In a significant move to tackle pressing global issues, the University of Oxford has unveiled the Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award (ILESLA). This ambitious doctoral training programme aims to cultivate a new generation of researchers adept at addressing complex challenges spanning biological and environmental sciences. The initiative is part of a broader £500 million investment in doctoral training announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).​University of Oxford

ILESLA is a collaborative effort involving Oxford and five esteemed institutions: Oxford Brookes University, The Open University, The Pirbright Institute, Diamond Light Source, and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. The programme’s core objective is to equip researchers with the skills necessary to develop innovative solutions to challenges such as climate change, food security, infectious diseases, biodiversity loss, and sustainability. Students will engage in comprehensive training encompassing mathematics, statistics, programming, imaging, data science, and modeling of biological or environmental processes. Their research will focus on five interconnected themes: Climate and Earth, Biodiversity and Sustainability, Animal and Human Health, Rules of Life, and Transformative Technologies. A distinctive feature of ILESLA is its Open Innovation Industrial Consortium, comprising 13 partners, enabling students to collaborate directly with industry leaders and gain insights into research application and commercialization beyond academia. The programme is committed to inclusivity, aiming to recruit and support students from diverse backgrounds, including mature students and those currently employed. The inaugural cohort is expected to commence in the upcoming academic year.