Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA)
CENTA (Central England NERC Training Alliance) is a consortium of Universities, research institutes and non-academic partners for example that are working together to provide excellence in doctoral research training within the remit of the Natural Environment Research Council.
The CENTA group comprises five other universities in addition to Loughborough (University of Birmingham, the Open University, University of Leicester, University of Warwick, and Cranfield University) and three research centres (British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and National Centre for Earth Observation).
We also work in close partnership with several UK and international businesses, NGOs, research institutes, museums and charitable organisations (such as the National Trust, Natural England, Natural History Museum, Jacobs, UK, Environment Agency, Met Office and Lighthill Risk Network), who are involved at a variety of levels.
Our partners are actively involved in CENTA management, delivering the training programme, providing placement opportunities and offering CASE partnerships for our doctoral researchers.
CENTA will host studentships across the full range of NERC science with particular focus on three science themes:
- Climate and environmental sustainability
- Organisms and ecosystems
- Dynamic Earth
The Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) scheme provides funding to CENTA 3 that will support cohorts in 2026 onwards.
The application deadline is 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 7 January 2026.