Programme across the three institutions.
This PhD project examines how publicly accessible news and social media data can support rural information governance in China, with a focus on hollowed villages. The project develops an explainable decision-support framework centred on three governance functions: identifying public concerns, assessing their governance relevance, and providing clear explanations for decision support. First, it analyses multimodal media data to identify key topics, emotional tendencies, and changes in public discourse. Second, it evaluates how these patterns relate to governance, such as public concern, persistence, and response urgency. Third, it generates structured and interpretable explanations to clarify why particular issues may require attention. The project aims to enhance transparent communication in the hollowed villages and develop a region-level, map-based prototype for practical governance use.
Joint Supervisory Team:
- XJTLU supervisor: Dr Lu Zong
- XJTLU co-supervisor: Dr Chengyu Wang
- XJTU supervisor: Professor Feng Wu
- UoL supervisor: Dr Yi Dong
Requirements:
A UK first-class or upper second-class honours Bachelor's degree and a UK Master's degree with Merit (or their equivalent) are required for PhD admissions. Exceptional candidates holding only a Bachelor's degree may be considered on an individual basis.
Evidence of good spoken and written English is essential. The candidate should have an IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5 or above, if the first language is not English.
For more information about entry requirements and admission procedures of PhD programme at XJTLU, please visit:
Entry Requirement - Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
How to Apply - Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Other Requirements (if any):
Preferred applicants hold a degree in Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or other closely related fields.
Programme Structure and Fees:
Doctoral students in the joint programme are registered with both XJTLU and the UoL. Upon successful completion of the programme, the students will be awarded a PhD degree from University of Liverpool. During their doctoral studies at XJTLU, students are expected to conduct research at XJTU as visiting students. Additionally, students have the opportunity to apply for a short-term research visit to the UoL if the project requires it.
The joint doctoral programme is offered on a full-time basis, with a typical duration of three to four years. The tuition fee is RMB 99,000 per year.
How to Apply:
Interested applicants are advised to email Lu.Zong@xjtlu.edu.cn the following documents for initial review and assessment (Please include the project title in the subject line):
- CV
- Two formal reference letters
- Personal statement outlining your interest in the position
- Certificates of English language qualifications (IELTS or equivalent)
- Full academic transcripts in both Chinese and English (for international students, only the English version is required)
- Verified certificates of education qualifications in both Chinese and English (for international students, only the English version is required)
- PDF copy of Master Degree dissertation (or an equivalent writing sample) and examiners reports available
