Published: 25 Jun 2025 8 views
La Trobe University is offering a graduate research scholarship for students to undertake a joint PhD with IIT Kanpur, India.
The IIT Kanpur-La Trobe University Research Academy is a globally recognised research partnership formed between the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and La Trobe University that brings the two organizations' research capabilities together to build a critical mass of resources and researchers who work with industry and Government to address the sustainability and liveability issues facing global communities. PhD students in our Joint Doctoral Degree Program will have opportunity to work across both countries on a solution-driven approach to a problem identified under ten multidisciplinary themes related to the Smart Cities development. Opportunities for collaboration with industry is considered a key to success in solving some of the research, development and deployment challenges under various theme areas. Find out more: https://ra-latrobe.iitk.ac.in/
Applications for this scholarship are now open to Australian or New Zealand citizens or Australian permanent residents newly enrolling in a PhD.
Students undertaking the joint PhD program will be enrolled in a PhD at both institutions. Your supervisory team will comprise of academic staff from both institutions who will provide support and guidance throughout your research. As a student enrolled at both La Trobe and IIT Kanpur, you will have access to services and support provided by both institutions, including a range of professional and personal development programs.
You will begin your studies at La Trobe University where you will spend the majority of your time, but with an expectation that you will spend typically 12 months at IIT Kanpur. Travel to and study at the host institution will be subject to the usual immigration requirements.
The joint PhD includes a tailored program of progress monitoring to fulfill the requirements of both institutions. All candidates will write and submit a thesis for defence by oral examination. On successful completion of the program requirements, you will be awarded a PhD jointly by both institutions.
The successful applicant can commence at any time with the support of your supervisor, at a La Trobe University campus, and willing to spend typically 12 months based at IIT Kanpur, India.
Projects will remain open until filled, and new opportunities will be posted below as they become available.
Available projects
There are a number of joint PhD scholarship available to applicants from the range of projects listed below, competitively awarded with selection based on academic merit and suitability to the project. Please contact the primary supervisor for more information about these projects.
IITK-25023 - Artificial Intelligence-based Anomaly and Vulnerability Detection of Smart Grids with a Specific Focus on Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) Attacks
Primary supervisors: Professor Damminda Alahakoon & Dr Shalinka Jayatilleke
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Ankush Sharma (IITK)
Smart grid is an interconnected cyber–physical system with advanced technologies of fast communication and intelligence, which however is prone to numerous cybersecurity threats. Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly popular for detecting cyber assaults in smart grids. However, very few techniques have focused on countermeasures for assaults designed to trick AI-based models, pay little attention to fake-normal data traffic generated by Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN). This PhD research will address a major vulnerability in AI based smart grids by the design, development and trialing of defense mechanisms and approaches against the GAN attacks. This research will utilize infrastructure and expertise in smart grids, power systems and IOT in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur and innovative unsupervised self-structuring AI and spatio-temporal data modelling techniques from the Research Centre for Data Analytics and Cognition, La Trobe University.
IITK-25024 - The Adoption and Application of Technological Service Innovation in Aged Care Context: A Service-Dominant Logic Perspective
Primary supervisor: Dr Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Khaksar
Other supervisors: Professor Murali Prasad (IITK)
Projections indicate the aged care industry in both developed (e.g., Australia) and developing economies (e.g., India) will face a significant increase in the number of older adults requiring professional aged care (approx. 300%) by 2050. The emergence of smart technologies (e.g., wearables, social robots, IoT) in aged care service operations has enabled care-providing organisations to ensure real-time data streaming to improve the quality of life for older people with special needs. Smart technologies suggest innovative solutions for currently unresolved issues in service delivery within traditional business models and provide transparent, accurate, and reliable data for aged care services. These technologies intend to improve aged care service delivery, the cost-benefit of health care, healthcare monitoring, and social engagement among older adults. Despite all these potential benefits, the level of smart technology adoption in aged-care service ecosystems is still low. The continued use of these technologies may also raise concerns about ethical issues in human-technology interaction. To better address the above issues, we are looking for a PhD candidate to work on the adoption and implementation of new technologies in the aged care sector. The application is open to Australian or NZ citizens, or Australian permanent residents. The PhD candidate will conduct research in social scientific fields of technology and innovation, predominantly adopting qualitative (or mixed) research designs. The research project requires a critical perspective on the Australian and Indian aged care systems with a strong theoretical focus on the service dominant logic and organisational paradox theory. So, a candidate with either a marketing or management background may be eligible to apply for this PhD position.
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must:
In selecting successful applicants, we prioritise applications from candidates who:
To apply for one of the joint PhD scholarships, follow these steps:
- A statement outlining your interest in the project and your research goals
- A copy of your academic transcripts
- A copy of your research thesis or any relevant publications
- Your CV
Only eligible applicants will be invited by the primary supervisor to submit a full application for the PhD and scholarship. Please do not submit your application through our online portal without an invitation from the primary supervisor, as your application will not be accepted without their support.
Once invited to apply by the primary supervisor, please follow the instructions on the How to Apply page for the PhD. Remember to include the relevant project code (IITK-25---) in your application.
For Domestic Applicants: Select the 'Graduate Research - Specialist Research Scholarship' in your application.
Who to contact for further information:
For more information, kindly visit La Trobe University scholarship webpage.
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