Amongst the successful proposals, Lancaster's Centre for Doctoral Training in Statistics and Operational Research in partnership with industry (STOR-i), was one of only a handful awarded in the mathematical sciences.

The next generation of STOR-i will build on an existing programme established in 2010. STOR-i's goal is the development of international research leaders through a programme in which industrial challenge is the catalyst for mathematical innovation. The Centre's distinctive mission is based on a partnership with several of the UK's leading companies across a range of sectors, including AstraZeneca, BT, IBM, Shell and SSE.

The award, joint between the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics and Management Science, builds on Lancaster's long-standing commitment to Statistics and Operational Research and its leading reputation in these fields. It is also testament to the success of other recent initiatives such as the EPSRC Science and Innovation award in Operational Research (the LANCS Initiative).

The Centre, led by Idris Eckley,  and Jonathan Tawn, will train 60 students across five cohorts, the first of which will be admitted in October 2014.