes deeper.
It creates a shared space where methods, concepts, and questions merge, leading to solutions that no single discipline could achieve alone. This is where diversity of thought and expertise truly drives innovation, opening doors to discoveries that transform the way we understand and solve complex challenges.
Training Programme
Embark on a transformative four-year journey with DiveIn’s comprehensive learning framework, designed to uplift your research and personal development.
Our model, spanning four core dimensions, seamlessly integrates didactic, self-directed, empirical, and peer learning, ensuring a holistic training experience over the four years without compromising your research success.
Every dimension is a step toward academic excellence, personal growth, and a thriving research community.
DiveIn and discover your potential!
DiveIn PhD Journey
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Interdisciplinarity
Prioritise interdisciplinary projects, foster collaboration, and engage external partners.
Dive into a supportive community at the CDT Village and at events, like our annual academic conference, an interdisciplinary research festival.
Explore success stories through seminars and personal narratives and learn from your peers who are further in their journey.
We will be learning together how to do interdisciplinarity well, and how to pass on that knowledge.
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Trusted, Responsible & Open Research and Innovation (TRORI)
Uphold ethics, openness, and responsible research through workshops, seminars, and interactive sessions.
Maintain a TRORI passport to document your learning journey.
Engage in the Ethics Café and collaborative communication pieces, promoting integrity and inclusivity in research and innovation.
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Growth Mindset
Nurture a growth mindset, empowering you to overcome challenges, refine approaches, and actively transform your environment.
Embrace setbacks, learn from experiences, and become mentors to future PGRs.
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Formalising the Hidden Curriculum
We want to provide equitable access to essential non-academic skills critical for success.
Benefit from mentorship, training in effective relationships with supervisors, and community-building techniques.
Undertake tailored placements, engage in repeated communication training, and access diverse training programs through our Partners’ Personal and Professional Development Programme (3PDP).
DiveIn Gantt Chart of Activities and Events
Mentorship
Our robust support network is tailored to guide, coach, and champion individuals throughout their academic journey.
Through interactive workshops and informal sessions, mentoring, and sponsorship opportunities, we will empower students to effectively navigate challenges and seize academic opportunities.
An academic mentor will guide students through the academic landscape, providing expertise and insights across various disciplines. Meanwhile, an external sponsor with industrial expertise will connect students to real-world contexts, expanding their perspectives beyond academia.
Peer mentoring groups offer a secure environment for knowledge sharing, skill development, and mutual support.
The dedicated Management Committee and International Steering Group, ensure the protection and success of each student’s journey through a formal review process and continuous advocacy.
Part-Time Studentships
At DiveIn, we recognise that full-time study is not an option for everyone.
We would be delighted to discuss alternative, tailored study arrangements that suit personal circumstances at any stage of your application.
Due to funder requirements, part time study is possible with a minimum of 50% full time equivalent. A lower full-time equivalent may be possible if this is deemed to be a reasonable adjustment for disabled students.
Because of the nature of our in-depth training, mentoring, and support programs, remote study is not possible.