• Department of Archaeology and History
• Research
• China Talent PhD Academy

China Talent PhD Academy

A distinctive doctoral programme designed to bring together the strengths of British and Chinese postgraduate education.

This new initiative combines the UK’s dual-supervisor model with the Chinese collective mentoring approach, introducing an innovative Academic Supervisor + Mentor framework that provides both academic guidance and pastoral support throughout the PhD journey

Dual Support for Optimum Results

The path to a PhD is rarely straightforward, and studying abroad adds further challenges. The China Talent PhD Academy builds a supportive learning community for Chinese doctoral students: one that combines international academic standards with a human touch.

Through its Academic + Pastoral dual-support system, the programme offers tailored mentoring to students who may feel uncertain about cultural adaptation, fostering a rare sense of collective belonging abroad.

We support you with Academic Guidance:

• Dual supervision: each student is jointly supervised by two experts in their field, responsible for full-cycle academic direction of the doctoral research.
• Programme Director as Mentor: Dr Hao Gao serves as Mentor, providing practical guidance through monthly group meetings in students' native language, helping them integrate into British doctoral culture and fostering belonging through shared learning.

We support you through our Academic Platform:

• Access to world-class research centres spanning imperial, global, maritime, and medical history.
• A dedicated PhD room provides each student with a personal workspace, placing them within a vibrant community of emerging historians from across the world.

Meet the Programme Director 

“This programme was conceived from my own experience as a PhD student — when I often thought, 'if only I had a community around me,' and 'if only there were a professor from my home country in the department.'

The path to a doctorate is never easy, and it is all the more challenging abroad. In the China Talent Academy, you do not have to face this alone.

I hope the Department of History at Exeter can serve as a starting point for your academic journey with peace of mind, giving you a sense of belonging and confidence as you move forward.”

Dr Hao Gao h.gao2@exeter.ac.uk

• Senior Lecturer in Imperial and Global History
• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS)
• Member of the Editorial Board, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society
• One of very few historians of Chinese origin in the UK; the only historian with postgraduate degrees from both countries (PhD, Edinburgh; MA, Peking)

Read more from Dr Hao Gao

Dr Hao Gao

Programme Director and Director of Global Engagement

Eligibility based on academic ability and potential

We welcome applications from all aspiring young scholars (in China and internationally) with a genuine passion for historical research.

Admissions decisions are based solely on academic ability and potential:

• No distinction between recent and previous graduates
• No bias regarding degree classifications
• Equal welcome to CSC-funded and self-funded students

Academic Requirements

To apply directly to the PhD in History, you would normally be expected to hold a Master's degree with Merit (or equivalent) in History or a related subject, or another relevant qualification, such as a doctorate in a different discipline. Applicants for research degrees are normally expected to hold a first degree equivalent to at least a UK 2:1 Honours degree. If you are unsure whether your qualifications meet these requirements, please contact us to discuss your suitability.