PhDs in improvement science Our PhDs aim to develop improvement science by helping to build a critical mass of improvement science research at leading institutions

This fellowship is closed for applications.

Our PhDs in improvement science support the long-term development of this field by working with UK research organisations.
Aims to develop improvement science by helping to build a critical mass of improvement science research at leading institutions.
Funding awarded to nine universities in 2013 and a further four research organisations received funding for two PhD students in 2015.

Our PhDs offer an opportunity for researchers to specialise in applied improvement science early on in their career. It will enable them to work with partners and collaborators in the health service, and ultimately contribute to the knowledge base of the science of improvement.

PhD studies in improvement science complement our other investments in this field including the post-doctoral Improvement Science Fellowships and the Improvement Science Development Group, which all contribute to building a scientific evidence base to facilitate improvements across health care.

We have awarded funding to thirteen research organisations to support two PhD students each in the study of improvement science for up to five years.

The nine research organisations who received funding in 2013 are:

University of Dundee
Imperial College London
Kings College London
Newcastle University
University College London
University of Leeds
University of Leicester
University of Manchester
University of Nottingham

The four research organisations who received funding in 2015 are:

East Midlands Improvement Science Development Network (University of Leicester and University of Nottingham)
University College London
University of Birmingham
University of Southampton (on behalf of NIHR CLAHRC Wessex)

Each research organisation was selected because of their strong existing body of research related to improvement science, and because they are well positioned to contribute to building a scientific evidence base to facilitate improvements across health care.

Interested in improvement research funding opportunities?

In January 2018 the Health Foundation established THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), an improvement research institute that will develop evidence on a massive scale across the NHS about what works to improve patient care.

THIS Institute aims to create a world-leading asset for the NHS and for science by strengthening the evidence base for improving health care.