Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in Climate-Resilient Urban Transformations and Landscape Architecture at Monash University
Monash University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (MADA) is advertising
two fully funded PhD scholarships
in the
3Rivers Doctoral Network
for research on
climate-resilient urban transformations
in the Asia-Pacific. The opportunity sits within the
Monash Informal Cities Lab
and
Transforming Cities Hub
, building on long-running Living Lab research through
RISE
and
CARP
.
The PhD projects are practice-based and interdisciplinary, connecting
architecture
,
landscape architecture
,
urban design
,
urban planning
, and allied fields with real-world sites and partners. Research will focus on how climate adaptation and equitable urban transformation can be implemented and scaled in rapidly urbanising river basins across
Indonesia
,
Malaysia
, and
India
.
Expressions of Interest are invited across four interconnected lines of inquiry:
participatory design
,
system sustainability
(including operations and maintenance of decentralised infrastructure),
scaling solutions for impact
, and
building climate resilience
at watershed scale. Example topics include nature-based solutions for wastewater and watershed management, settlement upgrading in climate-vulnerable contexts, circular economy and waste-to-resource systems, distributed and decentralised infrastructure, and adaptive planning pathways under multiple climate scenarios.
The scholarships are
fully funded
and include a tax-free living allowance of
$37,145 per annum for 3.5 years
plus a
tuition fee waiver
. International students should note that flights, relocation costs, and OSHC are not covered. Successful candidates will join an international, multidisciplinary cohort and may have opportunities for sessional teaching.
Eligibility highlights include a
First-Class Honours or Master’s degree
in a relevant field, strong analytical and research skills, design or creative-practice research capability, interest in interdisciplinary and field-based research in the Asia-Pacific, and excellent English communication skills. Applicants must meet Monash PhD admission requirements and enrol full-time on campus.
The closing date is
26 May 2026, 11:55pm AEST
. Applications are submitted as a single Expression of Interest by email to
[email protected]
with transcripts, English-language evidence if applicable, CV, portfolio, academic writing sample, and a research proposal. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed via Zoom in English.
