Berlin University Alliance – University of Melbourne: Call for joint PhD projects in Global Health

Critical Dates

15 October 2021

Call opens

08 March 2022

Applications due

End of June 2022

Results released

*Applicants from ABP, please contact abp-gradresearch@unimelb.edu.au for additional EOI steps

Overview

Following two rounds of seed funding, the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) and the University of Melbourne (UoM) seek to advance their collaboration through joint research training. BUA is a consortium consisting of the Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Together, the BUA and the University of Melbourne aim to strengthen their international approach to Global Health challenges by giving joint PhD candidates the opportunity to work on a globally collaborative research project, gain international experience and insights, and become part of an excellent research environment in Berlin and Melbourne.

This call is part of the Berlin University Alliance’s second “Grand Challenge Initiative” (GCI) which addresses the field of Global Health as an emerging discipline. Global Health deals with issues of health and disease from a transnational and global perspective. It focuses on the interdependencies between globalization, health, and health determinants with a special focus on and commitment to the reduction of health disparities.

Joint PhD candidates are enrolled at both institutions, perform their research under joint supervision, and are graded according to the academic standards of both institutions. Upon successful completion of the program, each candidate will be eligible to receive a joint PhD, recognised by two testamurs. Both testamurs will state the joint nature of the award and acknowledge the relevant BUA member and the University of Melbourne.

Joint PhD project proposals are invited from all disciplines and faculties with a clear focus on Global Health issues.

This call for joint PhD project proposals is open to applications from academic supervisors only. If you are a prospective candidate interested in applying for a joint PhD, please refer to the information available here.

Funding

Up to 12 joint PhD projects will be supported across 6 pairs of Principal Investigators (PIs). Each of these PI pairs will receive funding to support two PhD candidates, including tuition fee waivers, a full living allowance, travel allowance, and health insurance. Please refer to pages 3-4 of the guidelines for a full funding overview.

Eligibility requirements

The supervisory team must comprise at least two Principal Investigators (PIs), one from UoM and one from a BUA member institution. The PIs must have capacity to serve as primary supervisors for two jointly enrolled PhD candidates. Previous MEL-BER applicants and recipients are eligible to apply.

UoM requirements

UoM academics must be registered to supervise as per the Supervisor Eligibility and Registration Policy. Primary supervisors should be employed at UoM beyond the envisaged submission date of their PhD candidates (2027). If their employment contract does not extend beyond the submission date, then alternative arrangements must be in place, by either having:

  1. A named co-supervisor at Melbourne beyond the envisaged submission date of their PhD candidates (2027); or
  2. A letter of support from the respective Head of Department/School detailing the arrangements in place to ensure continuity of supervision.

For more information, including forms for supervisor registration, please consult the information for supervisors section on the Graduate Research Hub.

Honorary employees whose primary academic affiliation is the University of Melbourne are eligible to lead an application as a PI if they are a registered Principal Supervisor at Melbourne, and either:

  1. Their primary employer has entered into a written agreement for this call to fund the Melbourne cash component of the collaborative activity; or
  2. They participate at their own expense if they are otherwise unaffiliated (for example, they hold an emeritus position).
BUA requirements

BUA academics must meet the requirements of their respective faculty/institution for supervising a PhD candidate. Primary supervisors should be employed at the respective BUA member institution beyond the envisaged submission date of their PhD candidate (2027). If their employment contract does not extend beyond the submission date, then alternative arrangements must be in place, by either having:

  1. A named co-supervisor at the BUA member institution beyond the envisaged submission date of their PhD candidates (2027); or
  2. A letterof support from the respective Head of Department/School detailing the arrangements in place to ensure continuity of supervision.

BUA academics who were successful in the BUA call "Determinants of Global Health: Exploring Biological, Human-made & Environmental Factors" are eligible to apply.

Additional notes for all applicants

Additional colleagues (including other partners in Australia, from non-BUA members in Germany, or internationally) are not eligible to apply as primary supervisors, although they can participate in the co-supervision of joint PhD candidates.

Adherence to respective equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies are a core feature of this program to ensure that all participants can do their best work, thrive and succeed. Applicant teams should consider how they can take meaningful steps in their future collaborations to foster an environment that values, supports and respects a diverse range of views, knowledge and experiences. Applicants should consider EDI as it applies to gender, indigenous peoples, disabilities, career stages and sectors.

Applications that do not satisfy these criteria will not be eligible.

How to apply

  1. Review the  guidelines

    Please review the guidelines before submission.

  2. Complete and submit the application

    A single, jointly prepared application must be submitted in English through the application
    portal (https://portal.bihealth.de/portal/) to the BUA. A template application form is provided as a supporting document for offline collaboration before submission.

    All University of Melbourne applicants should ensure that approval from both the Head of School/Department and Faculty Associate Dean (Graduate Research) is attached to the application.

Supporting documents

Contacts

Melbourne contact details:
Ms Kim Turner / Ms Lanny Sandler
Researcher Development Schemes
The University of Melbourne
res-devschemes@unimelb.edu.au


Submission and BUA contact details:
Aleksandra Laski
Strategic Partnership Manager
Berlin University Alliance
aleksandra.laski@berlin-university-alliance.de
+49 (0) 30 2093 20084


For Global Health related requests:
Dr. Julia Wolanski
Scientific Coordinator Global Health (BUA)
Berlin University Alliance
julia.wolanski@berlin-university-alliance.de
+49 (0) 39 450 572114