The Joint PhD programme between the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering of Imperial College London and the Faculty of Science, HKU is now open for outstanding undergraduate or MPhil students to apply.

Interested applicants may wish to contact potential supervisors of your research area from both institutions for a recommendation of joint supervisory arrangment. The admitting university will be referred to as the home institution. Please follow the normal application procedure for PhD (please also specify the partner institution for the Joint PhD programme) in your desired home institution. There is no need to submit applications to both universities as the admission decision will be made jointly by both universities. Students will pay the tuition fee of the home institution for the full programme and will also apply for studentship/fellowship/financial support through the home institution.

The following message should be read in conjunction with the attached "Joint Degree Programme Agreement" signed by the Imperial College London and The University of Hong Kong on November 26, 2009.

Overview of research interests of Imperial and HKU in Science Subjects

Some examples of research interests of the Faculties of Natural Sciences, Medicine and Engineering of Imperialand the Faculty of Science of HKU are as follows. This list is not exclusive and research areas might change during the duration of the programme:

1. Collaboration

Both universities are committed to the education of research postgraduate students.  Staff members of the two institutions are already engaged in research collaboration by means of joint supervision of research postgraduate exchange students. 

2. Research Areas

Students may pursue research in any of the strategic research themes offered by Imperial and HKU, or any other interdisciplinary project relating to one of these themes, that may involve other faculties. A list of supervisors who have already established close research/academic collaborations with the Imperial counterparts for joint supervision of PhD students are at Appendix A. The list will be expanded upon approval from the Higher Science Degree Committee and the Board of the Faculty of Science of HKU and the corresponding approval authorities/committees of Imperial.

3. Student Recruitment

Academic staff members of both parties who are eligible to be a principal supervisor of PhD candidates in accordance with the regulations of the respective institutions may identify high caliber students for the joint PhD programme.  It is expected that applicants should possess excellent academic qualification (e.g. Bachelor’s degree with 2.1 or first-class honours/ and normally a Master’s degree with high standing from a reputable university).  Applicants’ research experience will also be taken into consideration.

4. Application Procedure

Applicants should submit a PhD application following the format stipulated by the home institution, together with following supporting documents:

• a research proposal;
• a statement on the applicant’s aspiration/vision for studying the joint PhD programme;
• a CV detailing the applicant’s academic qualifications, working experience, publications, professional qualifications, prizes and awards, extracurricular activities, volunteer work and community services;
• a letter of support from the HKU & Imperial supervisors, a plan on how they will jointly contribute to the supervision of the candidate and which parts of the proposed PhD project will be conducted at the home/partner institution;
• a research plan detailing the study period and dates to be spent at each institution and research training arrangements;
• certificates/transcripts of the applicant’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree qualifications;
• evidence of meeting the English language proficiency criteria set out on the Imperial College Postgraduate Registry homepage; and
• reference letters from two referees who are able to comment on the applicant’s academic and research capabilities.

Applications will be considered through the normal admission process at HKU Faculty of Science and Imperial College London. For admission to the Joint PhD programme, the JDP committee must approve all candidates. No offer may be made without the JDP Committee’s approval.

Up to 5 students may be admitted under this joint PhD programme each year.  Flexibility may be allowed if more than 5 candidates are deemed to be of outstanding merit for admission to the joint PhD programme, but the overall number may not be more than 10 from each institution as a whole.

Students who enter the 4 year PhD programme at HKU will register at Imperial in the second year of their PhD, ensuring that the overall registration at Imperial does not exceed three years unless there are special circumstances. They can attend Imperial during the first year as visiting students.

5. Support from HKU

In order to encourage supervisors to identify high caliber students for the joint PhD programme, it is proposed that fully-funded (Type A)studentships should be allocated by HKU for admission of students with HKU being their home institution.  These students may also apply for the Travel Grant offered by the Committee on Research and Conference Grants.

6. Student Governance

Students should comply with the rules and regulations of the home and host institutions in all areas of the candidature and as laid out in the agreement on the joint PhD programme signed between HKU and Imperial on November 26, 2009. Students should comply with the rules and regulations of the home institution in all areas not specified by this document or the above mentioned agreement.

7. Probation and Progress Monitoring

Students with HKU being their home institution are subject to a probationary period and are required to submit progress reports bi-annually in accordance with the HKU and Imperial Regulations for the Degree of PhD.  The candidates’ probationary report and bi-annual progress reports should be endorsed by both the HKU and Imperial supervisors.  The bi-annual supervision report should be completed by the HKU supervisor and counter-signed by the Imperial supervisor.

Students with Imperial being their home institution are subject to the College regulations for progression (9-month review and 18-24 month review). They may also be required to submit progress reports according to the regulations of the Imperial Department.

8. Coursework

Students with HKU being their home institution are required to complete the required Graduate School Core Courses and Faculty Research Postgraduate Courses in accordance with the HKU Regulations for the Degree of PhD.  Students also have to satisfactorily complete the graduate transferable skills training which is offered by Imperial. Where requirements at both institutions overlap, the JDP committee will recommend to the Graduate Schools at HKU and Imperial that students can fulfill the above requirements by attending courses at just one of the partner institutions.

9. Thesis Examination

The written submission of the thesis and the oral examination will be undertaken jointly. As per the agreement dated November 26^th, 2009, students will meet submission requirements for both institutions and submit their thesis simultaneously.

The PhD thesis will be examined by a PhD Exam Panel of three members, one nominated by each by Imperial and HKU, and an external referee nominated by the JDP Committee, and approved in accordance with the Home Institution’s usual PhD practices. The Assessment of each student’s PhD thesis will include an oral examination. Where necessary, this could be by video-conference between Imperial and HKU.

The examination result recommended by the joint PhD Exam Panel should be submitted to the relevant committees at both institutions for approval. The degree can only be conferred by both institutions if the graduation requirements of both Institutions have been fulfilled and with the endorsement of the JDP Committee.

10. Transfer from joint PhD programme to conventional single PhD degree programme

Students are allowed to apply for transfer from the joint PhD programme to the conventional single PhD degree programme due to problems arising during the study or any other reasons as specified by the students.  Students may choose to transfer to the conventional single PhD degree programme offered by HKU or Imperial with the approval of both institutions.

11. Research equipment and supplies

Imperial and the Faculty of Scienceof HKU will provide research supplies and consumables, as well as access to library, research equipment, computer and related core facilities for students.

Enquiry

Should you require further information on the joint PhD programme, please visit the Graduate School website or send an email to science@hku.hk.