University of Birmingham in arts and humanities research partnership

Six of the region's universities, including the University of Birmingham, are to benefit from a multi-million-pound partnership to create a centre for excellence for a new generation of arts and humanities researchers. The Midlands Three Cities consortium, which brings together academic expertise from the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, Birmingham City University, the University of Leicester and De Montfort University, is to receive a grant of £14.6 million that will result in hundreds of new postgraduate studentship opportunities across the region. The consortium is one of 11 new Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) announced by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) which, along with seven new Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) will deliver postgraduate supervision, training and skills from 2014. The Midlands Three Cities DTP will have a strong emphasis on collaboration and will work closely with a number of partner organisations including the British Museum in London, to offer exciting placement opportunities for postgraduate students. Professor Michael Whitby, Head of the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham, commented: 'The success of this joint project which blends traditional research strengths with innovative methods of engaging potential research students and then developing their skills and employment prospects ensures that there will be a strong cohort of Arts and Humanities researchers embedded across the Midlands for the next three years.