The University of Warwick has signed an agreement with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) to establish a new framework that enables all interested departments to offer a joint PhD programme.

Warwick has an extensive history of collaboration with NTU spanning joint degrees, student exchange and undergraduate research, as well as disciplinary-level research partnerships. Just last summer, Warwick hosted eleven Science and Engineering undergraduates from NTU to complete interdisciplinary research based training.

Professor Christine Ennew, Provost, who visited NTU to sign the agreement, said;

Warwick is committed to building meaningful partnerships with research intensive institutions from around the world and we are very pleased to be joining forces with NTU which is globally recognised for its research excellence and innovative education initiatives.

We are keen to put in place academic frameworks which support our departments to establish valuable international research links and design programmes that give students access to the world class expertise and equipment at each partner institution.

This new agreement with NTU will offer many collaborative opportunities across the university as we look to further develop existing research links and forge new connections.”

The first department to set up a Joint PhD programme under this agreement will be Warwick's Department of Physics with NTU's School of Material Science & Engineering. NTU Singapore ranks fifth in the world for Engineering & Technology, and it is among the world's top 40 universities for Physics, according to global higher education analysts QS.

Professor Tim White, Associate Vice President (Infrastructure and Programmes) at NTU, who, together with Professor John Hanna from Warwick’s Department of Physics, has been instrumental in setting up this agreement, explains;

This partnership will enhance the training of our PhD students by enabling them to work with renowned professors from both institutions on cutting-edge interdisciplinary research with global impact, such as designing the next generation of materials.

The first four PhD students under the programme will be working in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance, which has applications in all fields of the experimental sciences. Each student, will have two supervisors, one from Warwick and another from NTU Singapore, and will spend at least one year at each institution.”

Professor Hanna adds;

This initiative has a strong industrial engagement element that benefits both institutions, which will add to the international relationship that is being established.”