Studentships

Diamond is a not-for-profit research facility that exists to enable the advancement of science, to promote and strengthen life and material sciences and to enhance awareness and understanding of the facility and its scientific purpose through education and training. 

Diamond’s commitment to developing skilled researchers starts at the earliest stages of a scientific career.  To this end, Diamond collaborates with Research Organisations to co-supervise and part-fund a cohort of Students each year. 

While not a degree awarding institution, Diamond is committed to ensuring that Diamond’s Students receive the best training and support available through its Doctoral Studentship Programme.

This policy applies to supervisors of Studentships and Diamond Students.

Diamond's Directors have overall responsibility for this policy.  Any queries or suggestions relating to this policy should be sent to policies@diamond.ac.uk.

Each year Diamond publishes a call for proposals for Studentships, setting out the details of the Doctoral Studentship Programme and the process for applying.

Studentships will typically be carried out over a period of 3½ or 4 years and are collaborative projects between Diamond and Research Organisations in a subject in which the supervisors have expertise, with Diamond being actively involved at all stages of the Studentship, including the selection of the Student.

Diversity and equality must be promoted in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of Students.

Diamond’s Studentship contributions are conditional on the Student spending at least 50% of his/her time at Diamond during the course of the Studentship.  During this allocation of time at Diamond, Students are expected to be based within Commuting Distance of Diamond for periods of not less than 6 months at a time.

A very limited number of Studentships may be made available outside Diamond’s Doctoral Studentship Programme and shall in all instances be subject to approval by the Diamond Executive.

Research arising out of Studentships should lead to high impact academic publications, a thesis in furtherance of the student’s career and should further Diamond’s status as a centre of excellence within the international scientific community.

Diamond’s Studentships are fully-funded.  The Student is not expected to self-fund the Studentship.

Annually in advance, Diamond contributes a fixed amount towards student stipend, student fees, travel, accommodation and conference attendance, with funding contributions for each new cohort of Students being published here each year.  Diamond’s contribution would typically amount to up to 50% of the funding for a Studentship.

Diamond shall provide reasonable and essential consumables required for a Studentship to the extent that such consumables need to be used at Diamond.  Reasonable and essential consumables required for a Studentship at the Research Organisation(s) shall be provided by the relevant Research Organisation.

Students shall be required to submit a thesis for examination at the higher education institution that will be awarding the degree and in accordance with that higher education institution’s regulations governing postgraduate study.

Studentships will be carried out in accordance with the policies and procedures in place at the higher education institution that will be awarding the degree to the Student.  When the Student makes use of Diamond Facilities, in addition to the higher education institution’s policies and procedures, relevant Diamond policies and procedures shall apply.

The parties to a Studentship must, to the extent applicable, comply with the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, in particular Chapter B1:  Research Degrees and the terms and conditions of any third party Studentship funders.

The parties to a Studentship shall grant each other the right to use their intellectual property to the extent needed for the Studentship and to the extent that it arises out of the Studentship.  This right to use the parties’ intellectual property shall be granted for the purposes of the Studentship, for academic research and teaching and to develop and enhance the services and facilities that Diamond provides.

For more information, and to assist you to comply with this policy, please familiarise yourself with Diamond’s Studentship Guidelines for Supervisors and Diamond’s Studentship Guidelines for Students.

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply:

Commuting Distance: A journey that would ordinarily take less than 45 minutes.

Diamond:  Diamond Light Source Ltd, a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales, with company number 4375679 and with registered office at Diamond House, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 ODE, United Kingdom.

Diamond Facilities:  All research facilities made available by Diamond.

Doctoral Studentship Programme:  Diamond’s formal programme for the engagement, supervision and management of a new cohort of Students at Diamond each year.

Research Organisation(s): UK higher education institutions and/or other approved organisations collaborating with Diamond on a Studentship.

Student(s):  PhD or DPhil students registered at a higher education institution that have entered into a studentship agreement with Diamond for a particular Studentship.

Studentship:  Doctoral student research projects co-supervised and usually co-funded by Diamond.