SAINTS is a Centre for Doctoral Training, which means there is a unique requirement for a structured and cohort-based training programme unlike other PhD programmes. For SAINTS, there are four training streams: Taught Courses, Practice-Based Learning, Event-Based Learning and Secondments & Exchange. SAINTS PhD researchers are also expected to undertake individual research alongside the taught courses, however, there is less of an emphasis on this in year one.
SAINTS taught courses
SAINTS was awarded as part of the UKRI call for artificial intelligence Centres for Doctoral Training. Therefore it is important to remember that AI is central to the programme of study.
SAINTS taught courses introduce key concepts, tools and language to allow discussion around issues arising in complex AI enabled autonomous systems.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Safe AI
- Law, Ethics and Society
Each of these courses is run as a three-day block with lectures and seminars and make extensive use of group learning to embed the multi-disciplinary nature of the programme.
Regular Seminar Series
Alongside the taught courses, SAINTS researchers will also learn a range of soft skills and responsible research and innovation practices through a regular seminar series which prepares them not only for the challenges of research in an academic environment, but also for life beyond University.
These seminars will cover a wide range of skills tailored to the needs of the cohort and address issues highlighted by our industrial partners and wider societal concerns.
Quarterly Workshops
On joining SAINTS researchers are allocated to a challenge team and, quarterly workshops provide an opportunity for researchers, and their supervisors, to consolidate and contexualise their learning.
As part of these workshops researchers will regularly present their ideas in a supported environment where they can get multi-disciplinary, context appropriate feedback to improve their work.
Secondments
Typically in Year 2 or 3 of their studies, PhD researchers will undertake a secondment with a CDT partner or other external organisation. This is a mandatory requirement, typically for a minimum of 3 months (FTE), to learn to translate their research and align it with industry and regulatory needs. Secondments will be based on use cases, i.e. identifying a specific situation in which a product or service could potentially be used, and designed to contribute to their PhD research, potentially with papers co-authored with host partners. Crucially, PhD researchers will start to influence companies by using the training they have undertaken in EDI and RAI. After the secondment, the PhD researcher and the host organisation will deliver a report on the impact the secondment has had on your PhD research, the skills/knowledge you have obtained and the value and impact you have had to the organisation itself.
