This PhD project at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) focuses on developing a Large Audio Model (LAM) framework for advanced audio recognition. The research aims to hierarchically model audio features and establish relationships between sound objects, moving beyond traditional audio models by mimicking human perception through multi-level feature extraction and contextual understanding. The LAM framework will integrate both acoustic and semantic analysis, enabling the model to comprehend complex audio environments and perform effectively across diverse downstream tasks such as classification, separation, and generation. By emphasizing human recognition patterns, this project seeks to bridge the gap between computational audio processing and perceptual understanding, ultimately creating a versatile foundation model for next-generation audio applications. The research is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on digital media, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and is designed to contribute to the development of robust audio recognition systems that can be applied in various domains. The supervisory team includes Dr. Shengchen Li (XJTLU, principal supervisor), Professor Eng Gee Lim (XJTLU), Dr. Jacopo de Berardinis (University of Liverpool), and Professor Mark D. Plumbley (King’s College London), offering expertise across audio processing, machine learning, and digital media. The successful candidate will conduct the majority of their research at XJTLU in Suzhou, China, with the possibility of a short-term research visit to the University of Liverpool if required by the project. The PhD studentship is available for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. The award covers tuition fees (currently RMB 99,000 per annum), provides a monthly stipend of RMB 5,000 for living expenses, and includes up to RMB 16,500 for participation in international conferences. Scholarship holders are required to undertake 300-500 hours of teaching assistance work per year. Upon successful completion, the student will be awarded a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool (UK). Applicants should hold a Master’s degree with Merit and a Bachelor’s degree with first-class or upper second-class honors. Exceptional candidates with only a Bachelor’s degree may be considered individually. Strong spoken and written English skills are essential, with an IELTS score of 6.5 or above (or equivalent) required if English is not the first language. The position is open to all qualified candidates, regardless of nationality. Applications are accepted year-round. Interested candidates should complete the application form at https://shengchenli.github.io/application.html and submit all required documents, including CV, two reference letters, personal statement, proof of English proficiency, verified transcripts and certificates, and a PDF of their Master’s dissertation or equivalent writing sample. For informal enquiries, contact Dr. Shengchen Li at [email protected] . Further details about the PhD programme and scholarships can be found on the XJTLU admissions pages.

This PhD opportunity at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) focuses on the development of advanced machine listening techniques for audio repair and recovery. The project aims to address the challenge of restoring degraded audio signals by leveraging deep learning models that recognize semantic relationships between audio objects. By understanding the context and meaning within audio content, the research seeks to create algorithms capable of reconstructing missing or corrupted segments in a way that is both natural and contextually appropriate. The innovative approach proposed in this project goes beyond traditional signal processing by incorporating semantic knowledge, which is expected to yield significant improvements in audio restoration for applications such as archival preservation, telecommunications, and multimedia production. The research will be conducted primarily at XJTLU in Suzhou, China, with the possibility of short-term research visits to the University of Liverpool if required by the project. The supervisory team includes Dr. Shengchen Li (principal supervisor, XJTLU), Professor Eng Gee Lim (XJTLU), Dr. Jacopo de Berardinis (University of Liverpool), and Professor Mark D. Plumbley (King’s College London), offering a strong interdisciplinary and international support network. The successful candidate will be awarded a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool upon completion. Funding for this position is available for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. The studentship covers full tuition fees (currently RMB 99,000 per annum), provides a monthly stipend of RMB 5,000 to support living expenses, and includes up to RMB 16,500 for participation in international conferences. Scholarship holders are required to undertake 300-500 hours of teaching assistance work per year. Applicants should possess a Master’s degree with Merit and a Bachelor’s degree with first-class or upper second-class honors. Exceptional candidates with only a Bachelor’s degree may be considered on an individual basis. Strong English language skills are essential, with an IELTS score of 6.5 or above required for non-native speakers. The position is open to candidates of all nationalities. To apply, interested candidates should complete the application form at this link and submit the required documents, including CV, reference letters, personal statement, proof of English proficiency, verified transcripts and certificates, and a PDF of their Master’s dissertation or equivalent writing sample. Informal enquiries can be directed to Dr. Shengchen Li at [email protected] . For further details about the PhD programme and scholarships at XJTLU, visit the university’s admissions pages.

This PhD studentship at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the cutting-edge field of generative audio signal analysis. The project aims to develop a novel reverse engineering framework for detecting and analyzing generative audio signals, leveraging advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques. The research will focus on identifying the underlying generative models, source audio content, and training datasets used to create synthetic audio, with the goal of distinguishing authentic from AI-generated audio content. Key objectives include developing robust feature extraction methods, improving algorithmic robustness, and establishing attribution mechanisms for provenance. The outcomes of this research will have significant implications for digital forensics, copyright protection, and media authentication, providing essential tools to combat audio deepfakes and the challenges posed by generative AI in media. The project is supervised by Dr. Shengchen Li (XJTLU), Professor Qiufeng Wang (XJTLU), Dr. Jacopo de Berardinis (University of Liverpool), and Professor Mark D. Plumbley (King’s College London). The successful candidate will conduct the majority of their research at XJTLU in Suzhou, China, with the possibility of a short-term research visit to the University of Liverpool if required by the project. Upon successful completion, the student will be awarded a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool (UK). Funding for this studentship includes full tuition fees for three years (currently RMB 99,000 per annum) and up to RMB 16,500 to support participation in international conferences. The scholarship is subject to satisfactory progress and is open to candidates of all nationalities. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree with Merit and a Bachelor’s degree with first-class or upper second-class honors. Exceptional candidates with only a Bachelor’s degree may be considered on an individual basis. Strong spoken and written English skills are required, with an IELTS score of 6.5 or above (or equivalent) if English is not the first language. To apply, interested candidates should complete the application form at https://shengchenli.github.io/application.html and submit all required documents, including CV, two reference letters, personal statement, English language certificates, academic transcripts, verified education certificates, and a PDF of the Master’s dissertation or equivalent writing sample. Please include the project title in the subject line. For further information, email enquiries to [email protected] . For more details about the doctoral scholarship and PhD programme at XJTLU, visit entry requirements and fees and scholarship pages. The principal supervisor’s academic profile is available at Shengchen Li’s profile .