1. 2017 Summer PhD Research Experience Programme
Query Authentication in Data Outsourcing and Integration Services

2. Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)
HKBU: Established in 1956 – the 2nd oldest university in Hong Kong
One of 8 public universities in HK
Ranked 19th worldwide in 2016 QS Top 50 under 50
Ranked 44th in Asia in 2016 Times Higher (THE) Ranking
More at
Query Authentication in Data Outsourcing and Integration Services

3. Programme Aims
To visit HKBU campus and learn cutting-edge research being undertaken in the Department of Computer Science
To engage in a frontier research project under the supervision of a faculty advisor
To understand the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) established by the Research Grants Council (RGC) and research scholarships offered by the Department of Computer Science and HKBU

4. Research Scholarships
HKPFS Applicants
Scholarship (per year)
Nominated by HKBU and awarded by RGC
Approx. HKD 500,000*
Nominated by HKBU but not awarded by RGC
Approx. HKD 250,000*
* Visit for a detailed breakdown

5. Target Participants
Outstanding undergraduate / master students in computer science or related disciplines who will graduate by Summer 2018

6. Duration & Financial Support
Program duration: 1-2 months in Summer 2017
Financial support
On-campus accommodation
Economy-class round-trip tickets on reimbursement basis (up to HK$ 4,000 for participants from Asian countries and up to HK$ 10,000 for participants from non-Asian countries)
Local living allowances of HK$ 3,000 / month

7. Faculty Profile
18 highly-qualified professors with Ph.D. degrees awarded by world renowned universities (UIUC, UPenn, McGill, etc.)
2 IEEE Fellows
8 IEEE / ACM Senior Members
Associate Editors of various top-tier journals
IEEE Access
IEEE Internet of Things Journal
IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics
IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security
IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering
IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems
Pattern Recognition
Proceedings of the VLDB Endowment (PVLDB)
A full list is available at:

8. Focused Research Areas

9. Research Outputs
Over half of research outputs are recognized as world leading or internationally excellent
4-Star: world leading
3-Star: internationally excellent
2-Star: internationally standing
1-Star: regional standing

10. PhD Program Structure 15 units course work A research project
Typically, 3 course
A research project
Opportunities to present research papers in international conferences
Guaranteed overseas exchange
Perform research in an overseas university and have a cultural exchange with students/researchers in other countries
Overseas post-doctoral scheme
Support fresh graduates to gain more research experience at renowned overseas universities or research institute for half to one year
CMU, UC San Diego, Maryland University

11. Selection Criteria Academic Excellence Research Ability and Potential
Outstanding academic record of current/immediate past affiliated institution(s);
Open test results (widely recognized tests such as GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL)
An applicant seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution outside Hong Kong of which the language of teaching and/or examination is not English is required to obtain a minimum score in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) at 550 (Paper-based Test) / 213 (Computer-based Test) / 79 (Internet-based Test) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at 6.5. Consideration will also be made for applicants with a minimum overall score in the College English Test (CET)^ Band 6 at 500 and grade B in the CET-SET (Speaking English Test). The TOEFL institution code of the Hong Kong Baptist University is 9467.
Research Ability and Potential
Publication(s), if available;
Specific research statement and past research training;
Proposed supervisor in the nominating institution
Leadership Ability and Societal Responsibility
Proven record/experience in extracurricular activities and volunteer work;
Good to have activities incurring organizing, leading or coordinating elements. Communication, Interpersonal Skills
Cultural Diversity

12. Our PhD Graduates Jianhua Ma, Postdoc, John Hopkins University
Associate Dean
BNU-HKBU United International College
Professor, Vice Dean
Huazhong University of Science & Technology
Professor
Sun Yat-Sen University
Researcher
Institute of Computing Technology, CAS
Jianhua Ma, Postdoc, John Hopkins University
Xiangyuan Lan, Visiting research fellow, CMU / Maryland University
Bao Qing, Visiting research fellow, UC San Diego
Li Yu, Solution Engineer, Facebook, Hong Kong
Chen Xiaowei, Technical Trainer, Amazon Web Services, Hong Kong & Taiwan
Liu Kai, Staff Researcher, Lenovo Research Lab, Hong Kong
Chen Lei, Researcher, Huawei Noah’s Ark Lab, Hong Kong
Zhao Kaiyong, R&D Manager, DJI, Shenzhen …

13. Application deadline: April 15, 2017
Enquiry: Ms. Kristina Tsang Website: