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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

FOSTER Programme Industry PhD Support Scheme 2025

UK Atomic Energy Authority · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 08:35.

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. 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.

Classification

  • CPV73110000 — Research services

Lots

  • Lot LOT-0000Value not stated

Documents and notices

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
planning
Above Threshold
Yes
Main Procurement Category
services

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Communication

Future Notice Date
28 Oct 2025, 23:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
LOT-0000
Status
planning

Contract period

Ends
17 Nov 2027, 23:59
Starts
18 Nov 2025, 00:00

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
LOT-0000
Related Lot
LOT-0000

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UK
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
73110000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Research services

Planning and budget

Documents

Entry 1
Id
053368-2025
Format
text/html
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Published
3 Sept 2025, 09:00

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Status
scheduled
Due
28 Oct 2025, 23:59

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-PPON-PLJV-1169-JTDD
Name
UK Atomic Energy Authority

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKJ14
Country
GB
Locality
Oxfordshire
Postal Code
OX14 3DB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Culham Science Centre

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Identifier

Id
PLJV-1169-JTDD
Scheme
GB-PPON

Contact

Name
Jonny Adams
Telephone
+12 35528822

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Oxfordshire · UKJ14 · OX14 3DB · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UK · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-0592c0-2025-09-03T09:00:28+01:00Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·