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A four year training programme built around impact.
STAND-UP combines a 12 month multi-disciplinary taught component, five three-week residentials at major UK industry locations, and 24 to 36 months embedded with an industry partner. The result: doctoral engineers who can apply research to live engineering challenges from day one.
Programme structure
Four years, structured for depth and breadth.
Every STAND-UP Engineering Doctorate follows the same overall shape, with content adapted to project and industry partner.
Year 1
Taught programme and first residential
A 12 month multi-disciplinary taught programme delivered across the consortium, covering the core engineering, materials, digital and project methodology that underpins every STAND-UP theme. Includes the first of five three-week residential courses.
Years 2 to 3
Embedded industry placement
24 to 36 months working alongside the industrial partner on the doctoral research challenge, with continuing academic supervision and cohort residentials at industry locations.
Year 1
Taught programme and first residential
A 12 month multi-disciplinary taught programme delivered across the consortium, covering the core engineering, materials, digital and project methodology that underpins every STAND-UP theme. Includes the first of five three-week residential courses.
12 month taught component
Multi-disciplinary by design.
Year 1 is taught across the consortium so cohort members build the cross-cutting knowledge needed for the nuclear defence enterprise.
Modules will be drawn from all seven partner universities to give each cohort exposure to advanced materials, robotics and automation, digital engineering, inspection, project methodology and the regulatory environment.
Cohort residentials
Five three-week residentials at the heart of the nuclear enterprise.
Each cohort gathers for a series of intensive three-week residentials, hosted at major UK industry locations and the lead partner universities, supporting both technical depth and cohort identity.
Cohort building
Residentials build a strong cohort identity across the consortium, connecting researchers from seven universities and multiple industry partners.
Residential locations and dates
Detailed residential dates, locations and indicative agendas will be published once finalised. Locations will be announced in the months ahead of each residential.
Site visits
Each residential is hosted at a key industry or research site, with structured visits to live engineering environments.
Workshops
Technical and transferable skills workshops delivered by partner academics and industry experts, with hands-on activities throughout.
Industry placement
24 to 36 months embedded with industry.
The cornerstone of every Engineering Doctorate. STAND-UP researchers spend between two and three years working alongside their industry partner on the doctoral research challenge.
Placements are co-designed between the academic supervisor and the industrial partner before recruitment, so every researcher has a clear research mission, a defined host site, and an industry mentor from day one.
Confirmed industry partners on current STAND-UP projects include BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Malin Group, Fraunhofer, Sonomatic and TG0 Ltd. Additional industry partners are being announced throughout 2026.
Skills development
Technical depth, transferable strength.
STAND-UP researchers develop a portfolio of technical and transferable skills throughout the programme.
Technical skills
Modular & additive manufacturing
Heavy steel, robotic welding, WAAM, near net shape fabrication.
Digital engineering
Digital threads, digital twins, ICME, model-based systems engineering.
Industrial AI & data science
Risk-based ML, edge intelligence, uncertainty quantification, VVUQ.
Robotics & automation
Teleoperation, shared autonomy, dexterous manipulation, ROS/ROS2.
Industry collaboration
Working effectively with industry mentors, regulators, suppliers.
Regulatory awareness
Working within the safety, security and configuration management regime of the nuclear sector.
Communication
Writing, presenting and explaining research to technical and lay audiences.
Impact translation
Turning research insight into operational change with the industry partner.
Inspection & NDT
Phased array ultrasonics, hyperspectral imaging, in-process inspection.
Materials & physics
Advanced materials, ageing, nuclear physics modelling, accelerators.
Technical skills
Project management
Delivering doctoral research to milestones in an industry context.
Cohort leadership
Building professional networks across the consortium and industry.
Ready to start your EngD?
Browse the live projects and check the application process.