A split-site PhD is defined as a PhD which leads to a University of Southampton award and involves students being fully registered as University of Southampton students whilst spending a significant period of their research away from the University, at another approved organisation, which will normally be overseas.
All split-site PhDs require a formal agreement between the University and the partner organisation(s). The split-site PhD is used to increase collaborative research and develop international partnerships. Split-site PhDs are regarded as collaborative provision and are subject to the University’s collaborative provision policy. Please also see the Split Site PhD Principles and Procedures on the Approving collaborative provision page of the Quality Handbook for further information.
It may be appropriate to make individual student arrangements, which permit a student to undertake some of their research at an approved location away from the University, for example for students based in industry. These are not referred to as split-site PhDs as they do not involve institution-to-institution agreements.