Creativity in Research
Research is often viewed as a purely scientific and analytical process, and the creative dimension can easily be overlooked. Yet creativity sits at the heart of good research; it’s what allows researchers to generate new ideas, make connections between theories, and imagine how their work can be applied in real world contexts. Creativity shapes the questions we ask, the methods we choose, and the ways we communicate our findings.
Creativity in Research Month
To recognise and honour this essential part of the research journey, DTA hosts Creativity in Research Month across the consortium each spring (April). The aim is to give doctoral researchers space to explore, express, and celebrate the creative aspects of their work. View Creativity in Reseach Month workshops taking place during April 2027.
Images of Research Competition
This online competition is open to any doctoral student undertaking their research at a University Alliance member university. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of £50.
To participate, submit an image along with a short abstract (up to 150 words) that represents your research project or topic area. Each image should also include a title of no more than 50 words. 
This is a great way to showcase your research in a simple, fun and creative way and we encourage as many of you as possible to participate.
Important Notes:
The image should be your own work and can be created using any of the following methods:
- Photography: Take a photo using a camera or smartphone.
- AI-generated imagery: Use an AI tool to generate an image.
- Artwork: Create a hand-drawn, painted, or digitally illustrated image.
Please include a brief note on how the image was created (e.g., using AI, camera, etc.)
The deadline to submit your entry is Friday, 24 April at 23:00 hrs | Upload your entries here.
Contact the DTA team at dta@unialliance.ac.uk if you experience any issues.
The winner will be announced on Thursday 7th May.
Details of the 2027 competition will be available here in due course.
To see images from previous years please follow these links:
