Fully Funded PhD in AI-Driven Digital Twins for Coastal Infrastructure at Dongguan University of Technology and Edinburgh Napier University Dongguan University of Technology in United Kingdom

Fully funded PhD opportunity for the 2026 intake in AI, digital twins, smart infrastructure, civil engineering, machine learning, edge intelligence, and cybersecurity.

This is a joint doctoral program between Dongguan University of Technology (China) and Edinburgh Napier University (UK). The advertised project is titled: “A real-time, AI-driven digital twin framework for major coastal infrastructure (e.g., bridges) integrating adaptive sensing, physics-informed machine learning, and resilient edge intelligence for predictive service performance and degradation assessment.”

The project is supervised by Dr Naghmeh Moradpoor (Edinburgh Napier University), Prof. Hongwei Ma (Dongguan University of Technology), and Dr Jing Wu (Dongguan University of Technology). The research sits at the intersection of AI, digital twins, predictive maintenance, coastal infrastructure monitoring, and resilient sensing/edge systems, with strong real-world engineering impact.

Funding is strong: the selected student receives a full scholarship during the two years at Edinburgh Napier University. During the two years at Dongguan University of Technology, tuition is waived and free accommodation is provided, while living costs such as water/electricity and other personal expenses remain self-funded. Application fees, visa costs, international travel, and other living expenses are not covered.

Eligibility highlights include a relevant master’s degree, strong academic performance (GPA 3.0/4.0 or equivalent UK 2:2+), and English proficiency via IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, or another accepted test. The program requires full-time study and participation across both campuses.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis / throughout the year according to the notice. Applicants must choose a specific project topic from the linked project list and submit the required documents by email to the graduate school address provided in the announcement. Shortlisted candidates will then complete the online application and interview process with Edinburgh Napier University.