The long-standing partnership between The University of Melbourne (UoM) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) was further expanded with the development of a joint PhD agreement and the launch of the Jerusalem-Melbourne Joint PhD program (JM-JPhD) in 2019. Eight research teams have been awarded funding supporting fourteen joint PhD candidates in total, with projects spanning biomedicine, veterinary science, psychology, chemistry, and computer science.
In 2023, UoM and HUJI are calling for proposals across all research areas for new joint PhD projects. This call for proposals will award up to four joint PhD projects across two separate pairs of Primary Investigators (PIs). Each of these pairs will receive funding to support two joint PhD candidates, as well as funding to support collaborative activities.
Purpose of the Scheme
The Jerusalem-Melbourne Joint PhD program trains a core group of researchers who benefit from a collaborative international research experience. The joint PhD candidates are enrolled at both institutions, perform their research work under joint supervision, and are graded according to the academic standards of both institutions. At the end of the program, each candidate will be eligible to receive a PhD, recognised by two testamurs, one from UoM and one from HUJI. Both testamurs state the joint nature of the award and name of the partner institution.
The four joint PhD candidates recruited to the projects awarded funding will form the fifth cohort of the Jerusalem-Melbourne Joint PhD program, gaining:
• Access to expertise, resources and world-class training at UoM and HUJI by spending at least 12 months of their candidature at each institution;
• Complementary skills from their respective hosts that will increase the impact of their research; and
• A global perspective on their research via their involvement in the UoM-HUJI network.
All recruited candidates must meet the minimum eligibility requirements to successfully enrol in the relevant PhD course at both institutions.
Eligibility Criteria
The supervisory team must consist of at least two Principal Investigators (PIs), one from UoM and one from HUJI. The two PIs must have capacity to be the primary supervisor for two jointly enrolled PhD candidates, one who will have UoM as their Home institution, and the second who will have HUJI as their Home institution.
This call is open to proposalsfrom all research areas and disciplines.
UoM Academics
UoM Academics UoM academics must be registered to supervise as per the Supervisor Eligibility and Registration Policy. Primary supervisors should be employed at UoM beyond the envisaged submission date of their PhD candidates (2028). If their employment contract does not extend beyond the candidates’ submission date, then alternative arrangements must be in place, by either having:
a) a named co-supervisor employed at UoM beyond the envisaged submission date of their PhD candidates (2028); or
b) a letter of support from the respective Head of Department/Head of School detailing the arrangements in place to ensure continuity of supervision.
For more information, please consult the information for supervisors section on the Graduate Research Hub.
Honorary employees whose primary academic affiliation is with UoM are eligible to lead an application as a PI if they are a registered Principal Supervisor at UoM, and either:
a) their primary employer has entered into a written agreement for this call to fund the Melbourne lump sum of the collaborative activity ($10,000 AUD); or
b) they participate at their own expense if they are otherwise unaffiliated (for example, they hold an emeritus position).
Melbourne academics must not have outstanding Progress Reports or Final Reports from any other University of Melbourne Researcher Development Scheme.
HUJI Academics
HUJI academics must be eligible to supervise PhD candidates as per the relevant HUJI regulations for research students.
Additional notes for all applicants
Applicants who have received funding for joint PhD candidates as part of the Jerusalem – Melbourne Joint PhD program may not currently reapply to the scheme but may participate as co-supervisors of joint PhD candidates.
Applicants who have previously received funding fromthe Hebrew University of Jerusalem – University of Melbourne: Joint Research Workshop Grants Program, are eligible and encouraged to apply.
Additional colleagues (including other partners in Australia, Israel or internationally) are not eligible to apply as PIs, although they can participate in the co-supervision of joint PhD candidates. However, involvement of shared external partners that benefit the project, for example through translation support or providing internship opportunities, is encouraged.
Adherence to respective equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies are a core feature of this program to ensure that all participants can do their best work, thrive and succeed. Applicant teams should consider how they can take meaningful steps in their future collaborations to foster an environment that values, supports and respects a diverse range of views, knowledge and experiences. Applicants should consider EDI as it applies to gender, Indigenous peoples, disabilities, career stages and sectors. Applications that do notsatisfy these criteria will not be eligible.
Funding and Program Overview
Up to two proposals will be funded, with each proposal supporting two joint PhD projects. In total, up to four PhD scholarships will be awarded across two pairs of PIs. UoM will fund up to 2 PhD scholarships and HUJI will fund up to 2 PhD scholarships. Funding also includes support for additional collaborative activities, including supervisor and home candidate travel.
One of the recruited joint PhD candidates will have UoM as their Home institution and one will have HUJI astheir Home institution. The Home institution is where the candidate conducts most of their research, where they receive their scholarship from, and where they are likely to commence and conclude their degree. Each PhD scholarship will be awarded to the recruited Home candidate at their Home institution’sstandard living allowance (stipend) rate.
• For UoM PIs: Scholarships will be funded according to the conditions of the participating Faculty for this scheme.
• For HUJI PIs: A scholarship of 25,000 USD per year for the HUJI-based joint PhD. The scholarship will be funded jointly by HUJI (50%) and the Supervisor (50%). STEM researchers will receive funding under this scheme in addition to the Rector’s annual support for PhD candidates in their labs.
The total duration of the scholarship is 3.5 years. Supervisors may provide an additional 6 months of scholarship funding. The maximum course duration for the joint candidate to complete the project is 4 years.
Each candidate must spend at least 12 months at each institution during their candidature. The time spent at HUJI and UoM can be determined depending on the needs of the project, so long as the candidate spends at least 12 months at each institution and the project is designed to be completed within 3.5 years with a maximum duration of 4 years.
Please refer to the table below for a summary of the funding provided for each proposal, supporting two joint PhD candidates and additional collaborative activities.
| University of Melbourne (UOM) | Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) |
| Tax-free scholarship (stipend) for the Melbourne based joint PhD candidate. Please refer to the Graduate Research Scholarship page for the full details. | A scholarship of 25,000 USD per year for up to four years for the HUJI-based joint PhD. The scholarship will be funded jointly by the Hebrew University (50%) and the Supervisor (50%) |
| Tuition fee waivers for both joint PhD candidates. | Tuition fee waivers for both joint PhD candidates. |
| Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Single Membership for international candidates who require a student visa to study in Australia, when in Australia, and travel insurance whilst on Study Away. | Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of research in Australia will be covered, as well as health insurance for international candidates who have HUJI as their home institution. |
|
A $10,000 lump sum* to support Melbourne based candidates and UoM PIs for relevant activities, including**: • Candidate travel • PI travel • Workshop costs or virtual collaboration expenses • Graduate recruitment |
Support for each HUJI PI for relevant activities, including mobility support for the HUJI-based candidate to travel: $8,000 USD lump sum** |
*The lump sum provided by UoM is pooled and allocated to the Academic Lead of the joint PhD program. The Academic Lead is responsible for distributing the funds to the PIs and Melbourne based candidates for the uses described. **Please note that ineligible costsinclude: directly incurred staff (e.g. Research Assistants), replacement research/teaching costs, directly allocated costs including applicants’ time, indirect costs/estates costs, publication costs, equipment, consumable costs, scholarships, conference attendance, tuition fees and honoraria. UoM and HUJI reserve the right to determine the eligibility of expenses.
Reporting and Other Conditions
UoM recipients will be required to provide regular updates on project progress during the candidature of their joint PhD candidates. These updates will be requested quarterly by the joint PhD program’s Academic Lead. Recipients who fail to participate in regular reporting mechanisms for this joint PhD program may be found ineligible for participation in future Researcher Development Schemes.
Evaluation of Project Proposals
UoM and HUJI will rank the proposals against selection criteria and select up to two proposals (equivalent to four joint PhD projects) for funding.
The selection criteria are as follows:
• Project design and rationale – How clearly presented and justified is the basis for, and design of, the joint PhD project? What are the anticipated benefits of involving joint PhD researchers in the collaboration? What is the benefit of the candidate spending a minimum of 12 months at each institution?
• Potential impact – What is the level of originality and innovation in the research proposal? To what extent does the research proposal plan to address significant challenges and what is the anticipated benefit to local or international communities?
• Collaborator complementarity – What is the evidence of an existing research relationship or added value of a new collaboration? How does the collaboration combine mutual areas of interest and strength?
• Quality of supervision –How will the PIs work together effectively in jointly supervising their shared PhD candidates? What are the beneficial learning
outcomes and experiences for the joint PhD candidates? Have the PIs accounted
for any challenges that may arise when supervising a joint PhD candidate
• Capacity for expanded collaboration – What is the extent of the planned collaboration between the PIs beyond joint supervision? How well does the proposal plan to leverage external funding? To what extent are future collaborations made possible as a result of the proposed activities? How could this project seed the development of a larger network of researchers?
Project Proposal Guidelines
Before preparing a proposal, please note the following:
• PIs should ensure that they have capacity to take on two joint PhD candidates in line with their institution’s policies and meet the eligibility requirements of the scheme.
• Each pair of PIs should submit one proposal that outlines two joint PhD projects, intended for two joint PhD candidates. The projects can be on a similar research topic or theme, but the candidates should not need to rely on each other’s expected results or completed thesis work to progress in their candidature.
• The joint PhD projects should be designed to be completed within 3.5 years, with a maximum duration of 4 years. The candidate is eligible to receive a scholarship for up to 3.5 years. Supervisors may provide an additional 6 months of scholarship funding up to 4 years (HUJI PI's will receive 50 % matching for up to 4 years). At least 12 months should be spent at each institution (i.e. at least 12 months at UoM and 12 months at HUJI).
The application form requires:
• Information about the UoM and HUJI PIs, including a short CV and, if applicable, a summary of previous collaboration.
• Nomination of the co-supervisors, if applicable.
• A summary of the UoM home and HUJI home projects, including:
o An abstract, to be used for candidate recruitment if the proposal is successful.
o A project timeline, outlining the proposed periods of research at Melbourne and Jerusalem.
• A response to the selection criteria.
• Endorsements from:
o UoM: Head of School/Department and the Faculty Associate Dean (Graduate Research).
o HUJI: Head of School/Department.
• For proposals involving a PI from UoM's Faculty of Arts: You must also provide a statement addressing how the candidates will meet the Faculty's PhD coursework requirements in your application. Please refer to the Faculty's guidelines for additional information. It is recommended to contact the Associate Dean (Graduate Research) for any further guidance.
Key Dates, Submission and Contacts
| Call opens | Monday, 14 August 2023 |
| Application deadline | Wednesday, 27 September 2023 |
| Outcome notifications and start of recruitment | November 2023 |
| Recruited joint PhD candidates commence | By May 2024 |
PIs must successfully recruit two joint PhD candidates by 01 May 2024. If the PIs do not meet this recruitment deadline, the scholarship and mobility funding will be recalled for use in a future call.
A single, jointly prepared proposal must be submitted via SmartyGrants by 27 September 2023 at 3PM AEST / 8AM IST. Applications should be written in English and for an audience proficient, but not expert, in the field.
Application link: https://ricunimelb.smartygrants.com.au/2023HUJIPHD
The following endorsements must be attached for the application to be considered:
• The UoM PI’s Head of Department/School and Associate Dean (Graduate Research) endorsement is attached to the application using the approval forms provided on the Researcher Development Schemes website. Melbourne applicants who hold an Honorary position must also complete the Honorary declaration form.
• The HUJI PI’s Head of School Department.
HUJI contact details:
Keren Sagi
International ProgramsInternational Office
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
kerensa@savion.huji.ac.il
UoM contact details:The Researcher Development Schemes Team
Research, Innovation & Commercialisation
The University of Melbourne
res-devschemes@unimelb.edu.au