Henley Business School at the University of Reading Malaysia is a world-renowned institution of higher learning in the field of business and management. With a strong global reputation across many research areas, our premier business school is committed to fostering excellence and innovation in research and education. Our doctoral programme is designed to provide students with the advanced knowledge, research skills, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities needed to become experts in the field of study. With a focus on mastery of the topic under investigation, our programme is dedicated to helping students develop the critical thinking and analytical skills needed to conduct high-quality research and produce impactful results.
We welcome research proposals across a broad spectrum of fields. Ideally, we encourage enquiries from highly motivated, academically qualified, industrious, and entrepreneurial individuals who are eager to push the boundaries of the current state-of-the-art knowledge in business and management through empirical research and/or data-driven methods. We specialize in research that leverages technological advancements, data analytics, and/or entrepreneurial concepts to address real-world business challenges. We believe that research can be a powerful tool for solving complex business problems and hence, we welcome research proposals on a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to:
- Real Estate, especially:
- Urban planning, town planning, placemaking (e.g., challenges of an ageing society).
- Smart cities and ESG factors (e.g., smart transportation systems and social inclusion).
- Property management and property investment (e.g., proptech startups, smart contract to facilitate property investment).
- Finance and Accounting, especially:
- Applied financial econometrics (e.g., AI techniques to develop predictive models for financial markets).
- Blockchain and cryptocurrency analysis (e.g., behaviour of blockchain-based markets and trading strategies).
- Green bonds (fixed-income security) (e.g., technology enabling green bond structures and environmental impacts).
- Carbon accounting and management (e.g., new carbon accounting methodologies).
- Entrepreneurship and innovation, especially:
- Social entrepreneurship (e.g., AI and social innovation, ethical considerations).
- Digital startups (e.g., “gain-of-function,” AGI alignment and safety).
- Disruption and innovation (e.g., new technologies and business models).
- New product development (e.g., IoT technologies, blockchain-based supply chain management).
- Supply chain management (SCM) (e.g., cybersecurity risks, innovation in SCM).
- Business analytics, especially:
- Decision support (e.g., new visualization methods to support decision-making processes).
- Big data analytics (e.g., flood mitigation and monitoring techniques).
- Predictive analytics (e.g., predictive models for marketing).
Henley Business School is proud to house the Centre for Global Business Enterprise and Cloud Analytics (CGBECA), where you will have the opportunity to develop cutting-edge knowledge that will position you at the forefront of your field. Our research focuses on a variety of emerging and innovative areas, including smart cities, cryptocurrencies, and the Internet-of-Things (IoT). As a CGBECA researcher, you will have access to a vibrant international network of scholars and practitioners with whom you can share your research experience and collaborate on groundbreaking research projects.
Our commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence is reflected in our research facilities and world-class faculty, who are dedicated to supporting our students’ academic and personal growth. Through our close collaboration with industry partners and global networks, we are able to offer our postgraduate research students unique opportunities to engage with real-world business challenges and develop their research skills. Henley Business School’s CGBECA is the ideal destination for those looking to make a meaningful impact on the field of business and management.
We focus these research areas on technology and big data analytics, FinTech, digital currencies and marketing analytics in response to the growing significance of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Under the umbrella of Henley Business School’s Centre for Global Business Enterprise and Cloud Analytics, you will develop cutting-edge knowledge that will position you at the forefront of your field, e.g. smart cities, cryptocurrencies and Internet-of-Things (IoT). With Malaysia being at the forefront of Islamic finance, we also undertake research supervision in Islamic banking and finance with a focus on sustainable finance and financial inclusion. You will also enjoy a dynamic research environment, competitively-awarded funding, dedicated support and outstanding facilities. Henley Business School attracts some of the most influential academics and practitioners. As a postgraduate research student, you will benefit from the depth and breadth of its contacts in industry, the public sector and the not-for-profit sector, as well as opportunities to participate in the Henley Business School’s international community events and talks from key industry leaders and researchers.
Find a PhD supervisor
- Professor Teck Yong Eng
- Dr Janice Lee Yim Mei
- Dr Mohd Pisal Zainal
- Dr Sio Hong Tih
- Dr Ji Hei Lee
- Dr Nurjihan Idris
- Dr Pei Ling Lee
- Dr Mandy Mok
- Dr Yoke Yue Kan
- Dr Dr Evelita Estela Celis
What to do next?
You must express your interest in studying for a PhD with us by sending your CV and an initial research proposal on the topic that you are thinking of exploring in your PhD to
We shall propose academic staff with interests and expertise in your subject area, and for you to work with them to develop your proposal into an original research project that will move your field forwards. Once a supervisor and suitable research topic have been identified, we will encourage you to submit an application for admission to the PhD programme.
Our school will select and propose qualified academic staff members who possess expertise in your subject area. You will have the opportunity to work with them to refine your proposal and develop it into a novel research project that will make significant contributions to your field. Once you have identified a suitable research topic and supervisor, we will guide and support you in the process of submitting an application for admission to our esteemed PhD programme.
