Laval University is offering two fully funded PhD positions as part of an international research project examining China’s Science Silk Road and the new geopolitics of knowledge production. The project, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, focuses on the impacts of China’s scientific cooperation, with one position dedicated to environmental issues and the other to outer space. Successful candidates will join a partnership between Université Laval in Quebec City and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, with opportunities to participate in research activities in Oslo. The program covers full tuition and provides a competitive stipend of C$40,000 per year, plus additional funding for research, travel, fieldwork, training, and conferences. Candidates must hold or expect to earn a Master’s degree with Merit or Distinction in political science, international relations, sociology, anthropology, geography, or related fields. Applicants should have a strong interest in science diplomacy, policy, and global governance, and be fluent in English or French. The mentoring team includes Professors Hang Zhou and Jean-Frédéric Morin at Université Laval, and Professors Han Cheng and Anna Lisa Ahlers at MPIWG. The application deadline is November 14, 2025. To apply, email Prof. Han Cheng with your CV, cover letter, transcripts, and a research proposal. More details are available on the CIRGoM and Université Laval websites.

Université Laval is offering two fully funded PhD positions as part of an international research project examining China’s Science Silk Road and the new geopolitics of knowledge production. The project, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, focuses on the impacts of China’s scientific cooperation, with one position dedicated to environmental issues and the other to outer space. Successful candidates will join a partnership between Université Laval (Quebec City) and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (Berlin), with opportunities to attend courses at the University of Oslo. The research draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from political science, international relations, sociology of science, STS, anthropology, and geography, contributing to debates on science policy and global governance. Candidates must hold or expect to complete a Master’s degree with Merit or Distinction in a relevant discipline by the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Applicants should have a strong interest in science diplomacy, policy, and international cooperation. Knowledge of the Belt and Road Initiative and Global China Studies is helpful but not required. Research focus may be global (requiring mixed methods skills) or regional (requiring qualitative research experience, preferably ethnographic fieldwork in Africa or Latin America). Fluency in English or French is required. The scholarships cover full tuition and a stipend of C$40,000 per year for four years, plus additional funding for research, travel, fieldwork, training, and conferences. Students will be co-supervised by Prof. Hang Zhou and Prof. Jean-Frédéric Morin at Université Laval, with mentorship from Prof. Han Cheng and Prof. Anna Lisa Ahlers at MPIWG. Application requires emailing Prof. Han Cheng with CV, cover letter, transcripts, and a research proposal, followed by a formal application to Université Laval. The deadline is November 14, 2025.