Double PhD Degree Programme in Data Science with Shandong University (SDU), China

The School of Data Science at Lingnan University (SDS-LU) and the School of Control Science and Engineering Shandong University (SCSE-SDU) have launched a double PhD degree programme in Data Science from September 2025, which leverages the unique strengths of each institution to foster advanced doctoral training, promote interdisciplinary research, and enhance academic and professional opportunities for PhD students.

Programme Highlights

Candidates for the double PhD programme will be selected from SCSE-SDU and the candidates must have fulfilled the doctoral/PhD admission requirements of both SDU and LU (including English proficiency and professional knowledge requirements). There are two study schemes (i.e. Schemes One and Two) to cater/facilitate different study and research needs of potential students for this double PhD programme, and the study scheme is determined by both LU and SDU upon the student’s admission to the double PhD programme on the basis of his/her research experience and academic performance. The double PhD Degree Programme adopts a dual supervisor system. Students will be assigned two primary supervisors, one each from LU and SDU, from the start of studies on the double PhD degree programme to monitor the student’s progress. A co-supervisor at LU will also be appointed. Upon graduation, students can apply for the conferment of doctoral degrees from both LU and SDU. The conferral of a doctoral degree from LU is contingent upon the student receiving the doctoral degree from SDU.

Study Mode and Programme Duration  

The programme is available in full-time mode. 

The normal study duration of the double PhD degree programme would be four years for those not in possession of a master’s degree, with two years on each side. The students must have successfully completed at least one academic year of master’s/doctoral studies at SCSE-SDU as either a master’s student or direct doctoral student and have evidence of research achievement before participating in the double PhD degree programme, to meet LU’s PhD admission requirements.

The normal study duration of the double PhD degree programme would be three years for those in possession of a master’s degree, with one year at SDU and two years at LU. The students must have completed at least one academic year of doctoral studies at SCSE-SDU and successfully completed their first year of doctoral coursework before participating in the double PhD degree programme.

The minimum study period at LU is 18 months while the maximum is 36 months.

To cater/facilitate different study and research needs of potential students, there are two study schemes with study locations and timing arranged (to be determined upon the student’s admission) as follows:

For students admitted to the 3-year double PhD programme, their study locations and timing would follow the schedule (Scheme One or Scheme Two) for the last three years of the aforementioned plans.

Programme Curriculum

Students are required to fulfil all coursework and general requirements required by both LU and SDU, i.e. the 14-credit coursework requirements of PhD in Data Science at LU, topic-defence and research findings seminars, confirmation of candidature by the stipulated timeline and the submission of an English thesis that satisfies the writing standards of LU and SDU and meet the respective academic requirements of LU and SDU. For the 14-credit coursework requirements, credit transfer of at most six credits earned at SDU for the “Major Requirement” is allowed.

Award of Degree

Students joining this double PhD programme must submit an English thesis that satisfies the writing standards of LU and SDU, and meet the respective academic requirements of LU and SDU. LU and SDU will independently arrange the review and defence of the thesis in accordance with its own regulations. The thesis review process at LU shall normally commence after the student has successfully passed the thesis examination at SDU. Upon completing the coursework/general requirements of both LU and SDU and passing the thesis examinations, students can apply for the conferment of doctoral degrees from both LU and SDU. The conferral of a doctoral degree from LU is contingent upon the student receiving the doctoral degree from SDU.

Fees and Studentships

Fees

SDU will collect tuition fee and miscellaneous fees when students are studying at SDU, while LU will collect tuition fee and miscellaneous fees when students are studying at LU. Students under this collaboration will be admitted as a self-financed student of LU.

For fee details at LU, please refer to https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/fees. For fee details at SDU, please contact the Admission Team of SDU.

Studentships

Studentships will be provided to students by SDU when they are studying at SDU, and by LU while they are studying at LU during the normal study period.

For LU, please refer to https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/financial-support for the details of financial support available.

For information on financial support at SDU, please contact the Admission Team of SDU.

Accommodation

On-campus accommodation may be available for students (at their own costs and subject to availability) during their studies at LU. Details of student hostels of LU are available at https://LN.edu.hk/osa/hostel.

For information on accommodation at SDU, please contact the Admission Team of SDU.

Admission Requirements

Applicants shall meet the minimum admission requirements of both universities.

1. For LU, please refer to https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/requirement/admission-criteria-and-requirements for the admission criteria and requirements of LU, and https://www.ln.edu.hk/rpg/admission/requirement/additional-admission-requirements for the additional admission requirements of the PhD in Data Science programme.

2. For SDU, please refer to  https://www.yz.sdu.edu.cn for the admission criteria and requirements of SDU.

3. An applicant needs to pass the interview jointly conducted by the faculty members from both LU and SDU.

Application for Admission

Selected candidates from SCSE-SDU should submit an individual application to LU via the University’s Online Admission System at https://apply.ln.edu.hk.

For more details about LU’s online submission and uploading of documents, please refer to the webpage of Online Application at https://LN.edu.hk/rpg/admission/application-for-admission/online-application.

Application Fee

HK$300 per programme for LU; for SDU, please contact the Admission Team of SDU by email at [email protected].

Application Deadline

The application deadlines are as follows:

For LU: To be confirmed
For SDU: To be confirmed

About Shandong University (SDU)

For the details about SDU, please visit the SDU’s website at https://www.en.sdu.edu.cn/.

(只提供英文版本)