The Integrated Design Strategies for Sustainable Evidence-based Healthcare Design

Project Description:

This research project aims to provide integrated design strategies for sustainable and carbon neutral evidence-based design of healthcare facilities. It addresses the impact on patients’ health and staff outcomes of sustainable and carbon neutral evidence-based designed therapeutic environments. The research activity consists of identifying sustainable evidence-based design strategies for healthcare facilities from previous research and from selected case studies and integrating them using a single Analytical Hierarchical Process model (AHP) that facilitates evaluation against existing Chinese hospital design guidance and standards. The questionnaires to different stakeholder groups such as patients, clinicians and design teams will be used to prioritise the different design strategies with focus groups and interviews used to refine the IDSSEHD model (IDSSEHD stands for the acronym of the ‘Integrated Design Strategies for Sustainable Evidence-based Healthcare Design’) – the main research outcome.

Funding Notes:

The position is remunerated for three years at a rate covering tuition fees plus a stipend of RMB 3,500 per month. The payment of monthly stipend is conditional upon the student undertaking a teaching assistant (TA) role. The expectation is that students on scholarships will undertake 300-500 hours of TA work per academic year. Continuation of funding is conditional upon the students carrying out these duties and, of course, making satisfactory progress in their studies.

Supervision as well as resulting publications and thesis will be in English. Successful graduates will receive a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool.

Requirements:

The studentship is competitive and the candidates would be expected to demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding research potential. Candidates should have a Master degree in architecture, urban planning and design, social science or a related discipline (desirably having
work experience/qualification or a strong interest in healthcare built environment). However first degree holders with a first class honours or the equivalent will also be considered. The priority will be given to applicants who have knowledge of Building Information Modelling (BIM), statistical analysis, and skills of conducting focus groups, interviews and questionnaires, etc. Candidates must be fluent in both Mandarin and English (IELTS 6.5 or equivalent) and have effective communication skills, both written and verbal. The successful PhD candidate would benefit from this cross-disciplinary project by improving his/her capacity for interdisciplinary studies, knowledge of comprehensive design concepts and methods, and specific skills at integrated design strategies for healthcare environment.

How to Apply: Interested applicants are advised to email the following documents to the postgraduate admissions office at [Email Address Removed] (Please put the project title and primary supervisor’s name in the subject line).

• CV
• Two reference letters
• Personal statement outlining your interest in the position and the research project
• Certificate of English Language Qualification (IELTS, TOEFL or other equivalent, for applicants whose first language is not English or entry qualification was not obtained in the English medium). Proof of English language proficiency (an IELTS score of above 6.5 or comparable) is required.
• Verified school transcripts in both Chinese and English (for international student, only the English version is required)
• Verified certificates of education qualifications (e.g. degree certificates) in both Chinese and English (for international student, only the English version is required)
• Photocopy of your passport (international students only)
• Recent passport photograph
• Any other related supporting documents for your application.

Further details can be found at http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/admissions/postgraduate.html Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr. Bing Chen at [Email Address Removed] whose profile is online at http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/faculty/academic-subject-staff/item/58-chen-bing.html