Bristol is one of seven top UK universities to receive a share of £26.37 million as part of the Early Career Research Funding programme, which will create 100 new early career research positions between 2026 and 2028.

Professor Oliver Johnson, Head of School of Mathematics at Bristol, said: “We are delighted that XTX Markets has recognised Bristol’s strength in pure mathematics, by providing this extremely generous funding to us and other world-leading institutions in the subject. This money will allow researchers to take their first steps in understanding deep and beautiful pure mathematical problems which have challenged some of the world’s most brilliant minds for centuries.”

Pure mathematics is revered as an avenue both for exploratory research as much as its practical value in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges. Among the benefits the newly funded positions will enable is the professional development of talented researchers who will have the knowledge and skills to prove new fundamental results in the subject. The funding will also ultimately grow the UK’s capacity to provide the skills and expertise required by fast-emerging areas such as AI, defence, cryptography and finance.

Recruitment has already begun for the first cohort of new researchers to start at Bristol in September 2026, with a total of 12 PhDs and 3 post-doctoral positions planned over the next three years. Plans are also underway for a number of career enhancement activities and professional development for PhDs and early career researchers.

Vice Chancellor Professor Evelyn Welch said: “Pure mathematics is a wonderful, engaging subject and we do it brilliantly here at the University of Bristol.  I am excited that we will be able to bring in fully-funded PhD students who will join a globally connected community of outstanding researchers and educators.

“The funding from XTX Markets signals a vote of confidence in both the inherent value of pure mathematics, and the importance of investing in training people who will play their part in the future of areas such as science, technology and healthcare.”

Bristol’s School of Mathematics is considered one of the strongest in Europe for research. It has more than doubled in size in the last decade and was recently ranked 4th in the UK for Mathematical Sciences research based on independent analysis by Times Higher Education. Its research portfolio includes interdisciplinary collaborations with fellow academics in everything from philosophy and social sciences, to physics, biology and medicine. It also hosts industry partnerships through research consultancies with leading firms such as Microsoft Research, Allianz UK Personal (formerly known as LV), NCSC, the Office for National Statistics and AstraZeneca.

XTX Markets has committed more than £70 million to UK universities since 2020. The funding supports a range of initiatives including graduate and postgraduate scholarships through The BIG Programme and the Martingale Foundation, and the development of new degree curricula that link foundational mathematics to key applications, coordinated by The Campaign for Mathematical Sciences.

The other institutions who will receive a share of the funding are the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, University of Oxford, University of Liverpool and University of Warwick.