Graduate researchers and academics gain a connected global experience

International collaboration is fundamental to research at the University of Melbourne. We are committed to preparing our graduate researchers, the next generation of bold investigators, for global careers.

International Collaborative Research Academies (ICRAs), previously called International Research Training Groups (IRTGs), are a flagship tool for enabling both international research collaboration and providing global research training experiences for our graduate researchers.

ICRAs are formalised programs that provide supportive environments for candidates to excel in their research training. They provide a framework for existing researcher-to-researcher links to be readily scaled and networked, while also providing unique global experiences for our graduate researchers.

Each candidate in an ICRA spends at least a year overseas embedded in a partner institution as well as being part of a Melbourne research group. During this time, candidates access complementary facilities, expertise and environments, and obtain a global perspective, together with their peers. At the end of their research training their thesis is examined by two universities. Successful candidates receive a single PhD degree that is jointly awarded with two testamurs, one from each university.

Through our ICRAs we partner with international universities and institutes with aligned values, complementary research strengths, and commitment to high-quality research and research training. This allows our graduate researchers to benefit from complementary expertise and pursue high-quality joint research projects across the globe.

Graduate research life can be isolating, with candidates reporting they sometimes lack opportunities for connection. Being part of an ICRA cohort is one way we help address this and foster a strong sense of belonging for our graduate researchers.

There are more than 300 joint PhD candidates in the current 18 ICRAs, with half of these enrolled through partners at the University of Manchester (UK), KU Leuven (Belgium) and the University of Bonn (Germany). The other half are spread across 20 partner institutions in nine countries including Canada, China, India and Japan.

ICRAs facilitate long-term collaboration and partnership. They enable joint international projects and increase the quality, output and impact of our research. Together with our international partners, we discover new knowledge that benefits society at a global level that we could not achieve on our own.

Advancing Research 2030: Excellence for Impact

Learn more about Joint PhD degrees