China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship
About the Fellowship
An initiative of China Matters in partnership with the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS:ACRI), the China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship is an investment in the next generation of Australian China specialists.
The Fellowship was established to support Australian early career researchers in the field of China Studies examining issues of particular relevance for Australia, and to provide an opportunity to undertake policy-relevant research in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Research outputs from the Fellowship will foster policy-relevant China knowledge and the community of Australia-China relations study.
The Fellowship is an opportunity for an early career Australian researcher to conduct research in the PRC with feedback and mentoring provided by UTS:ACRI under the guidance of Professor James Laurenceson, UTS:ACRI Director, and Ms Linda Jakobson, former founding director of China Matters.
The maximum total value of the Fellowship is AU$40,000, for the duration of the Fellowship: one year.
Applications open annually. The China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship for 2024-2025 is now closed. Please review the information below regarding eligibility and guidelines for application. This information may be used as a guide for those intending to apply in future.
Recipients
Inaugural Fellow
Dr Edward Chan
Dr Edward Chan is a scholar, researcher, and policy analyst specialising in China’s maritime security. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow from the Australian Centre on China in the World, the Australian National University (ANU). With expertise in international relations, Indo-Pacific security, China’s foreign policy, and maritime security, his current research focuses on China’s evolving influence in oceans governance. He is the author of China’s Maritime Security Strategy: The Evolution of a Growing Sea Power (Routledge, 2021). He is also the Associate Editor of The China Journal.
Dr Chan’s Fellowship project is titled, 'Australia-China relations and maritime security in the South Pacific'. It aims to strengthen understanding of how Australia can effectively navigate its various maritime interests in the context of China’s rising presence in the South Pacific region, while seeking opportunities for engagement between the two countries in non-conventional security issues.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship, the recipient must
- be an Australian citizen
- be an early career researcher, defined as those who are within five years of the start of their research careers
- have completed, at a minimum, an Honours or Masters degree by research
- have a proven interest and knowledge about China and the Australia-China relationship
- be committed to producing evidence-based and policy-relevant research on the PRC
- be willing to spend some time in the PRC undertaking fieldwork
- be willing to spend some time in Sydney at UTS:ACRI discussing the research and presenting findings
- be available to attend an interview in person or online
- note proficiency in Mandarin Chinese is not a prerequisite but is desired
How to apply
Submit an application via email to acri@uts.edu.au that includes:
1. a cover letter
- no longer than 750 words in length
- describing the reasons for wanting to pursue in-depth research on China under the China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship
2. a Fellowship plan
- no longer than 2000 words in length
- stating succinctly the research question to be probed during the Fellowship and explaining its policy relevance to Australia
- describing the research to be undertaken
- providing a timeline for the research, including a travel plan to the PRC
- providing a budget for the Fellowship project
- noting the intended end product
3. a CV
4. a copy of academic record
5. the names and contact details of two referees; and
6. a sample of research writing
The Fellowship will be awarded based on the relevance and criticality of the Fellowship plan for informing Australia’s engagement with the PRC.
First Nations Australians, women, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and culturally and linguistically diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.
Late applications or applications lacking one or more of the criteria listed above will not be considered.
Supporters
The China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship was established with a donation made by China Matters to UTS:ACRI for the specific purpose of founding a fellowship as an investment in the next generation of Australian China specialists. The donation included final sponsorship payments to China Matters by Aurizon and BHP.
Additionally, private donations were made to the Fellowship by long-term supporters of China Matters work: Mr Michael Ahrens, Professor Jocelyn Chey AM, Douglass Foundation, Mr Stuart Fuller, Mr Kevin McCann AO, Dr Heather Smith PSM and Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM, Ms Alison and Mr Rod Watkins.
If you would like to donate to the China Matters-UTS:ACRI Foundation please contact: acri@uts.edu.au
About China Matters
China Matters was established in 2014 to inform public and elite opinions and policymakers on the complexities of Australia’s relationship with the PRC. China Matters has done this by publishing policy briefs and reports, and promoting opinion pieces; bringing together senior policy makers, business executives, and university leaders to contemplate policy recommendations; and offering elected officials an opportunity to learn more about the PRC. After winding down operations in 2024, China Matters continues to invest in the future generation of Australian China experts through the China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship.