In the latest round of funding for Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs), UK Research and Innovation has announced it will fund 75 centres over the next five years to the tune of £446 million.

Of these, just under half are brand new CDTs, while 40 are existing ones that have had their funding renewed. The move represents a decrease of around a third in the total number of CDTs – previously 115 – and many have not secured continued funding. The numbers of CDTs at Imperial College London, University College London, Cambridge and Oxford University will all decrease, while the University of Bristol was the most successful, having been awarded funding for nine CDTs. Four universities – Northumbria, Hull, Lincoln and Salford – will open their first CDTs.

Alongside the government investment – made up of £444 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and £2.2 million from the Natural Environment Research Council – the new CDTs will get another £386 million of funding from around 1400 partner companies and charities.

‘Centres for Doctoral Training have already proven to be successful in attracting the world’s brightest minds and industry support to address the scientific and engineering challenges we face,’ EPSRC’s executive chair Lynn Gladden said in a statement announcing the new CDTs. ‘This new cadre will continue to build on previous investment.’

Correction: On 7 February 2019 the article was updated to remove mention that Royal Holloway University had only just set up its first CDT. Royal Holloway already has an established CDT.