PhD Sciences and Engineering Research/ joint PhD with the University of Pretoria

The focus of the PhD Programme in Sciences and Engineering will be to perform research and generate new knowledge at the interfaces of sciences and engineering, with a transdisciplinary scientific approach. The programme will include topics in: • Engineering (all disciplines) • Engineering and Technology Management • Computer and Information Sciences • Environmental and Material Sciences

Key information

The Department of Engineering has currently about 50 active research staff and covers a range of topics including communication & information engineering design & mechatronics manufacturing, materials & systems signals & control computational engineering and data-centric engineering.

The Department of Informatics has currently more than 70 research-active academic staff and covers a range of topics including software engineering, systems, programming languages, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, computation finance, cybersecurity, quantum computing, computational finance, human centred interaction and design, ethics, and computer science/artificial education.

The Departments of Engineering and Informatics both have very vibrant PhD programmes that allow students to engage in a number of diverse education and research activities, which range from soft skills to research seminars and reading groups. In addition to the activities at department level, students are embedded in one or more of the research groups of the departments and participate in the groups activities.

Both departments have access to the recently launched NMES Graduate School that aims to further the training and experience of our PGR students, expand our vibrant PGR community and foster a stronger sense of belonging. The Graduate school has oversight for key areas of PGR activity, including the delivery of the NMES training programme, and provides all of the departments and academics with a greater level of guidance and support, which the students will benefit from.

Partners: The Department has many partners both industrial and academic, and any individual PhD project may be associated to a partnership.

In this programme, students will be jointly supervised by a staff member from each university. Supervisors should ideally be from different disciplines.

Bachelors degree with 2:1 honours degree in an Engineering discipline or a closely related subject such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science and a good background in the area of intended research. A 2:2 degree may be considered only where applicants also offer a Masters degree with Merit or above.