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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

FOSTER Programme Industry PhD Support Scheme 2025

UK Atomic Energy Authority · compiled

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 08:33.

Opportunity overview

The Fusion Opportunities in Skills, Training, Education and Research (FOSTER) programme is an ambitious national fusion skills programme delivered by UKAEA on behalf of the UK fusion sector. FOSTER's mission is to train over 2000 people by 2030, ready to take roles within the fusion industry.

Classification

  • CPV73110000 — Research services

Lots

  • The Fusion Opportunities in Skills, Training, Education and Research (FOSTER) programme is an ambitious national fusion skills programme delivered by UKAEA on behalf of the UK fusion sector. FOSTER’s mission is to train over 2000 people by 2030, ready to take roles within the fusion industry. The intention is to work with universities, businesses, and international partners to increase the number of apprentice and graduate, postgraduate and doctoral, and post-doctoral opportunities within the fusion skills ecosystem in the UK. One mechanism being used to support an increase in PhD numbers is through the FOSTER Programme’s Industry PhD Support Scheme Awards. These Awards will contribute a fixed sum towards the cost of a fusion related PhD in a UK university that commences by 31st December 2026. There are two tiers of award values available under this initiative: 2 awards of £65,000 are designated specifically for small businesses (less than 50 full-time employees), while the remaining awards are valued at £40,000 and are open to all eligible applicants. The application form must detail the full cost of the project and show how the remaining balance of funding will be provided. PhD topics should be beneficial to the wider UK fusion sector i.e. not only relevant to one specific fusion device. PhD projects that are already underway, as collaborations between a university and an industry partner, but experiencing existential financial difficulties may also be proposed for consideration.Value not stated

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
T/GW99/25
Status
planned
Main Procurement Category
services

Covered By

GPA

Amendments

Entry 1
Id
1
Description
This notice was originally uploaded as a PCR15 PIN. It was intended to be a PA23 PME notice. Please ignore this notice and refer to the correct notice with OCID ocds-h6vhtk-0592c0 Notice Identifier : 2025/S 000-053368 for information on this opportunity.

Unstructured Changes

Entry 1

Where

Section
II.2.4.

New Value

Text
This notice was originally uploaded as a PCR15 PIN. It was intended to be a PA23 PME notice. Please ignore this notice and refer to the correct notice with OCID ocds-h6vhtk-0592c0 Notice Identifier : 2025/S 000-053368 for information on this opportunity.

Old Value

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Communication

Future Notice Date
17 Nov 2025, 00:00

Classification

Id
73110000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Research services

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
planned
Description
The Fusion Opportunities in Skills, Training, Education and Research (FOSTER) programme is an ambitious national fusion skills programme delivered by UKAEA on behalf of the UK fusion sector. FOSTER’s mission is to train over 2000 people by 2030, ready to take roles within the fusion industry. The intention is to work with universities, businesses, and international partners to increase the number of apprentice and graduate, postgraduate and doctoral, and post-doctoral opportunities within the fusion skills ecosystem in the UK. One mechanism being used to support an increase in PhD numbers is through the FOSTER Programme’s Industry PhD Support Scheme Awards. These Awards will contribute a fixed sum towards the cost of a fusion related PhD in a UK university that commences by 31st December 2026. There are two tiers of award values available under this initiative: 2 awards of £65,000 are designated specifically for small businesses (less than 50 full-time employees), while the remaining awards are valued at £40,000 and are open to all eligible applicants. The application form must detail the full cost of the project and show how the remaining balance of funding will be provided. PhD topics should be beneficial to the wider UK fusion sector i.e. not only relevant to one specific fusion device. PhD projects that are already underway, as collaborations between a university and an industry partner, but experiencing existential financial difficulties may also be proposed for consideration.

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery Location

Description
Culham Campus

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UK

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
73110000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Research services

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-FTS-156485
Name
UK Atomic Energy Authority

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UK
Locality
Oxfordshire
Postal Code
OX14 3DB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Culham Science Centre

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
BODY_PUBLIC
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Body governed by public law
Entry 2
Scheme
COFOG
Description
Fusion Research

Identifier

Id
N/A
Legal Name
UK Atomic Energy Authority

Contact

Name
Jonny Adams
Telephone
+12 35528822
Organisation 2
Id
GB-FTS-159727
Name
UK Atomic Energy Authority

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UK
Locality
Oxfordshire
Postal Code
OX14 3DB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Culham Science Centre

Details

Identifier

Legal Name
UK Atomic Energy Authority
No Identifier Rationale
notOnAnyRegister

Contact

Name
Jonny Adams
Telephone
+12 35528822

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Oxfordshire · UK · OX14 3DB · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UK

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-05921a-2025-09-03T10:59:06+01:00compiled ·