Imperial-Tsinghua Global Fellows Programme: Climate Change and Energy

Participants will work in small groups, assisted by a tutor from Tsinghua University or Imperial. The course provides students with a unique chance to develop their professional and research skills in an international environment and is a unique opportunity to develop your networking skills with fellow Imperial and Tsinghua PhD researchers.

The 5 day course will cover topics including:

• Managing your research project
• Intercultural awareness and effective team working
• Succeeding in internationally collaborative research
• Building successful working relationships
• Communication with impact: reaching different audiences
• Enhancing networking skills

This is a chance to challenge yourself outside of your normal working environment, meet people from other disciplines and cultures in a fun and stimulating environment!

Grantham Institute Head of Policy and Translation, Alyssa Gilbert wrote a blog about her experiences on the 2016 programme. You can read it here

This course meets the professional skills requirements for the Early Stage Assessment (ESA). Students are therefore not required to take additional courses. However, attendees are still entitled to take other courses, if desired.

There are 40 places on the programme, of which 20 for Imperial and 20 for Tsinghua doctoral students.

Imperial College participants must:

• Be a current doctoral student (from any discipline, please note this programme is not open to MRes students)
• Be between 6 and 30 months into their PhD at the time the programme takes place (6 and 48 months for part-time students)
• Be interested in gaining an insight into Chinese culture
• Be willing to share their experiences on the programme with the wider Imperial campus community following the course.
• Have an interest and awareness of issues of climate change/energy and a willingness to engage with current topics in responses to climate change 
• Not have taken part in a previous Imperial international doctoral summer school/ Global Fellows Programme
• Note
  • Activities in the Tsinghua programme are similar to the Graduate School's 2015-16 Imperial Residential Course and the previous 4 day version Research Skills Development Course (RSD). Applicants may still apply but should be willing to participate positively in all activities.
  • Grantham Institute students who have participated in the specific Graduate School Residential Course for Grantham students may apply but please note some activities in the Tsinghua programme are similar.

Students who have taken any Graduate School Retreat may apply. One of the overall objectives of the course is to build up intercultural communication and awareness in order to develop the necessary skills for international collaborative research. A very special aspect of this course in cooperation with Tsinghua will be the opportunity to develop new intercultural skills in these contexts. Therefore, students without extensive experience of living or working in China are particularly encouraged to apply.

Successful applicants will:

• Gain the most from this specific programme and explain how in their application
• Have realistic expectations of the experience and explain their goals for the programme in their application
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for engaging with peers from Tsinghua University
• Possess awareness of the skills necessary to develop links with international collaborators
• Show an awareness of Climate Change and Energy concerns and a willingness to engage with current topics in these areas
• Be willing to be a good ambassador for Imperial

Students should explain how they meet the above criteria in their applications, (note applications where these criteria are not meet will not be successful).

Students should demonstrate a keen interest in engaging with climate change and energy topics however it is nota requirement for students to have an in-depth background in the areas of climate change and energy.

Last few places remainng! Please apply here.

Any additional queries not answered in the FAQs, please contact phdsummerschools@imperial.ac.uk

Climate and environmental change will affect economies, ecosystems, resources and human health across the globe. The UN Conference on Climate Change refocused global efforts on addressing climate change. In order for these efforts to be successful, they will require the development and deployment of sustainable energy sources and new and existing technologies to mitigate and prevent climate change, as well as advances in health care to adapt to the effects and challenges of climate change. From low-carbon technology and smart grids, sustainable water resource management and business economics, food security and public health through to the local and international policy agenda, the solutions to climate change will require an innovative and interdisciplinary approach.

The venue for the course is Easthampstead Park Conference Centre. This is a Victorian country mansion located within 60 acres of beautiful parkland, but conveniently located near to Bracknell and Wokingham Station. The approximate travel time from London (Waterloo Station) to the venue is 75 minutes.

Travel and accommodation expenses for the course will be met by the Graduate School. All meals are also provided free of charge.

Following the 5 day programme, Imperial participants will have the exciting opportunity to apply to complete a 1 to 3 week research visit at a lab or research group at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. The purpose of the visit is to put into practice some of the skills that you have developed during the course and to build links with Tsinghua. The International Relations Office will provide a bursary of up to £1,000 to support the travel and accommodation costs of this visit.

Applicants must:

• Find an appropriate lab / group / supervisor at Tsinghua University who is willing to host you for 1-3 weeks
• Provide an outline of what youplan to do during your visit with specific and realistic goals
• Have support from your Imperial supervisor
• Have completed the 2017 Tsinghua-Imperial Global Fellows Programme

Preference will be given to students without extensive experience living and working in China.

Applicants are expected to spend a minimum of one week in Beijing within 6 months of the Global Fellows Programme. Visits can take place from mid-September – end December 2017.  Assistance will be provided by the International Relations Office in arranging visas and accommodation.

More details on how to apply for this additional opportunity will be provided to participants after their place on the Global Fellows Programme is confirmed. This opportunity is only available to participants in the 2017 Tsinghua-Imperial Global Fellows Programme.