In June 2009, Dr. Zhou Ji, Minister for Education and Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Scottish Government, signed an agreement on Scotland-China Higher Education Research Partnership for PhD Studies. This was established in the context of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Promotion of Strategic Collaboration in Education signed between the Ministry of Education and the Scottish Government on 7 April 2008 in Beijing by Wu Qidi, Vice Minister for Education and Fiona Hyslop.

Scottish Government has worked in partnership with British Council (BC) in development of the Programme and on its delivery in both China and Scotland. Ministry of Education has appointed China Scholarship Council (CSC) as its implementing agency for the Programme.

The research partnership funding has been made available for two years in duration (financial year 2009-2010 and 2010-2011). Bids are welcomed for a maximum of £25,000 from the Scottish Government to cover costs incurred in Scotland and Chinese universities can apply from Ministry of Education a separate fund to cover costs in China. The Programme will fund two areas of activity:

• Mobility grants which will allow Chinese and Scottish research partners to visit one another to develop their partnership and related research proposals.
• The exchange of PhD students.

To apply for funding, please complete the application form which can be downloaded here or from http://www.csc.edu.cn.  Please read the Guidance Notes carefully.

Please note the application should be jointly written in English by the partner institutions in two countries, co-signed and sent to British Council China and China Scholarship Council respectively at the address provided in the Guidance Notes.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 17:00 Friday 16 October 2009.