PhD scholarships pave the way for business and management researchers

The PhD programs at The Business School, RMIT Vietnam (formerly School of Business & Management) have expanded significantly in recent years. Since 2019, 25 PhD students have registered at the school, and seven completed their PhD in 2021 and 2022.

Several fully funded scholarships are now available in The Business School for PhD candidates who want to gain internationally accredited degrees by conducting impactful research right here in Vietnam.

Available in five disciplines – Business Information Systems; Supply Chain & Logistics; Economics, Finance & Marketing; Management; and Business, the PhD programs involve comprehensive, independent research under the co-supervision of expert academics based in Vietnam, Australia and Europe.

Candidates will graduate in Vietnam with the same PhD degrees as their peers at RMIT Australia, meaning they won’t need to travel overseas to earn an international PhD degree from a global Top 200 university.

In addition to a full tuition waiver, Vietnam-based candidates who fulfill the requirements for admissions and scholarships can earn an annual stipend of 170 million VND.

Dean of The Business School, RMIT Vietnam, Professor Robert McClelland said: “Our programs allow access to world-class expertise and create synergies across disciplines. Our PhD candidates can employ leading edge resources and collaborate closely with our industry partners.

“I believe the benefits included in our PhD programs are unrivalled in Vietnam. We look forward to bringing these opportunities to many more aspiring researchers in the next few years, so that together we can conduct meaningful research to further propel Vietnam's growing economy and business ecosystem.”

Research and innovation for impact is one of the priorities at RMIT. Bringing different views and expertise together to develop practical, sustainable and ethical solutions to great challenges in society is what drives the RMIT research ecosystem.

Currently over 20 research projects proposed by The Business School academics are looking to be matched with qualified PhD candidates in Vietnam.

The topics cover a wide variety of academic disciplines, industries, and foci. Many of them are related to sustainability, innovation and equitable development.

For third-year PhD candidate Nguyen Thi Van Anh, pursuing higher-degree research at RMIT Vietnam on a full-tuition scholarship has been a rewarding journey.

“My dissertation topic is on consumer behaviour in an omnichannel retailing environment. The demand for e-commerce and online channel adoption in Vietnam is skyrocketing, and one of problems that companies face is the extent of omnichannel investment. My research aims to support companies’ decision regarding online and offline channels adoption and integration for communication and sales.”

Ms Van Anh has published her thesis in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (A-ranked in line with the ABDC ranking system) and the International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research (B-ranked), as well as various conferences such as the American Marketing Association Winter Academic Conference 2022 and Academy of Marketing Science Conference 2022.

“Joining RMIT as a PhD candidate has given me many opportunities to pursue my research interests, connect with an incredible research community, hone my problem-solving skills, and most importantly, challenge myself in new ways.”

The Business School Senior Lecturer and Higher Degree Research (HDR) Coordinator Dr Duy Dang-Pham highlighted the internationally recognised quality of the PhD degrees.

Having earned his bachelor’s degree at RMIT in Vietnam before completing his PhD at RMIT in Australia, Dr Duy has a well-rounded understanding of how the University maintains the highest research standards across its campuses.

“Here in The Business School, our PhD programs are delivered in the same way as those in Australia, including the coursework and the whole rigorous PhD process that aims to develop Vietnam-based candidates to become full-fledged independent researchers,” he said.

“On average, our PhD graduates will have published two to three journal articles in Scopus and ISI outlets by the time they graduate, which prepares them for a successful research career. Some of our recent graduates have secured jobs at universities in Australia and in the UK, while the majority have become academics in Vietnam.”

Dr Duy encourages interested candidates to take the first steps by browsing the available research projects for PhD applicants (select “Business & Management (VN)” in the “Search by school” filter).

Read more about the eligibility requirements and application process.

Please contact phd.enquiries@rmit.edu.vn for further information.

Story: Ngoc Hoang