Postgraduate research opportunities Resilience for Digitalised Critical Infrastructure (ReDI) Collaboration
ApplyKey facts
- Opens: Tuesday 16 June 2026
- Deadline: Tuesday 30 June 2026
- Number of places: Up to 8
- Duration: 42 months
- Funding: Home fee, Stipend
Overview
The ReDI Collaboration is looking for up to 8 fully funded PhD candidates (based at University of Strathclyde and University of Surrey), across a range of disciplines, to carry out advanced research in building security and resilience in a digitalised world, as part of the ReDI collaboration led academically by the Universities of Surrey and Strathclyde and supported by the Surrey-Strathclyde-NPL strategic partnership and industry partners.Eligibility
Open to any UK candidates. (Exceptional international students may be considered on a case-by-case basis).
You will need to meet the entry requirements. Ideally applicants should be capable of achieving UK clearance or equivalent.
Applicants will normally hold a first or upper-second class degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent overseas qualification), or a lower second plus a good Masters degree (distinction normally required). Relevant disciplines include computer science, mathematics, physics, engineering, management, psychology, law and sociology. Applicants should be comfortable with mathematics.
We are keen to consider applicants coming through non-traditional routes such as a return from industry, a change of career, or a period of leave, and will consider candidates with equivalent experience who do not have the formal academic qualifications. We are committed to supporting Diversity Equality and Inclusion and therefore open to discuss alternative modes of study.
University of Strathclyde is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive postgraduate research population. We make decisions on entry by assessing the whole person and not relying solely on academic achievements. On that basis, please ensure that your application (via your CV and covering letter) can evidence your resourcefulness, commitment and resilience as demonstrated by broader professional and life experiences. This evidence should be centred on your ability to undertake and complete a PhD and contribute to a positive PhD community.
If English isn't your first language, you'll need an IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent with no individual element below 5.5.
Project Details
Are you ReDI? Do you want to create impact and help address some of the complex challenges facing our increasingly digitalised critical infrastructure? By undertaking a ReDI doctorate, you’ll become part of our ReDI community, building a body of knowledge and creating impact through pioneering ‘resilience thinking’.
The world is becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. At the same time, our critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly connected and dependent on digital technologies, introducing new strengths and vulnerabilities, as advances in communications, networking, robotics, sensing, data processing, Al and edge and cloud computing are made. All this rapid change gives rise to unforeseen disruptions (originating from human, technology and natural sources) that are increasingly difficult to predict, in part because they cascade through the digitally interconnected fabric of our society.
ReDI research will be driven by the major challenges associated with achieving resilience in critical infrastructure systems, maintaining their ability to function across digital, physical and human aspects in the face of change, disruption and attack. This is a multi-faceted agenda covering many aspects of resilience-building, including: resilience-by-design; understanding, modelling and managing complexity; planning for uncertainty, known current risks and future risks, including climate change (for example); cyber resilience; trustworthiness and measurement; and the use of data, digital tools and Al.
Students will join a multidisciplinary cohort of up to 8 students across the Universities of Surrey and Strathclyde. Students will develop their PhD projects in conjunction with the supervisory team and industry partners as part of their initial foundational training, which includes training in resilience-building as well as multi-disciplinary team challenge projects, with the aim of establishing a "resilience mindset" in students - the ability to be self-directed, generate questions, solve complex problems, collaborate across traditional 'silos' and continuously learn and adapt.
Our industry stakeholders will also provide access to facilities across a range of sectors, including communication, timing, power and transport.
Funding details
UKRI Stipend at £21,805 p.a. (2026/27 rates) and £3,500 for Research Training Support
Fully-funded scholarship for 3.5 years covers all university tuition fees (at UK level) and an annual tax-free stipend.
While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.
Supervisors
- Primary Supervisor: Will be determined following successful interview
- Additional Supervisor/s: Will be determined following successful interview
Apply
For the preliminary phase of the application, please provide responses of up to 150 words to each of the following six questions, and submit your answers through the this website:
- Describe a challenge where you have had to demonstrate personal resilience
- How would you approach the process of applying theory in practice?
- Describe a situation where you had to face a problem not previously encountered - how did you approach it? What did you do?
- Describe a scenario where your work/research led to an impactful outcome
- Why do you want to undertake a doctorate and what is your approach to career development?
- How would a ReDI Doctorate build on your existing skills, qualifications, knowledge and interests? What topics and knowledge sets are you passionate about?
Successful students on the preliminary application will be asked to submit formal applications for interview through the relevant university process. At that stage, invited applicants will be given further information regarding the application process, but it will include submitting:
- An updated curriculum vitae
- Details of two academic referees, including email addresses
- Degree certificate(s) and academic transcript(s), which must be certified copies
Any initial enquiries should be submitted to redi-doctorate@strath.ac.uk. Please make sure you indicate that you are applying for the “Resilience for Digitalised Critical Infrastructure" studentship.
Number of places: Up to 8
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