Joint PhD Degree

Following the Senate’s approval of the Guidelines for Joint and Double Degree Programmes at PhD Level, the University signed agreements with King's College London (KCL), Imperial College London (ICL) and Universitas 21 (U21) in 2009 on joint PhD programmes. Subsequently, the University signed an agreement with the University of Toronto in November 2011 on joint educational placements for doctoral students.

The joint PhD programmes offer students the opportunities to benefit from shared research excellence in a wide range of disciplines between HKU and its prestigious partners. Students will acquire enriching international experience in learning and research, an invaluable asset in their career development. The joint PhD programmes are elite programmes and will admit only a very small number of high calibre students. Students have to apply directly to the joint PhD programmes, i.e., transfer from a conventional single PhD programme to a joint PhD programme will not be accepted. Students in the joint PhD programmes can apply for study leave of up to half of the entire period of study, for the purpose of study at the partner university.


Students admitted to the joint PhD programmes will:

• be registered at both universities and be able to enjoy their full range of academic and various facilities;

• be guided in their work by faculty members from both universities, and be examined to the standards of both;

• normally split their time of study equally between the two universities; and

• be conferred a PhD degree jointly awarded by HKU and the partner university.
  (For the joint programme with the University of Toronto, be conferred a single doctoral degree from the lead institution, with indication of a joint educational placement).
  

Overview of Programmes Available