Call for academic partners

A view of the inside of the British Library at St Pancras

Call for academic partners - AHRC CDP projects starting 2022/23

Published date:

This call has now closed.

We are pleased to invite academics at UK universities and Higher Education Institutions to collaborate with us on jointly supervised doctoral research projects. The studentships will be fully funded for up to four years through the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships scheme (AHRC CDP scheme).

CDP research projects draw directly on the Library's collections, expertise and resources. Each year, we identify a limited number of research themes which are closely aligned with our vision statement (Living Knowledge), key programmes and overall purpose as a national library. Prospective HEI partners are invited in an open competition to submit proposals to further develop and bring their own expertise and perspective to our research themes.

We now welcome applications from academics of postgraduate status currently employed at UK universities/Higher Education Institutions who would be interested in joint supervision of collaborative doctoral projects beginning in October 2022.

Research themes

Academic applicants are invited to submit proposals to develop one of the following research themes:

Research theme 1 

Investigating the origins and development of the Cotton Collection at the British Library - Description for download (PDF)

British Library co-supervisors: 

  • Julian Harrison (Lead Curator, Medieval Historical and Literary Manuscripts)
  • Andrea Clarke (Lead Curator, Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts)

Research theme 2 

Football fanzines and fan communities in the digital age: Challenges for publishing, reading and collecting fanzines - Description for download (PDF)

British Library co-supervisors:

  • Jason Webber (Web Archiving Engagement Manager, UK Web Archive)
  • Dr Debbie Cox (Lead Curator, Contemporary British Publications)

AHRC funding is available for one doctoral training grant for each theme, to start in October 2022.

Information for applicants

Before submitting your application, please ensure you have read the relevant research theme profile and the Information for HEI applicants, available for download below:

Applications must be accompanied by a short CV for each academic supervisor and submitted by the following deadline:

This call closed on Friday 10 December 2021.

Late applications cannot be accepted. 

News

Call for applications for 2023 PhD placement scheme

16 January 2023

We host a range of PhD placement projects each year, based in our specialist curatorial teams and in other areas such as research engagement, digital scholarship, corporate affairs and public policy.

Watch this space for our 2023 Doctoral Open Days!

23 November 2022

British Library Doctoral Open Days 2023

Publication of 2020-21 Research Report

4 October 2022

Publication of the British Library's 2020-21 Research Report.