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Collaborative PhDs

Read more about collaborative PhDs at The National Archives, where researchers use our collections to generate new knowledge and insights.

Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Awards

We are delighted to announce that The National Archives has been awarded a total of 16 Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Awards (CDLA), funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

CDLAs are PhD studentships jointly supervised by heritage organisations and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) based in the UK. Studentships will start in October 2027.

The National Archives is the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, and for England and Wales. It is also an Independent Research Organisation (IRO) and fulfils a leadership role for the wider archive sector.

Working with PhD students is an integral part of The National Archives' Research Vision and thought leadership. PhD studentships allow us to increase capacity for focused and innovative research in areas of strategic importance.

The National Archives’ CDLA projects are characterised by:

Excellent research
A high-quality training environment
A focus on student experience

In addition to this, the aims of The National Archive's CDLAs are to:

Pursue unique and interdisciplinary research to further our Research Vision and organisational strategy
Unlock our iconic archival collection for the benefit of new and existing audiences
Innovate our practice in ways that will deliver practical benefit to us and the wider archives sector
Equip students with the skills and knowledge needed for future careers in the cultural heritage sector
Make a distinctive contribution to the broader field of arts and humanities research

2027 CDLA Opportunities

For October 2027 entry, we will be funding a maximum of five PhD projects.

The process for awarding AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award projects with HEI collaborators is now underway. The EOI process is now closed.

Co-supervisor eligibility

Potential co-supervisors must:

Hold a permanent position at a UK HEI in the relevant field.
Receive permission from their line manager/Head of Department to co-supervise the project for its duration.

Next steps:

Successful proposed co-supervisors will be invited to develop a full PhD project proposal collaboratively with The National Archives’ supervisory team. A webinar will be offered on Thursday 15th October 2026 to support applicants.

The deadline for full CDLA project proposals is 17.00 on Monday 7th December 2026.

Assessment criteria:

CDLA proposals are assessed by a panel of internal and external experts on the following criteria (on a scale of 1-5):

Quality and innovation: What innovative contribution will this project make to The National Archives and its areas of work?
Strategic relevance: How does the research fit with The National Archives’ strategic objectives, priorities and research themes as outlined in our Research Vision?
Feasibility: Is there staff capacity at The National Archives to supervise the project? Is this a suitable project for a PhD and can it be completed within the timeframe?
Strength of the collaboration: Why does this need to be a collaborative project and how does this collaboration add value to The National Archives’ research portfolio?
Career development: How will the CDLA project enable the student to develop their skills?
Inclusive research and practice: How will this project promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in its research and supervision?

Doctoral Training Partnerships

The National Archives is pleased to be a member of several Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs). These are a consortia of research organisations offering innovative doctoral training, funded by block grants.

The National Archives is a formal partner in three DTPs:

We contribute to these partnerships through providing training and studentships, and by supporting student placements.