The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has launched a major funding opportunity aimed at developing the next generation of social scientists with advanced data-driven research skills. The Doctoral Focal Award Plus: Innovating in Data-Driven Research programme will provide up to £5.85 million to establish a doctoral training initiative designed to strengthen research capacity and innovation across the United Kingdom.

The funding opportunity opened on 8 July 2026 and will close on 14 October 2026 at 4:00pm UK time. The initiative seeks to create a skilled community of researchers capable of applying innovative data-driven approaches to address complex social, economic, and policy challenges.

Funding Opportunity Supports Advanced Research Skills Development

The ESRC Doctoral Focal Award Plus will support the creation of a comprehensive training programme that combines doctoral education with targeted skills development and capacity-building activities.

The initiative aims to develop researchers who can use advanced data-driven methods to generate impactful insights across multiple sectors.

The successful award recipient will deliver:

Doctoral studentships focused on data-driven social research.
Specialist training opportunities for researchers at different career stages.
Capacity-building activities to strengthen data research capabilities.
Opportunities for collaboration across academic, industry, government, and civil society sectors.
Support for researchers developing innovative approaches to social science challenges.

The programme is designed to build a strong pipeline of researchers equipped with the skills required for modern data-intensive research environments.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants

The funding opportunity is open to eligible UK research organisations with the infrastructure and capacity required to provide postgraduate training.

Applicants must:

Be based at a UK research organisation eligible for ESRC funding.
Have the necessary facilities and systems to support doctoral training.
Demonstrate the ability to host studentships and deliver high-quality research education.

Organisations may submit applications either independently or as part of a multi-institution consortium.

For consortium applications:

One organisation must be identified as the project lead.
Partner institutions may participate as project co-leads or collaborators.
A suitable doctoral degree-awarding organisation must be included where required.
All partners must demonstrate meaningful contributions to delivering the training programme.

Collaboration and Partnership Opportunities

ESRC encourages applications involving diverse partnerships that enhance research training and innovation.

Eligible project partners may include:

Universities and higher education institutions.
Businesses of all sizes.
Government departments and public sector organisations.
Research establishments.
Third-sector organisations.
Voluntary, community, and social enterprise groups.
Other stakeholders within the research and innovation ecosystem.

Partnerships should demonstrate clear added value through contributions such as:

Collaborative studentships.
Student placements.
Research training opportunities.
Access to specialist facilities and equipment.
Financial contributions toward additional studentships.
Industry or stakeholder engagement.
Strategic links supporting research impact.

Applicants must clearly explain how partnerships will strengthen capability, innovation, and collaboration beyond what individual organisations could achieve independently.

Building Inclusive and Supportive Research Environments

The ESRC funding opportunity places strong emphasis on equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) throughout the design and delivery of doctoral training programmes.

Successful applicants will be expected to create supportive environments that promote:

Equal opportunities for researchers and students.
Flexible working arrangements.
Support for individuals with caring responsibilities.
Accessible research and training opportunities.
Inclusive supervision and mentoring approaches.

Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed programmes will identify and address EDI challenges while measuring progress and sharing good practice with the wider research community.

Research Training Priorities and Expected Outcomes

The Doctoral Focal Award Plus programme is designed to produce highly skilled researchers who can contribute across academic, public, and private sectors.

Training programmes should focus on developing:

Advanced data-driven research skills.
Strong methodological expertise.
Research ethics and responsible data management.
Interdisciplinary collaboration capabilities.
Skills needed for diverse career pathways.

The initiative also aims to support mid-career and senior researchers by providing opportunities to develop advanced data skills and apply them within their professional fields.

Applicants must demonstrate how their training models will support researchers in managing and sharing data responsibly while following ESRC and UKRI research standards.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the new UKRI Funding Service. Organisations cannot apply through the previous Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

The project lead organisation will be responsible for completing and submitting the application.

The application process includes:

Confirming project lead status.
Creating or accessing a UKRI Funding Service account.
Completing required application sections.
Uploading supporting documents where required.
Allowing institutional research offices to review submissions.
Final submission by the eligible research organisation.

Applicants are encouraged to begin preparations early to allow sufficient time for institutional approvals and compliance checks.

Assessment Timeline

The funding competition will follow the timeline below:

Opening date: 8 July 2026, 9:00am UK time
Closing date: 14 October 2026, 4:00pm UK time
Shortlisting: December 2026
Interview assessment panel: Week commencing 18 January 2027
Funding decisions communicated: February 2027

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Strengthening the Future of Data-Driven Social Science

Through the Doctoral Focal Award Plus funding opportunity, ESRC aims to strengthen the United Kingdom’s research capacity by supporting innovative doctoral education and advanced data skills development.

The £5.85 million investment will help create a new generation of researchers capable of using data-driven approaches to address complex societal challenges while improving collaboration between universities, industry, government, and communities.

The initiative represents a significant opportunity for eligible UK research organisations to develop transformative training programmes that shape the future of social science research and innovation.

VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering the opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.

ESRC Opens £5.85 Million Doctoral Focal Award Plus Funding Opportunity for Data-Driven Research Training – Apply By 14 October 2026 ·Driven Research Training – Apply By 14 October 2026