Research training courses

The International Review of Mathematics in 2004 highlighted the need for mathematical sciences PhD students to have a greater breadth and depth of knowledge of their subject.

Taught courses at beginning of a PhD

In response we have funded 6 training centres for mathematical science students at the start of their PhD to improve their breadth of knowledge. The centres provide broad training and courses began in October 2007. The centres have EPSRC funding until 2011 but we expect the centres to continue after that date.

Many of the courses are being offered through distance learning and the materials will be available electronically or through the centres’ websites. Other centres are providing their courses through live lectures and seminars, with material also available electronically. If your department is not involved in one of the centres listed, we encourage you to contact the centre co-coordinators listed below so that your PhD students can take part.

The Taught Course Centre initiative was reviewed in the summer of 2010; the report is available here.

Taught course centres

Scottish Mathematical Training Centre - Taught course centre for UK PhD students

• Details of grant for Scottish Mathematical training centre
  Professor A Carbery, University of Edinburgh

Taught Course Centre for the Mathematical Sciences based at Oxford, Warwick, Imperial, Bath and Bristol

• Details of grant for Oxford centre (Gow)
  Dr M Lackenby, University of Oxford
• Details of grant for Warwick centre (Gow)
  Professor M Pollicott, University of Warwick
• Details of grant for Imperial centre (Gow)
  Dr J Gibbons, Imperial College
• Details of grant for Bath centre (Gow)
  Professor A Spence, University of Bath
• Details of grant for Bristol centre (Gow)
  Dr J Pila, University of Bristol

MAGIC - Mathematics Access Grid: Instruction and Collaboration

• Details of grant for Sheffield centre (Gow)
  Professor N Strickland, University of Sheffield 
• Details of grant for Manchester centre (Gow)
  Dr J Gajjar, The University of Manchester

National Taught Course Centre in Operational Research (NATCOR)

• Details of grant for National Taught Course Centre in Operational Research (Gow)
  Professor K Glazebrook, Lancaster University

Academy for PhD Training in Statistics (APTS)

• Details of grant for Academy for PhD Training in Statistics (Gow)
  Professor W S Kendall, University of Warwick

London Taught Course Centre for PhD Students in the Mathematical Sciences

• Details of grant for London Taught Course Centre (Gow)
  Professor FT Smith, University College London

The London Taught Course centre will also be running a number of national one-day intensive courses. Professor Frank Smith, UCL, would welcome ideas and offers to organise these course and would encourage all UK students to attend. 

Specialist Short Courses

We fund short courses for students later on in their PhD training, these courses complement the taught courses by providing more depth in the subject.

We have awarded a contract to the London Mathematical Society and the Royal Statistical Society to organise and run these instructional course programmes.