PhD in International Relations

Xi’an Jiaotong – Liverpool University (XJTLU) is a new international university jointly founded by Xi’an Jiaotong University China and the University of Liverpool UK as a joint venture. As an independent Sino-Foreign cooperative university, it captures the essence of both prestigious parent universities and is the first and only one of its kind approved by the Ministry of Education in China.

The University offers undergraduate degree programmes in the fields of science, engineering and management, and awards both its own Chinese degree and a degree from the University of Liverpool.

• IMPORTANT BEFORE SUBMITTING AN ONLINE APPLICATION: All PhD applicants are strongly encouraged to contact/identify a potential Supervisor and prepare a research proposal before submitting an online application.

Overview

• We welcome applications from prospective students interested in undertaking a PhD programme with an expert in the Department of International Studies. We are an active and engaged community that will provide you with leading-edge research opportunities.

• Our programme, based at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, is a strategic research collaboration between XJTLU and the University of Liverpool. You will receive supervision from respected academics at both institutions. Upon successful completion of your programme, you will receive a University of Liverpool-issued degree, which is recognised by China’s Ministry of Education.

• As a registered full-time PhD student, you may apply for a research visit to the University of Liverpool for up to six months. This travel option is typically undertaken during the second year of the PhD and is an opportunity to work with your Liverpool-based supervisor. If your application to travel is successful, XJTLU and the University of Liverpool will cover your accommodation and travel costs for this study abroad opportunity.

• Our PhD students engage in a supportive research environment. The XJTLU Graduate School and the XJTLU School of Humanities and Social Science (HSS) work to foster this community through research seminars and conferences, as well as opportunities to acquire practical experience as research assistants and teaching assistants. This is in combination with training offered by the Doctoral College at the University of Liverpool.

• Pursuing a full-time PhD typically involves three years of conducting research and one year of writing a thesis, supported by skills training and development. A full-time PhD student must submit a thesis within four years. A part-time PhD student must submit it in six years. XJTLU provides every registered PhD student with up to 16,500 RMB over the course of study for expenses related to attending academic conferences. The purpose of this fund is to support your academic experience and encourage the dissemination of research.

• The PhD in International Relations offers supervision across a wide range of subjects, including most areas of international relations, area studies, history, international communications and politics.

Why should I do my PhD in International Relations at XJTLU?

• The PhD in International Relations aims to produce scholars who will make an impact in their respective fields by virtue of their professionalism, disciplinary competence and ability to communicate ideas in a policy-relevant area. Our PhD candidates’ core studies are in areas including international relations theory, regionalism and regional integration, foreign policy analysis, international security, diplomacy, political economy, international communication, and cognate fields including area studies (countries or regions of Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas), international law, international development (governance, sustainability, capacity building), modern history, sociology and international business.

• Our PhD programme will encourage interdisciplinarity in accord with its commitment to area studies. This ensures that graduates of the programme are able to work at different levels of analysis and connect local, regional and global processes in ways that illuminate complexity in the world as a product of multiple factors.

• The programme may also produce specialist research in area studies, including Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa, that is historically and culturally informed, allowing meaningful and empirically informed comparisons. This will support region-specific knowledge that will enhance area specialism in China and abroad.

The overall aims of the PhD programme in International Relations are to:

• • support the development of expertise in relevant areas of international relations, international studies and cognate areas;
• • develop perspectives that enable effective analysis of China’s contemporary international relations or that of other countries;
• • enable students to obtain area specialist knowledge through independent research using relevant disciplines or an interdisciplinary approach. This includes the dynamics of social change in the area or region(s) studied, its geographical environment and its place within a global context;
• • promote the communication of ideas with clarity, coherence and persuasiveness;
• • enable the synthesis of information and the capacity to undertake critical appraisals and to develop evidence- or theory-based arguments; and
• • enable the conscious selection and application of appropriate methodologies and theories, and to understand their limits.

Research areas

We welcome proposals from students interested in relevant areas of expertise, including:

• • international relations in China, including security, policy and economy
• • international policies and relations in Africa, America, Asia-Pacific and Europe
• • international law
• • international political economy
• • approaches to restorative justice, peace and state-building
• • critical security studies
• • post-structural approaches to international relations
• • international development studies
• • international communication
• • foreign policy
• • social change
• • propaganda studies
• • soft power studies
• • the Cold War (international history)
• • intelligence studies
• • ethnic minorities studies

Research environment and facilities

• XJTLU’s academic staff members include experts in disciplines such as political science, history, law, sociology, and business and economics, and are supported by grant opportunities and professional development. All supervisory teams for PhD students consist of at least one supervisor who has supervised a PhD to completion, who will support and mentor the co-supervisor. Additionally, supervising staff have access to supervisory methods training provided by the Academic Enhancement Centre and mentoring by the Departmental Graduate Studies Officer. Regular progress reports and reviews as outlined in the programme specifications ensure that both candidate progress and supervisory support will be monitored.

• The PhD in International Relations programme will provide the core supervisors; scholars based at the University of Liverpool will serve as co-supervisors. These co-supervisors will be appointed based on the convergence of research specialisms and the PhD research proposal. Also, the programme will draw on specialists across the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) cluster where relevant.

Potential supervisors

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

• Find potential supervisors from the Department of International Studies.

Why Choose XJTLU?

• Two Degrees: 1 from the University of Liverpool & 1 from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (Bachelor's students)
• The University of Liverpool degree (Master's and PhD students)
• All degree courses are taught 100% in English.
• No knowledge of the Chinese language is required to apply to XJTLU.
• Learn free of charge Chinese alongside your course.
• A friendly international community.
• International Opportunities: "2+2" study route to the University of Liverpool, UK for undergraduate students (more than 3,500 XJTLU students are now studying at the University of Liverpool, UK through "2+2")
• International Opportunities: Wide range of study abroad opportunities in partner institutions in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, the UK, the USA, South Korea, Russia, etc.
• International Opportunities: Partnerships with multinational companies in the likes of HSBC, Standard Chartered, Siemens, KPMG, Alstom, Schneider, ICBC, etc.

About Suzhou

You have the opportunity to live in one of the most culturally rich areas of China, with Suzhou’s UNESCO World Heritage gardens and canals famous around the world.

Suzhou combines its rich 2,500-year-old history with a drive to become one of the most modern cities in China. It has a population of more than six million and a GDP of a trillion RMB – far larger than those of many entire countries!

Alongside its beautiful tourist spots, Suzhou has many excellent learning resources and sports facilities, a great choice of shopping malls, cinemas and restaurants, and a variety of bars and nightclubs.

Today, the city’s canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens have contributed to its status as one of the top tourist attractions in China. The classical gardens in Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000.

Suzhou is located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in eastern China. Within Suzhou is Suzhou Industrial Park, one of the most competitive development zones in China. This area also contains the Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District (home to XJTLU), which sits beside Dushu Lake, one of two lakes in SIP.

Central Shanghai can be reached from Suzhou in just 30 minutes by high-speed train.

Library

XJTLU students have access to a wide range of library resources, from books and journals to electronic databases and articles. The library plays a key role as a research support and learning centre for the University, developing its collection by focusing on subject development and research requirements.

The library currently holds over 500,000 books, which are added to and updated throughout the year in response to requests from academic departments. It provides 22,000 square metres of space, housing 300 PCs and 2,500 seats for studying, discussion and computer and studio work.

Campuses

North Campus

Full of striking, architecturally impressive buildings, our North Campus provides state-of-the art teaching, laboratory, research and support facilities. This includes the award-winning and iconic Central Building, which houses our library.

The campus also has sports facilities, world class-fully equipped science and engineering laboratories, International Business School Suzhou, and design studios, as well as a variety of catering facilities, including Subway, Pacific Coffee Company, and many canteen-style fast-food options.

Landscaped gardens complement pieces of modern art to create a campus environment that has become one of the striking features of Suzhou Industrial Park.

South Campus

The first phase of our South Campus was opened to the public on 26 July 2016, as a major part of the University’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Architecturally it contrasts our North Campus and features modern designs that complement the surrounding area. Eventually, the South Campus will satisfy the learning and teaching needs of approximately 6,000 XJTLU students as well as the University’s academic exchanges and research development plans. It will consist of eight buildings and be developed over two further phases:

Phase II: International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU

This phase will see the completion of a new building for International Business School Suzhou, set to open by the end of 2017.

PHASE III: XJTLU-GF School of Film and Television Arts and XJTLU Gym

Phase III consists of two buildings – the construction of the XJTLU-GF School of Film and Television Arts and a gym. Both buildings are expected to open by the end of 2018. The development of the School, in collaboration with financial services provider Gold Finance Group, is a significant part of XJTLU’s academic development strategy. It will mix digital media arts and film and television production and technology with performance and acting. The gym will provide improved and diversified sports facilities for students and staff on campus.

Living in University

When you come to XJTLU, you will have the opportunity to try a whole range of different sports and activities as well as developing any existing skills you already have.

Student clubs and societies

Student clubs and societies play an important part of student life. XJTLU has many organisations with themes such as art, sports, music, entrepreneurship, dance to name but a few. Some of the more established groups include a Model United Nations and the Student Union.

Another society, Intercom, provides a platform for all international students to arrange activities and events, and share ideas and experiences with the wider student body.

Catering

3 canteens, 3 coffee shops, Bar, Restaurants

Sports 

Currently, 21 sports are offered through PE classes at XJTLU, including badminton, basketball, belly dancing, billiards, boxing, bridge, Chinese martial arts, football, free combat, body building, golf, popping, roller-skating, sport dancing, table tennis, taekwondo, tai chi, tai chi sword, tennis, Ultimate Frisbee and yoga.

We have outside sport facilities that include basketball and tennis courts as well as indoor facilities, such as a golf training venue, gym, dance room, and table tennis room. There is also a football field located next to the new South Campus.