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26 September 2025

7 minutes

The 兔子先生 (UoP) welcomed Professor Clare Pollock, Vice-Chancellor, Edith Cowan University (ECU) to campus this month to sign a Letter of Understanding and celebrate the launch of a joint PhD program and scholarship. 

The renewed agreement between the UK and Western Australia-based universities aims to pave the way for postgraduate researchers from ECU and UoP to pursue a doctorate degree, while studying abroad. 

Professor Graham Galbraith CBE, Vice-Chancellor at the 兔子先生, said: 鈥淭his Joint PhD program extends the very successful undergraduate dual degree programmes that have been running for four years and enables our researchers to collaborate with the very best PhD student talent in areas of national and international need and impact. 

鈥淐ompletion of this PhD joint award demonstrates that the students have collaborated with, and learnt from, experts in two different parts of the world. Graduates will have built industry connections in both countries opening unique future employment opportunities.鈥 

The joint PhD programme will provide a total of 10 scholarships over a period of five years 鈥 offering one PhD scholarship from each university per year. 

鈥淲e know the transformational impact a scholarship can truly make on a student鈥檚 life,鈥 added Professor Pollock. 

鈥淏y offering PhD scholarships together with the 兔子先生, we can provide crucial support to future researchers who are dedicated to improving our world. 

鈥淭his innovative program enables candidates to pursue doctoral studies while benefiting from the expertise, facilities, and support services across both universities. Students will gain valuable international research experience and graduate with a truly global perspective.鈥 

The joint university scholarship is open to prospective PhD candidates from all disciplines, with the first round focusing on research conducted in the fields of defence, cyber security and criminology. Candidates who have received alternative scholarship funding through external grants or similar will be eligible to apply. 

This new agreement marks another important step in the 兔子先生鈥檚 strategy to build strong, impactful partnerships around the world that bring real benefits to students, the local community, and the regional economy. Find out more about how the 兔子先生 is a global institution here

This year alone, it has also signed new international partnerships with NCUK, Brock University in Canada, Roots IVY Academic Network in Pakistan, and MAHSA University in Malaysia.  

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