The ESRC expects at least 30 per cent of DTP students to be involved in collaboration during their programme. This can include internships, placements and longer term collaborations with public, private or third sector organisations in order to collect data or develop new skills and insights.
The ESRC is not prescriptive about the type of collaboration, but the general principles are that co-funding can be involved but is not essential; the collaboration must be with a non-academic organisation in the public, private or civil society sector; and collaborations must include substantive knowledge exchange and not just one way engagement (eg data collection).
Students who are interested in undertaking an internship during the course of their PhD can apply to have their stipend and maximum period of registration extended. The ESRC will also pay any reasonable additional living costs directly associated with the intership. Internships usually last for three months. Students interested in exploring this possibility should contact Rose Harris in the Financial Support Office and arrange to see her in one of the surgeries she runs in the PhD Academy.
ESRC's Collaboration give further details and registered LSE students should look at the ESRC PhD Moodle page. Log in to Moodle and find under course name 'LSE ESRC DTC' for more information and listings of placement, internship and collaboration opportunities.
LSE’s DTP can fund costs associated with taking up these opportunities and in certain cases extend your scholarship to take account of your time out of the programme.
Contact Rose Harris at p.harris@lse.ac.uk for further information.