The Industrial Doctorate Centre in Molecular Modelling and Materials Science (MMMS IDC) at University College London welcomed its first students in 2005. The EngD research programme is highly interdisciplinary, with students based in a growing number of UCL science and engineering departments as well as the London Centre of Nanotechnology. Each year, the MMMS IDC funds ten doctoral training studentships in all areas of materials science, where computer modelling plays a significant role. Priority research areas are Energy Materials ; Nano-science for Smart Materials ; and Materials for Bio-medical Applications .

The four year EngD programme is targeted at scientists and engineers, who intend to become research leaders in industry, or wish to maintain significant links with industry in an academic career. Each student has a sponsoring company, where they usually spend significant proportions of their research time. In addition to students who are placed with the sponsoring company, existing employees can be seconded to the EngD programme by their sponsor. This secondment makes a doctoral degree much more accessible for senior researchers with established careers and positions. The taught programme covers a broad range of topics, from computer modelling techniques and materials science courses to business development training and professionally accredited project management. Students also have the opportunity to take courses at the London Business School .

The students in the MMMS IDC have a wide variety of backgrounds, ranging from graduates in Chemical and Medicinal Sciences to Physics, Computer Science and Engineering. Most are recent graduates but others already have significant work experience in industry, but find that doctoral research will broaden their expertise and enhance their career prospects. Similarly, the sponsoring companies also span an increasingly wide range of industrial interests in the UK and abroad, from energy providers and catalyst specialists (Exxon Mobil, Johnson Matthey) to glass manufacturers (Pilkington Glass UK, Asahi Glass Japan), computing hardware and software companies (Silicon Graphics, Accelrys Ltd), biomedical implants (Stanmore Implants Worldwide) and national laboratories (Diamond, ISIS; the MET office; Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, USA; and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France).