The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPRSC) have announced the investment of £1 Billion into Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT). This includes the CDT in Statistics and Machine Learning – also known as StatML, a collaboration between the Department of Statistics at the University of Oxford and the Department of Mathematics at Imperial College London. It is the “UK’s biggest investment in engineering and physical sciences doctoral skills”, as stated by EPSRC.

The cohort of StatML will be part of the 300 fully funded DPhil (PhD) studentships at the University of Oxford.

This investment will cover the DPhil Studentships as StatML is one of the CDTs in a strategic research area and it addresses key skill gaps within the UK economic market. It covers rapidly growing and emerging fields that are outlined to provide a necessary boost to the UK’s expertise’s in critical research areas and technologies. Moreover, the CDT tackles the emerging field of grand mathematical challenges produced by the high levels of uncertainty in the near and not-so-distant future.

With StatML, the aim is to create the next generation of leaders in statistics and machine learning, as well as empower students to innovate society-changing technologies. The doctoral students will be taught the ability to tackle global challenges with a foundation of strong, cutting-edge research methodologies and theoretical methods. In parallel to their research skills, they will additionally develop business and transferable skills. Ultimately, they will be able to generate real-world impact while also having the essential skills required by employers in industry and business.

Professor Charlotte Deane, Professor of Structural Bioinformatics and Executive Chair of EPSRC, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), commented on the investment.

“The Centres for Doctoral Training announced today will help to prepare the next generation of researchers, specialists and industry experts across a wide range of sectors and industries.

Spanning locations across the UK and a wide range of disciplines, the new centres are a vivid illustration of the UK’s depth of expertise and potential, which will help us to tackle large-scale, complex challenges and benefit society and the economy.

The high calibre of both the new centres and applicants is a testament to the abundance of research excellence across the UK, and EPSRC’s role as part of UKRI is to invest in this excellence to advance knowledge and deliver a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous nation.”

Charlotte Deane

The Department of Statistics is very happy about the good news and are excited to meet those of you who will join us on StatML.

Applications have now closed for the 2024/2024 academic year. The first year of the first cohort for the new CDT will start this October 2024.

The course information page can be found here.

For more information on the StatML DPhil, please contact Frederique Godin via email: frederique.godin@tss.ox.ac.uk

EPSRC Invests Further into the Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistics and Machine Learning

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