Manchester – Melbourne Call for Jointly Awarded/Dual PhD Projects

Overview

The University of Melbourne (Melbourne) and the University of Manchester (Manchester) support research collaboration and the development of globally-engaged researchers through the Melbourne and Manchester Graduate Research Group. Established in 2019, annual calls for joint PhD project proposals have provided funding for many supervisory teams to recruit talented candidates across the humanities and sciences. Jointly awarded/dual PhD programs provide candidates with access to complementary facilities, expertise and field environments; a global perspective and an international fluency that will enable future developments in their field and provide a pool of talented employees for global academia and industry.

Melbourne and Manchester are calling for project proposals to establish pairs of jointly awarded/dual PhD research projects. Each successful team of collaborating Primary Investigators (PIs) will receive funding for two jointly awarded/dual PhD candidates, one based in Manchester and one based in Melbourne. Funding for each candidate will include tuition fees, a full living stipend allowance, research training support, health insurance and travel allowance.

Project proposals are open to all research areas, particularly those that are of mutual research strength for Manchester and Melbourne. However, Manchester’s Faculty of Humanities particularly encourages applications in Creativity, Digital Futures, Inequalities, Post-COVID Society, and Sustainability and Manchester's Faculty of Science and Engineering particularly encourages applications in AI, Health, Sustainability, Quantum and Digital and Fundamental.. Those that involve Early Career Researchers (ECRs) as either Principal Investigators or co-investigators are strongly encouraged.

At the end of the successful completion of the program, each candidate will be eligible to receive a PhD, recognised by two testamurs, one from Melbourne and one from Manchester, stating the joint nature of the award and name of the partner institution.

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.

Eligibility

This call for project proposals is open to a supervisory team of at least two Principal Investigators (PIs), one from Manchester and one from Melbourne. The PIs must have capacity to supervise two PhD candidates. Each PI must meet the supervisor eligibility criteria set by their own institution and each PI is responsible for checking their own eligibility to apply.

Melbourne

Melbourne 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 (2028). 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 (2028); or
2. A letter of support from the respective Head of Department/Head of 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, using the provided approval form availble under 'Supporting Documents' below, to fund the Melbourne cash component of the collaborative activity ($10,000AUD); or
2. They participate at their own expense if they are otherwise unaffiliated (for example, they hold an emeritus position).

Manchester

The supervisory team must meet Manchester’s criteria as set out in the University's Policy on Supervision for Postgraduate Research Degrees.

Additional notes for all applicants

Proposals that involve Early Career Researchers (ECRs) as either Principal Investigators or co-investigators are strongly encouraged. An ECR is defined at both Manchester and Melbourne as a researcher within 10 years of their PhD conferral, excluding periods of career interruptions.

Previous recipients may not currently reapply to the scheme but may participate in projects as a co-investigator.

External collaborators  (including academic researchers in Australia, the UK, other countries or regions; or those working in non-academic contexts such as industry or government ) that are not affiliated with  Melbourne or Manchester are not eligible to apply as PIs, although they can participate in the co-supervision of joint PhD candidates or be involved in the joint PhD project at their own expense.

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 the submission.

2. Complete and submit the application

   A single, jointly-prepared application in English must be submitted via SmartyGrants by Monday 16 October 2023 5.00 pm AEDT (Melbourne)/ 7.00 am  BST (Manchester). Applications should be written in English and for an audience proficient, but not expert.

   All Melbourne PIs must ensure that the Head of Department/School and Associate Dean (Graduate Research) endorsement is attached to the application using the approval forms also available under 'Supporting Documents' below. Melbourne applicants who hold an Honorary position must also complete the Honorary declaration form.

   If the application involves a PI from Melbourne's Faculty of Arts, the approval forms must be provided in addition to the supporting statement on how the candidates will be the Faculty’s PhD coursework requirement.

Supporting documents

- Melbourne-Manchester joint call guidelines 2023/2024

- Melbourne-Manchester SmartyGrants application form 2023

- HoD and Associate Dean (Graduate Research) approval forms

-Honorary declaration form

Contacts