The HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD is suitable for those who wish to pursue forward looking research and to transfer fundamental scientific and technological achievements into real productive forces.  

If you are interested in cultivating innovative talents in developing cutting-edge technologies and research commercialisation, you are welcome to nominate students to this programme and collaborate with the wide array of experts from BICI to create synergy and leverage the resources available to you such as BICI’s internal laboratories facilities and advices from its engineering and technical teams.

This programme focuses on five key research areas, they are: optoelectronics, materials, environment engineering, biomedical engineering and intelligent manufacturing.

This programme engages students in both scientific research and practical entrepreneurship training on real-world projects. Admitted students are expected to spend 2 years at HKU (1st-18th months and 43rd-48th months), and 2 years at BICI (19th-42nd months). Students will follow the regulations and procedures of the PhD programme at HKU including coursework requirement, progress monitoring, etc, and take innovation and entrepreneurship courses and receive practical project-based training offered by BICI at its research centres in Beijing or Guangzhou together with peers across universities and disciplines.

The below diagram outlines the programme’s unique dual-track training model. Click here to learn more about BICI’s innovation and entrepreneurship course.

You may look for co-supervisors (创新导师) from BICI on its website. We can also assist you with the matching of co-supervisor from BICI. Please feel free to contact Ms. Celia Ying at cyying@hku.hk for assistance.

Yes, you can work with more than one co-supervisor from BICI. After liaising with your proposed BICI supervisor(s), please ask the student to complete the Study Plan and seek the signatures from both HKU and BICI supervisors for onward submission to the Faculty concerned.

You may look for co-supervisors (创新导师) from BICI on its website. We can also assist you with the matching of co-supervisor from BICI. Please feel free to contact Ms. Celia Ying at cyying@hku.hk for assistance.

This programme requires participation from both HKU and BICI supervisors. You can invite other non-BICI member to offer advice to the PhD student. Nevertheless, only the names of HKU and BICI supervisors will appear on HKU’s official records such as the offer letter.

Students admitted to this joint programme will receive scholarships for up to four years provided by BICI. During the student’s study period in HKU in Hong Kong, students will receive scholarships in accordance with the standard HKU Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) rate. During the residency at BICI or BICI’s designated project locations, the scholarships will be granted by BICI in accordance with its regulation and policies (up to RMB 20,000 per month).  Hence, students will be admitted under Type C.

Yes. You can invite applicants to submit an online application to HKU and indicate in “Section 1: Programme Apply For” that he/she would like to be considered for the “HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD”. Staff members who would like to participate in this Programme may select students from this pool or invite other applicants that they think fit to apply to this Programme.

Yes, up to 10 students can be supported under this Programme in 2024-25 academic year (the admission quota in subsequent academic years will be discussed between HKU and BICI one year in advance). Nevertheless, there is no limitation as to the number of students to be supported for one joint project.

No. The HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD is a separate scheme from other BICI research fundings. But we highly recommend PIs who are collaborating with BICI to participate in this joint PhD programme to leverage the resources available to you.

If admitted to this programme, you and your students will be able to gain access to BICI’s laboratories and seek the advice from its engineering and technical teams across disciplines to support your research development and commercialisation, and benefit from the strong connections that it has with many industrial partners especially in the Chinese market.

You can also apply for BICI’s other schemes to fund your research, commercialise your technology, help you find supply chain and customers, and support you in securing further investments for your company.

In addition to the usual documents required for recommendation for admission, supervisors should also request the selected candidates to complete (i) a Chinese application form (Annex I), and (ii) a study plan (Annex II) endorsed by both the supervisors from HKU and BICI, as well as to provide (iii) a Chinese CV.

RPg supervisors who would like to admit PhD students under the HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme may submit the recommendation for admission to the Graduate School via the Faculty by February 5, 2025 (Round 1), and April 30, 2025 (Round 2). Application in Round 2 will only be considered if there are vacancies left in Round 1.

Yes. You can recommend your PhD student to apply to this programme via your Faculty as long as the student has not yet commenced his/her study.

Upon receiving the list of nominations from Faculties, BICI will conduct interviews with the candidates and submit the admission recommendation to the HKU Collaborative Innovation Center for its final screening and approval.  Results will be announced in about three to four months after the closing date of application.

Please contact Ms. Celia Ying at cyying@hku.hk on matters related to the HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD.