Training
Proteum Phase - 2025 cohort
Proteum training is for the first 3-months of the programme.
Week 1 : Monday 29th September - Thursday 2nd October ‘Induction Week’ at The University of Manchester
Arrive on campus from 12:00 onwards at the entrance to Oddfellows Hall, University of Manchester Google Map.
Accommodation is provided Monday to Thursday at the Premier Inn Hotel, Princess Street, Manchester Google Map.
Train travel will be arranged for you by the CDT, with outward travel on Monday AM, and return travel on Thursday from 4pm.
All weeks from week 2 onwards:
Mondays/Tuesdays/Fridays - online sessions through Canvas.
Wednesdays - arrive on campus ‘ready to learn’ for 1:00pm. Accommodation is provided for one night only (see the week entry below for location).
Thursdays - (unless otherwise indicated) training session starts at 9am.
Travel - arrange your own return train ticket (standard class off peak return), with outward travel on Wednesday (arriving by 12 noon), and return travel on Thursday (departing after 1pm).
Expenses - with itemised receipts you may claim for train travel, two lunches and one dinner from Fran. If your return tavel time is over 5 hours you may claim for dinner on the Thursday also. See expense claim information here.
Week 2 : 6th - 10th October ‘Fuel Cycles’ University of Manchester
Wednesday - Roscoe Building, Room 1.010 Google map
Accommodation : Holiday Inn Express, Manchester City Centre Arena Google Map
Thursday - Roscoe Building, Room 1.010 Google map
Week 3 : 13th - 17th October ‘Design Lifecycles’ University of Manchester
Wednesday - Roscoe Building, Room 1.010 Google map
Accommodation - Holiday Inn Express, Manchester City Centre Arena Google Map
Thursday - Nancy Rothwell Building, Room 3A.057 Google Map
Week 4 : 20th - 24th October ‘Researcher Skills’ University of Sheffield
Wednesday - Pam Liversidge Building, Design Studio 1 Google Map
Accommodation - Jonas Hotel, Endcliffe Crescent, Sheffield Google Map
Thursday - Broad Lane Building LT8 Google Map
Week 5 : 27th - 31st October ‘Law & Ethics’ University of Liverpool
Wednesday - Griffith Board Room, Harrison Hughes Building Google Map
Accommodation - Novotel, Paddington Village, Liverpool Google Map
Thursday - Griffith Board Room, Harrison Hughes Building Google Map
Week 6 : 3rd - 7th November ‘Digital Engineering’ University of Sheffield
Wednesday - Pam Liversidge Building, Design Studio 1 Google Map
Accommodation - Jonas Hotel, Endcliffe Crescent, Sheffield Google Map
Thursday - Broad Lane Building LT8 Google Map
Week 7 : 10th - 14th November ‘Plasmas’ University of Birmingham
Wednesday - workshop room TBC
Accommodation - Peter Scott House, Edgbaston Park Road B15 2RA Google Map
Thursday - workshop room TBC
Week 8 : 17th - 21st November ‘Materials Engineering’ University of Birmingham
Wednesday - workshop room TBC
Accommodation - Peter Scott House, Edgbaston Park Road B15 2RA Google Map
Thursday - workshop room TBC
Week 9 : 24th - 28th November ‘Power Generation’ University of Liverpool
Wednesday - Griffith Board Room, Harrison Hughes Building Google Map
Accommodation - Premier Inn, Vernon Street Liverpool Google Map
Thursday - Griffith Board Room, Harrison Hughes Building Google Map
Week 10 : 1st - 5th December ‘Experiments’ University of Sheffield
Wednesday - Harry Brearley Building, Portobello Street Google Map
Accommodation - Jonas Hotel, Endcliffe Crescent Google Map
Thursday- Faculty Boardroom, Mappin Building Google Map
Week 11 : 8th -12th December ‘Fusioneer Pathway’ University of Liverpool
Wednesday - Griffith Board Room, Harrison Hughes Building Google Map
Accommodation - Premier Inn, Vernon Street Liverpool Google Map
Thursday - Griffith Board Room, Harrison Hughes Building Google Map
Week 16 : 12th -16th January, UKAEA, Culham / Oxfordshire
Tuesday - Travel to Oxford AM, UKAEA visit PM, hotel TBC
Wednesday - UKAEA & First Light Fusion visit
Thursday - Tokomak Energy visit, travel home PM
2. Deuterium Phase - 2025 cohort
This is a blend of training and doctoral research, from January to June (approximately). Your tasks in this period are;
Identify and complete existing courses or training in technical areas that will support your doctoral project. This might be attending lectures for courses that are run in semester 2. A budget request for any costs associated with this training must be submitted to the CDT Manager for approval.
Complete a short preliminary literature review for your project area to help you understand and frame current state-of-the-art, and hence your research question, in conversation with your academic and industrial supervisors.
Prepare a preliminary research plan for April to September, and for thereafter as far as is practical.
Prepare for the CDT Progress Review. This is a CDT Mini-Symposium, held in April, where you will give a 15-minute presentation to the cohort and a CDT panel with the following points;
Your project aims and objectives.
Training you have completed/identified in the Deuterium Phase.
Your 6-month research plan.
Project risks with contingency arrangements.
3. Tritium Phase - 2025 cohort
This is from 1st July onwards of Year 1 of the programme, and represents the usual research phase of a doctoral project, which will likely include specific ongoing technical training.
From this point, you should focus on preparing for your first annual progression milestone. The annual progression points for doctoral candidates are known by different terms (transfer reports, confirmation reviews, annual reviews) but it is important that you plan for being ready to submit for your first annual review by the end of your first year (September). Your first annual progress review will be arranged and assessed by your home university. You will submit a report, and have a viva examination, to confirm your suitability for doctoral level study. As this process is university-specific, please see below for some links to further guidance.