The Open-Oxford-Cambridge Doctoral Partnership

The Design Group has a strong and active post-graduate doctoral community that reflects the multi-disciplinary and intersectionality of the research interests of its staff.

The Open University is part of the AHRC funded Open Oxford Cambridge (OOC) Doctoral Training Partnership which seeks to support and nurture a doctoral community addressing the whole remit of humanities and arts subjects. OU Design, as part of this portfolio, seeks doctoral research proposals that are design focused but that also intersect with other subject domains.

The annual call for applications begins around October each year with a deadline in early January. Details of the application process and eligibility requirements can be found on the OOC website via the link above.

Details of OU Design research and proposed doctoral projects can be found at Design@Open.

If you are interested in applying for a doctoral studentship in design we recommend that you identify and email relevant subject academic staff before preparing your application.

In 2014 the Open University became one of five Universities of the AHRC funded Design Star doctoral training partnership (DTP). Design Star has provided doctoral design students with innovative and stimulating training alongside developing a community of researchers with a broader range of design expertise than is possible to find in a single institution. While the Design Star DTP funding stream for recruitment has now ended, training and community events continue as students’ progress through their doctoral studies. The Design Group's engagement as a partner in Design Star has provided a strong foundation to support ongoing post-graduate study in design at the Open University.

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