Dual-award between The University of Manchester and Tsinghua University
The University of Manchester and China's Tsinghua University have come together to offer a unique dual degree PhD programme, with successful applicants spending four life-changing years across Manchester and Beijing.
Play a key role in developing sustainable, bio-economy solutions to address current and future global challenges - all while broadening your horizons with an incredible opportunity to study abroad.
At Manchester and Tsinghua you'll benefit from the excellent research infrastructure and academic supervision of not one, but two world-leading institutions.
Why undertake the dual degree PhD programme
- Embrace the challenge of living abroad in one of the world's most famous cities, in a country with the world's fastest-growing economy.
- Form part of a talented cohort seeking to address sustainable development challenges through research in bio-economy solutions, and choose from a range of projects spanning synthetic and systems biology.
- Develop a global perspective and international fluency to benefit your future development, opening the door to exciting new job opportunities.
- Boost your intercultural skills and become part of a talented pool of prospective employees for UK academia and industry.
About the programme
The first-of-its-kind dual award PhD programme brings together two globally-renowned institutions at the forefront of research.
This dual PhD programme will develop world-class research outputs, while at the same time providing PhD training and skills to support a transition from a fossil resource to a bio-based system.
"It promises to be a fantastic programme and will provide a unique educational experience for the next generation of scientists. The strengths of Manchester and Tsinghua together will provide an excellent environment for PhD students to grow and blossom." - Dr Neil Dixon, Programme Director.
"This Tsinghua-Manchester dual degree PhD programme will provide unique opportunities for students to experience various research environments of both universities, to learn great sciences across national borders and to become more culturally open. More importantly, the students will exploit complementary strengths of both sites." - Professor George Guoqiang Chen, Programme Director of Tsinghua University.
Life at Tsinghua University
As part of this programme you'll spend two years at Tsinghua University – one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Its campus is also considered one of the world's most beautiful, and is the site of the former imperial gardens of the Qing Dynasty.
Spending so much time abroad can seem daunting; but everything is in place to ensure a wonderful, life-changing experience in Beijing.
Many international students attend Tsinghua, and you can find out more about activities and events on the university's website. You can also discover more about opportunities for UK students in China through the British Council campaign Generation UK.
Pathways
You'll spend two years at The University of Manchester and two years at Tsinghua University, with supervisors in both locations. You'll then follow one of three possible pathways, flexible to suit your research needs.
You'll be required to submit a single thesis in English within four years of the registration date, and your final viva examination will take place in either Manchester or Tsinghua. At the end of the four-year full-time programme, you'll receive a dual PhD, one award and two certificates.
Funding
Fees at both institutions are covered as part of the studentship package, and other fantastic funding opportunities include an annual stipend at the minimum Research Councils UK rate (around £18,622 for 2023 / 24) that will be paid to students while in Manchester, and a commensurate stipend while at Tsinghua.
You'll also receive an annual Research Training Support Grant towards project running costs/consumables while in Manchester, and a flight allowance for travelling between Manchester Tsinghua will be provided.
Eligibility
Entry for the scheme via Manchester is open to UK/EU and International students.
All Chinese nationals should apply via Tsinghua University (for more details on the application process, please email Tsinghua).
Candidates should:
- Fulfil The University of Manchester entry requirements:
- Hold (or expect to achieve) a First Class or 2:1 UK honours degree (or international equivalent to be checked with The University of Manchester admissions team).
- Ideally hold a master’s-level qualification at merit or distinction (or international equivalent to be checked with The University of Manchester admissions team).
- Demonstrable excellent communication skills, including in English language, a proficiency in which should be demonstrably indicated by meeting the English language entry requirements, in particular securing an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6 in writing and listening, and 5.5 in all other sub-tests. OR securing a TOEFL iBT score of 90 with no less than 20 in each component equivalent OR equivalent. Project supervisor teams may recommend a candidate who has excellent English language skills but otherwise has not formal certification of such. Please note that a timely demonstrable minimum English language level is a requirement of the UK home office for the issue of student visas to the UK. For some projects an ATAS certificate may also be required.
- Demonstrate willingness to travel to two partner institutions to complete the programme.
- Demonstrate the skills and characteristics detailed in the Faculty of Science and Engineering Postgraduate Researcher person specification.
Available projects
Revealing Novel Rare Earth Properties with Advanced X-ray Spectroscopy
Project Description
A jointly awarded PhD studentship from The University of Manchester and Tsinghua University is available for an outstanding and ambitious chemist or physicist to undertake research in advanced X-ray spectroscopy measurement and computation of rare earth compounds, including novel molecular materials. The insight obtained will be relevant for applications in materials science and catalysis. This exciting project will investigate the fundamentals of rare earth physical properties with an aim to challenge established notions concerning metal-ligand covalency and redox activity. The selected candidate will apply recently developed synchrotron X- ray spectroscopy techniques and computational methods to advance understanding of rare earth electronic structure, bonding and magnetism.
As part of a multidisciplinary international team, the successful candidate will spend time performing research in the laboratories of Drs Baker and Goodwin in the Department of Chemistry at Manchester and Prof. Hanshi Hu and Prof. Jun Li in the Department of Chemistry at Tsinghua University, Beijing.
The project will involve the use of new resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrometers at Diamond Light Source (Oxfordshire), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble), Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Shanghai) and High Energy Photon Source (Beijing). RIXS measurements will study novel molecular divalent and tetravalent lanthanide compounds synthesised in the Dr Goodwin’s research group. Computational methods will be developed in the groups Prof. Hanshi Hu and Prof. Jun Li at Tsinghua University to accurately interpret synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy measurements.
Supervisory team email addresses
- Professor Han-Shi Hu (Tsinghua University)
- Doctor Michael Baker (University of Manchester)
To apply for a PhD in Chemistry (2024 entry), see an overview of the PHD Chemistry programme.
Intracellular Biosynthesis of Cryoprotecting Macromolecules
Project Description
Emerging cell-based therapies can treat complex disease, but they are hard to deliver intact to the patient. Current technologies rely on using organic solvent ‘antifreezes’ to protect the cells during frozen transport. This UK-China joint PhD project will deploy intracellular polymerization, to generate cryoprotecting polymers within a cell, exploiting the cells natural biosynthetic processes. This overcomes the challenge of delivering a polymer inside a cell, and aims to replace or reduce the need for organic solvents. This is a unique combination of synthetic biology, biomaterials science and cell biology.
The successful candidate will spend two years in the UK at the Manchester institute of Biotechnology and Department of Chemistry, within Professor Matthew Gibsons group, learning skills in biomaterials and cryobiology. You will also spend two years in Professor Huaping Xu’s laboratory at Tsinghua, learning intracellular polymerisation, and polymer characterization methods.
Supervisory team email addresses
- Professor Huaping Xu (Tsinghua University)
- Professor Matthew Gibson (University of Manchester)
To apply for a PhD in Chemistry (2024 entry), see an overview of the PHD Chemistry programme.
Recyclable and Sustainable Smart Multi-functional Meta Materials for thermal Management
Project Description
The project seeks to contribute to sustainable and environmentally friendly practices by developing recyclable and smart functional meta materials with sensing functions. These materials, in turn, are designed for applications related to personal or industrial thermal management, where they can provide sensing capabilities and efficiently thermal management functions for personal comfort and energy management of built environment.
The overall goal is to address the growing need for eco-friendly solutions in reduce carbon emissions. We aim to make a significant impact by crafting meta materials that are not only recyclable but also possess intelligent functionalities. By harnessing cutting-edge technology, we are creating materials designed to enhance personal and industrial thermal management, effectively bridging the gap between comfort and energy efficiency in the built environment. The targeted materials can not only regulate temperature but also respond intelligently to environmental changes. The meta materials are embedded with sensing functions that elevate their capabilities, providing real-time data on thermal conditions.
This project will open up a realm of possibilities for applications in personal comfort and the efficient management of energy resources in various industries. The applications are diverse, ranging from smart clothing to intelligent building systems, all contributing to a global initiative to reduce carbon emissions. In a world that increasingly demands eco-friendly solutions, this project stands as a beacon of innovation and progress. Together, we can redefine the way we approach thermal management, setting new standards for sustainability and functionality.
This project will be co-mentored by Prof. Yi LI at UoM and Prof. Yingying Zhang at THU. With their wealth of experience and visionary leadership, we are empowered to push boundaries and redefine the landscape of sustainable technology. Join us on this exciting venture towards a greener, smarter, and more sustainable future.
Supervisory team email addresses
- Professor Yingying Zhang (Tsinghua University)
- Doctor Yi Li (University of Manchester)
To apply for a PhD in Materials (2024 entry), see an overview of the PHD/MPhil Materials programme.
Genetically Encoded Phosphine Ligands for Programmable Precious Metal Biocatalysis
Project Description
A PhD studentship is available for an outstanding and ambitious chemist to undertake research in the field of green chemistry and biotechnology in a collaborative project between Manchester Chemistry (UK) and the Tsinghua University (China). The successful candidate will be based in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (UK) in the Rowbotham/Leys group for 50% of the project, and with Dr Yong-Xiang Chen in the Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (China) for the remaining 50%.
Biocatalysts (enzymes) are efficient and environmentally friendly mediators of chemical reactions, making them desirable for application in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and other fine chemicals. The current toolbox of enzymes is, however, lacking in key areas – particularly for crucial industrial processes like C-C bond formation. In contrast, inorganic catalysts offer such reactivity, but can lack enzyme-like selectivity, efficiency, and evolvability. Combining both fields of catalysis is a promising solution. Recent advancements in genetic code expansion allow the incorporation of phosphine-based amino acids into proteins, enabling unusual new metal coordination environments within the protein scaffold. This project aims to leverage these advancements to engineer novel artificial metalloenzymes, with reactivity that is unprecedented within current biocatalysis. The Chen group have shown that the incorporation of borane-protected phosphines into protein backbones provides a platform for developing these artificial metalloenzymes, expanding metal coordination beyond the typical O, N, and S ligands.
The project’s main objective is to explore the capabilities of these new phosphine-bearing metalloproteins, targeting current industrial needs. This approach could enable novel reactions, including C-C coupling, to be performed in vivo, potentially integrating chemistry into cellular processes for synthetic biology and green synthesis.
This collaboration combines the joint expertise in biotransformations and metalloenzymes (Rowbotham/Leys) and molecular biology and protein engineering (Chen), and offers an opportunity for the candidate to gain experience in a very wide range of biochemical skills and catalytic techniques of significant industrial value. The project is highly interdisciplinary, and incorporates elements of bioinorganic chemistry, homogeneous catalysis, organic synthesis, structural biology, and analytical chemistry. The project will particularly suit candidates who wish to apply an interdisciplinary and international research outlook to improve the sustainability of future chemical manufacturing.
Supervisory team email addresses
- Doctor Yong-Xinag Chen (Tsinghua University)
- Doctor Jack Rowbotham (University of Manchester)
To apply for a PhD in Chemistry (2024 entry), see an overview of the PhD Chemistry programme.
Zeolite-Confined Metal Catalysts for Unconventional Catalytic Conversions of Light Alkanes into Chemicals
Project Description
Efficient Catalyst Construction: Explore the use of zeolite-encapsulated subnanometer metal catalysts for their ability to selectively activate alkane molecules, leveraging their highly under-coordinated structures. Innovative Reaction Processes: Employ photo irradiation or non-thermal plasma to decrease energy consumption, utilizing external fields to generate highly active radical species and enhance the activation of inert C-H bonds on the metal active sites.
Fundamental Insights: Perform systematic characterizations under in situ or operando conditions to gain insights into the working mechanism of zeolite-encapsulated metal catalysts. Utilize advanced techniques, including aberration-corrected electron microscopy and synchrotron-based spectroscopy, to understand active sites and reaction mechanisms at an atomic and molecular level.
Supervisory team email addresses
- Doctor Lichen Liu (Tsinghua University)
- Doctor Shaojun Xu (University of Manchester)
To apply for a PhD in Chemical Engineering, see an overview of the PhD/MPhil Chemical Engineering programme.
How to apply
Fully funded studentships are available for suitable candidates to start this four-year programme in October 2024.
Available projects are listed above.
Candidates will need to meet all of the minimum entry requirements detailed above.
Applications will open for candidates to apply for approved projects at The University of Manchester during the week commencing 12 February 2024 and will close on 22 March 2024.
Contact us
If you have any queries about the programme, the application process or your eligibility, please don't hesitate to get in touch:
- For Manchester, email the Doctoral Academy at Manchester
- For Tsinghua, email tangcaoyu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn.