Imperial-TUM Global Fellows Programme: Cities of the Future

The Global Fellows Programme: Cities of the Future will bring together students from TU Munich and Imperial who share an interest in Cities of the Future to develop the professional, research and collaborative skills that are needed to find workable solutions to this global challenge. Students from all disciplines across the College are invited to come together for 5 days of professional skills training and collaboration activities under the academic theme of ‘Cities of the Future'.

The location of the programme in Bavaria, Germany will also allow students to develop their experience of working in intercultural teams and to develop their research and collaborative skills within an international context, as well as benefitting from insights of leading researchers. 

 In a competitive research environment funding is increasingly drawn to interdisciplinary, collaborative research. The modern researcher requires both excellence in research and developed professional skills.  This course is designed to challenge researchers to assess their research skills and develop their interdisciplinary awareness, examining opportunities to collaborate and develop research.  The course will focus on professional skills essential for researchers and also feature insights from current researchers from Imperial and TU Munich and beyond.

Students should have a keen interest in Cities of the Future and be willing to engage with topics and concerns in this area. However applicants do not have to have an in-depth background in the area.

Academic Theme: Cities of the Future

Over half the world’s population now live in cities, and this is estimated to increase to 66% by 2050^[1].Imagining cities of the future involves considering a wide range of issues and concepts from resource allocation to the integration of migrants, from promoting healthy living to providing healthcare, from ultra-connected homes and businesses to integrated driverless transport. Furthermore, the impact of technologies, climate change and global events on urban living, infrastructure, landscape planning and socio-economic interactions offers exciting possibilities and tremendous challenges for the next generation of global researchers.

The future is urban^[2] and this exciting programme will bring together participants from TUM, Imperial College and other Global Tech Alliance universities to develop their skills in interdisciplinary collaborative research. Applying knowledge and skills to suggest how cities can develop to improve quality of life for the urban populations of the future. Doctoral candidates from any discipline are invited to take part and to share their varied expertise during the programme.

The programme will highlight some areas of research that is happening now and ask participants to develop their collaborative research skills by working together to consider the challenges and opportunities of the Cities of the Future.  

Researchers will be challenged to assess their research skills and develop their interdisciplinary awareness, examining opportunities to collaborate and develop research.

Following the 5 day course, Imperial students will have the opportunity to complete a three-week research visit at TU Munich. Completing the research placement portion of the programme is not a requirement, but students who secure research placements will be looked on favourably in the application process. In 2016 ~50% participants stayed for a 3 week research visit following the overseas Global Fellows programmes.  

Students should first discuss with their supervisor or other contacts in their department their interest in pursuing a research placement to gain a sense of existing collaborative relationships with TU Munich and to gauge the potential of finding a host supervisor. 

If you identify an academic or group which you think might be suitable for a placement, you should contact them directly to see if they would be willing to host you during the placement period (23 July-11 August).  Once agreement is received, please include this information in your application for the programme.  If successful, applicants will be asked to forward confirmation emails, so please keep track of any correspondence related to your research placement.

How can I fund my placement?

You should discuss with your supervisor possible sources of funding from themselves or within your department to help pay for your accommodation and expenses during your research placement. Please also include this information in your application.

The amount of money needed will vary depending on accommodation requirements, but students should budget for about £1000. 

Particpants will be eligible to apply for a busary from the International Relations Office to help with the costs of undertaking a placement. 

There are 40 places on the programme, of which 20 are for Imperial and 20 are for TU Munich 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)
• Have an interest and awareness of issues affecting Cities of the Future and a willingness to engage with current topics in responses to developing global cities  
• Be willing to share their experiences on the programme with the Imperial campus community on their return
• Not have taken part in a previous Imperial international doctoral summer school/ Global Fellows Programme

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  TUM
• Possess awareness of the skills necessary to develop links with international collaborators
• Show an awareness of concerns for Cities of the Future 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 application (note applicants who have not addressed this requirement will not be offered a place on the course). 

Students should have a keen interest in Cities of the Future and be willing to engage with topics and concerns in this area. However applicants do not have to have an in-depth background in the area.

Students who arrange research visits as part of visiting TUM will be considered favourably in the application process however undertaking a research visit is not a compulsory requirement. In 2016 ~50% participants stayed for a 3 week research visit following the overseas Global Fellows Programmes.  

Students from Imperial and TU Munich will work together on a 4-day course to develop their research and professional skills.

Participants will work in small groups, assisted by a tutor from one of the participating institutions. The course provides students with a chance to develop their professional and research skills in an international environment.

Topics covered in this course include:

• Creativity and development of collaborative research
• Effective team working 
• Effective communication with impact
• Networks and networking  
• Current research into Cities of the Future

 At the end of this course students will have:

• A greater understanding of research in different institutions
• Generated a new interdisciplinary collaborative research proposal
• Examined group dynamics and team roles important in working collaboratively
• Considered how to communicate effectively 
• A greater understanding of current issues in Cities of the Future

Links are made to the research environment and participants are encouraged to apply the new insights gained from the course to their doctoral study at Imperial.

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.

The research environment is increasingly competitive and requires both excellence in research and developed professional skills.  This course is designed to challenge researchers to assess their research skills and develop their interdisciplinary awareness, examining opportunities to collaborate and develop research.  

Imperial will arrange and pay for accommodation for participants for the Summer School week ( 17 to 21 July 2017), in addition to providing a contribution of £300 towards travel costs to Munich. Detailed information can be found in the FAQs section 'Funding/Costs'.   Advice and assistance can be provided with arranging travel. Students, with assistance from their supervisors and departments, will be responsible for accommodation and subsistence during the research placement. The International Relations Office will assist students in arranging accommodation during the research placement period and participants will be eligible to apply for a bursary to support participation. 

To apply for the programme, please click here or follow the 'APPLY NOW' button on the right-hand side of the page.  Applications will close 6 March 2017 at 23:59.

Applications are open now and will close 6 March 2017 at 23.59. Please apply here.

If you have additional questions, please see the FAQs available online.

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