The University of Cumbria is involved in a £23 million UK-wide doctoral training programme to develop the next generation of nuclear engineers and support the transition to Net Zero.
The programme brings the university together with the universities of Derby, Lancaster, Nottingham, Birmingham and Surrey, led by the University of Strathclyde.
The programme will train 80 Engineering Doctorate researchers after securing funding through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Doctoral Focal Awards Nuclear Skills call.
It is one of seven national doctoral training programmes to share £65.6 million in funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Ministry of Defence.
The STAND-UP (Skills and Training driving availability of National Defence Assets UP skilling) programme will help strengthen the UK’s capabilities in nuclear engineering, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and nuclear decommissioning.
Through STAND UP, students will undertake doctoral research on extended placements within partner organisations while completing structured professional and technical training.
The Government award of £9.7 million is matched by £13.1 million from industry partners, which include AWE Nuclear Security Technologies, Babcock International Group, BAE Systems, Curtiss-Wright and Rolls-Royce.
Training and innovation partners include the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, The Manufacturing Technology Centre, The National Physical Laboratory and HMS Sultan, home to the Marine Engineering Training Group and the Royal Navy Air Engineering and Survival School.
It will also support a PhD to work pathway for 21 industry professionals, enabling employees already working in the sector to undertake part-time doctoral studies while remaining embedded in industry.
The announcement comes in the wake of the Nuclear Skills Plan, launched in May 2024, which recommended quadrupling the number of nuclear fission doctoral students to address the shortage of high-level nuclear skills across both civil and defence and replace an aging workforce.
Professor Zulfiqur Ali, Pro Vice Chancellor, Research and Knowledge said: “We are delighted to be a partner in the STAND‑UP programme that will bring more than 80 new Engineering doctoral students into Barrow and drive high‑value innovation with BAE Systems (Submarines) as well as other major Defence Nuclear Enterprise prime contractors and supply‑chain partners.
“We really appreciated the strong support of the programme and the University of Cumbria from BAE Systems (Submarines) and Team Barrow which speaks to the transformational potential of this initiative—not only for the UK’s nuclear capability but also for Barrow’s wider regeneration and long‑term economic growth.”
The programme will recruit four groups of researchers over the next four years, starting in September 2026.
