Postgraduate researchCollaborative & Industrial PhDs

Working with our collaborative and industrial partners, our research is providing impactful solutions to real world challenges – this focus on useful research is core to Strathclyde’s founding mission.

We have routes to PhD and doctoral awards that enable researchers to work on collaborative industry-linked research, based either within University facilities or within the partner organisation.

The broad research challenges are set by the partner organisation with a joint responsibility for the development of the research. Doctoral research projects with industrial or collaborative partners are typically funded, covering fees and living costs, and can be managed in a range of ways:

Based within the University

The student is based in part or solely at the University with guidance, supervision and research oversight from the partner organisation.

Split-site activity

The student works on site with the partner organisation but is not an employee so receives a stipend rather than a salary.

Work-based activity

The student is an employee of the partner organisation and spends minimal time at the University.

All doctoral students are co-supervised by Strathclyde academic staff and partner experts.

This approach benefits partner organisations by providing:

  • enhancements in researcher performance, productivity and creativity
  • changes to culture and operational practice

It benefits the doctoral researchers by providing:

  • work-based/real world projects
  • the highest level of expert academic and industrial supervision

It benefits Strathclyde by providing:

  • high quality knowledge transfer venture
  • shared expertise in industry-relevant professional development

Examples of our collaborative programmes

Strathclyde & GlaxoSmithKline

Find out more about our collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline.

Faculty of Engineering Industrial Doctorates

Find out more about our Faculty of Engineering Industrial Doctorates.

Our industry & innovation partners

Find out more about the wide variety of organisations partnering with us to support our PhD programmes.