International joint PhD opportunities

When you undertake a joint PhD, you will access expertise, resources and training from two institutions. As well as the University of Melbourne, you will spend at least 12 months at an international institution. This means your research will benefit from a truly global perspective, and you will enhance your prospects for an international research career. Upon completion, you will have the joint nature of your PhD recognised by two testamurs – one from each partner university.

We have a range of international joint PhD opportunities that are currently available. These positions are all fully funded. They exist across a range of disciplines, at universities and research institutions around the world.

Current joint PhD research opportunities

  • close up of a mottled green leaf

    Molecular Plant Physiology

    Six fully funded joint PhD positions in molecular plant physiology, with University of Potsdam and the Max Planck Institute (Germany).

  • Blue and white beams of light pointing towards the ground

    Exciton science

    Eight fully funded joint PhD positions to research light-based energy in exciton science, with the University of Bayreuth (Germany).

  • wiring between two circut boards lit up in blue and white light

    Energy

    Four fully funded joint PhD positions in energy-related projects, with RWTH Aachen University (Germany).

  • View of a monestary through an ornate sandstone archway

    Infrastructure Engineering

    Seven fully funded joint PhD opportunities in spatial information, sensor networks, and water resource management, with the Melbourne India Postgraduate Academy (India).

  • A close up, brightly-coloured atomic microscopic image of human teeth

    Atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy

    One fully funded joint PhD position in atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, with the Jülich Research Centre (Germany).

  • Two children playing in an elaborate string-based installation artwork

    Machine learning for second language acquisition

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in machine learning for second language acquisition, with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel).

  • A red fox in grassland

    Canine and feline veterinary science

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions studying canine and feline vector-borne zoonoses and leishmaniasis, with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel).

  • Close up of a modern chrome car engine

    Decarbonising transportation

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in decarbonising future transport with ammonia fueled engines, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • Two men looking intently at a computer screen

    Expanding the construct of second language assessments

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions researching a corpus-based approach to measuring second language academic writing assessments, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • close up of a tree roots with vines and grass growing

    Root growth in varying soil layers

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions studying how a root changes its ability to grow through different layers of soil, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • close up of a mosquito on a leaf

    Modelling malaria elimination

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in modelling China's successes to malaria elimination in the Asia-Pacific, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • A front yard through a green picket fence

    Housing creative workers

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in a comparative study of housing creative workers in Shanghai and Melbourne, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • Red 3d illustration of bacteria

    Molecular mechanisms of secretion systems

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions investigating the molecular mechanism of effector secretion by the bacterial type IV secretion system, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • A man sitting facing a riverscape in the sunset

    Brain imaging in depression treatments

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in brain imaging predictors of rapid treatment response to low-dose ketamine in patients with severe depression, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • A greenspace in a city with playground, walking tracks and grass

    Influence of urban greenspaces on biodiversity

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions studying the influence of urban greenspaces on biodiversity related to human health and wellbeing in Shanghai and Melbourne, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • A person in a glass walled meeting room holding up a tablet with an urban planning scene on it

    Sustainable geospatial information management

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in governance modelling for sustainable geospatial information management using emerging technologies, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • People walking across the Millenium bridge in London

    Translation policy and practice

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in effective translation policies and practices for official communication with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Coloured lines and node map on a computer screen

    Algorithms for industrial optimisation

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in trustworthy and insightful algorithms for industrial decision making, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Microscopic view of embryonic stem cells

    Stem cell therapy

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions stem in cell therapy for the treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders targeting defects in neuronal wiring, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Blue bokeh made from crhistmas lights a projector and the night

    Critical phenomena in spectra

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in critical phenomena in complex and real spectra, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Small oil bubbles on water surface with an orange glow

    Multifunctional nanomaterials for cancer therapies

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in advanced cell models and multifunctional nanomaterials for light-mediated cancer therapies, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • close up of a blue and hazel human eye

    Tackling neurodegenerative disorders

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in tackling neurodegenerative disorders, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • A contemporary building on the edge of a river. It has a brick base and the top is scalloped and made of glass.

    Environmental performance of buildings and cities

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in data and tools for improving the environmental performance of buildings and cities, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Birds eye view of snowy Russian landscape

    Emerging global risks in actuarial science

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in the valuation and advanced learning methods for emerging global risks in actuarial science, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Wind turbines in the ocean

    Offshore renewable energy foundations

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in cyclic soil-structure interaction framework for the foundations of offshore renewable energy structures, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Silver liquid spilling across metallic mesh

    Liquid metals in emerging technologies

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in versatile usage of liquid metals in emerging microwave technologies, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • Neon purple and black illuminated microscopic image of cells

    Cardiomyocyte growth and function modelling

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in subcellular Ca2+ signalling microdomains regulating cardiomyocyte growth and function, with KU Leuven (Belgium).

  • black letters arranged in a haphazard whirlpool shape

    Computational analysis of cognitive processes

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions investigating how cognitive processes have applied changes to language development or library classifications over time, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • An older woman in a yoga class doing a seated stretch. She is wearing a gold t-shirt and blue leggings.

    Bone-cartilage interactions in osteoarthritis

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in mechanobiology aiming to understand the impact of estrogen loss on osteochondral outcomes, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • purple round bacteria on a green cellular surface

    Bacterial pathogenesis

    Three fully funded joint PhD positions exploring bacterial pathogenesis projects in two unique training environments, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • arial view of trucks and plant equipment on a large open cut quarry

    Geotechnical engineering

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions researching partial drainage effects in sand tackling problems for the energy and mining industries, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • A woman in a park, she is wearing a black face mask and holding a baby

    Pandemic recovery

    One fully funded joint PhD position exploring the experience of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in vulnerable groups, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • A girl lying on a blue mat with a blue ball propped between her feet

    Rehabilitation outcomes in childhood stroke

    One fully funded joint PhD position investigating the clinical and neural course of sub-acute recovery in children with stroke, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • Five smiling children on a street in India

    Public health insurance programs

    One fully funded joint PhD position researching the design and effectiveness of public health insurance programs in India, with the University of Toronto (Canada).

  • Blue and red light reflecting off a faceted glass building

    Advances in nanomaterials devices and applications

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions in novel photodetectors based on nanomaterials: devices and applications, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • A yellow wave turbine in the ocean, with mountains in the background. Image: US Department of Energy

    Development of next generation floating wind and wave turbines

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions to develop a novel foundation to secure floating renewable energy turbines with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China).

  • A child washing their hands at an outside tap

    Changing urban water profiles and hygiene and sanitation practices

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions examining cultural and socio-environmental changes in China, with the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

  • A highway under construction in Kenya. image Kenya National Highways Authority.

    Transport networks, globalisation and urbanisation

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions exploring urban and political impacts of large-scale transport projects in Pakistan, Kenya and Tanzania, with the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

  • soft pink and purple fluffy clouds

    Shallow convection comparisons

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions researching the characteristics of and precipitation from shallow convective clouds, with the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

  • a large field of solar panels

    Nanotechnology for enhancing energy outputs

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions exploring the use of nanomaterials and 3D printing for energy harvesting and batteries, with the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

  • A woman and two young children playing on the beach. They are wearing sun smart clothing and hats

    Melanoma recurrences

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions investigating the identification of melanoma relapse in patients, with the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

  • A young girl wearing a backpack holding hands with a smart robot

    Diagnosing listening difficulties in children

    Two fully funded joint PhD positions exploring the relationship between auditory, speech and language processing and cognitive abilities in children, with the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

Next steps

Find out more about our international partner institutions and how to apply for a joint PhD.

Back to top