The 2004 International Review of UK Research in Mathematics noted that "New PhDs from the UK usually have less breadth and experience than their peers from other countries."

In response in 2006 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) issued a call and funded six taught course centres for the Mathematical Sciences, which all began operations in October 2007.

EPSRC has provided follow-on funding to all six centres (until summer 2016).

The other five centres are:

• London Taught Course Centre (external link)
• Mathematics Access Grid: Instruction and Collaboration (external link)
• Taught Centre based at Bath, Bristol, Imperial, Oxford (external link)
• A National Taught Course Centre in Operational Research (external link)
• Academy for PhD Training in Statistic (external link)