Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program
Supervising collaborative degree PhD students
The Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program supports students to pursue a PhD at both UTS and one of our international partner universities. These degrees can give students invaluable international experience, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of UTS’s strong industry and international partner links. Students divide their time between UTS and the partner university and establish a joint supervision arrangement at both institutions. The University has established institutional agreement with various international partner universities to facilitate a collaborative doctoral degree. Contact the Graduate Research School (grs@uts.edu.au) for more information on the list of partner universities.
Application process
Outbound students
Outbound students are students whose home university is UTS.
If you are supervising or planning to supervise a student enrolled in the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program, please contact the Graduate Research School and provide:
- the student’s details
- the proposed partner university and collaborative supervisor’s name and department/faculty
- a collaborative research plan for the student, including a timeline which outlines clear milestones to be achieved at each institution, leading up to completion at both universities
- evidence of support from your UTS faculty for the student to undertake a collaborative degree.
The Graduate Research School will then assess the student’s eligibility for the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program.
Inbound students
Inbound students are students whose home university is one of UTS’s partner universities.
If you have agreed to supervise an inbound student applying for the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program, please work with your student to develop a research proposal with a timeline that includes a minimum 12-month stay at UTS. The timeline should include clear milestones to be achieved at each institution, leading up to completion at both universities.
The student will also need to submit the following information via email to the Graduate Research School:
- An enrolment letter from their home university indicating their doctoral program start date and expected completion date.
- Approval from their home university to pursue the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program with UTS, home university supervisor name, faculty/department and contact details.
- Evidence that they have established a supervision arrangement with you as a UTS academic.
- A research proposal with a timeline that includes a minimum 12-month stay at UTS, and clear milestones to be achieved at each institution, leading up to completion at both universities.
- Evidence of English language proficiency.
The Graduate Research School will assess the student’s eligibility for the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program and advise outcome to all parties.
Supervision process
The supervision process for Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program students is the same as for other PhD students. Outbound students may spend slightly less time (2-3 years) at UTS, and inbound students will spend a minimum of 12 months at UTS.
You will still be required to work with your student and their supervisors from partner universities to complete the stage assessments and reviews of progress required as part of their UTS degree. If your student will be overseas during an assessment period, please contact your faculty for advice.
Thesis submission and examination requirements
The thesis and examination process will vary from the standard HDR process and between different partner institutions (e.g. students may be required to submit one thesis to both universities OR to develop separate theses for each university). This will be fully outlined in the overarching collaboration agreement and in the student’s individual candidate agreement (issued along their UTS letter of offer).
More information
For further information on the UTS Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program, please refer to the following documents:
