Support for HDR students Dev

About the Award

• A total award of $3,500 AUD will be granted for domestic and/or international conferences per HDR candidate per candidature. This total amount can include expenses relating to registration, accommodation and meals
• Candidates who are jointly funded with another School/Institute outside SMP will have the grant funded on a pro-rata basis (i.e., if you are funded jointly by SMP 50% and ITEE 50%, the maximum funding allowable will be $1,750)
• Funding approval is more favourable to those invited as a speaker or those presenting a poster
• Should you be awarded funding, the funds will be paid to your nominated bank account. Note this can take up to four weeks to process

Eligibility Requirements

• Candidates must be enrolled in either the MPhil or PhD program through the School of Mathematics and Physics
• Candidates must have completed their Confirmation of Candidature Progress Review
• Candidates overdue for their Progress Reviews are not eligible for funding
• Candidates must have presented at the SMP Poster Day at least once during their candidature
• Candidates must have in principle support from their Principal Advisor prior to applying

Application Workflow

1. Application submitted by candidate
2. Science HLO Team receive application and confirms eligibility requirements
3. Science HLO Team checks with SMP Finance Advisory to confirm funding availability
4. Director of HDR for SMP receives and considers the application
5. SMP Finance Advisory liaise with the candidate to discuss transfer of funds and travel approval requirements

Additional Travel Requirements

• You will be required to complete Travel Declaration (plus a Business Case for international travel) and a Student Funds Acceptance Form
• It is the HDR candidate's responsibility to book and arrange their travel. The use of UQ's FCM Travel Solutions is not required
• All international and domestic travel involving a flight or overnight accommodation must be registered through International SOS
• Depending on the type of activity you will be doing when you travel you may need to submit a Work off-Campus Plan (e.g. if you are engaging in fieldwork). Refer to the field trip module guide for more information on how to create a Work Off-Campus Plan in UQSafe-Field Trip
• For High Risk Destination Approval, travelers and approvers are responsible for checking DFAT’s travel advice levels from when they start planning, their departure, and during their travels, for both their destination and transit countries. If you are travelling to a high-risk country, you will need to obtain additional approval and will need to commence the request with sufficient time for this to occur

Any enquiries relating to funding should be directed to the Science HLO Team or call (07) 3446 0503.

Any enquiries relating to travel procedures should be directed to the UQ Travel Team or call (07) 3365 8282

You can manage your candidature through the Graduate School by requesting: 

• Attainment of Milestone
• Change of Advisory team
• Change of Enrolling Unit
• Extension of Milestone
• Extension of Scholarship
• Interrupting your studies
• Returning from interruption
• and more

Your requests will be routed automatically to your Principal Advisor before being processed by the Graduate School. In some instances, the Postgraduate Coordinator may be required to consider your request as well. You can keep track using your UQ Dashboard.

How to organise a Progress Review

We strongly suggest that you start planning for your Progress Review in the Research Quarter before it is due. Meet with your advisor to identify a suitable Progress Review Panel and plan for your Progress Review at least 8 weeks before the commencement of the Research Quarter in which your review is due.

You will need to complete the following tasks in the research quarter in which your review is due.

In the first month of the research quarter:  

1. Send your candidate statement to your Chair. 
2. Distribute your Progress Review documents to your Progress Review Panel and finalise the date/time and venue for your Progress Review meeting. This should be done before the census date of the Research Quarter in which your Progress Review is due.

In the remaining months of the research quarter: 

3. Prepare for your Progress Review meeting (and presentation if required by your school or institute) 
4. Meet with your Progress Review Panel for your Progress Review meeting. This needs to be done before the end of the Research Quarter in which your review is due.  
5. After the progress review meeting your Chair will email their Progress Review report to you. Upload a copy of the Chairs report through an Attainment of Milestone request before the end of the Research Quarter.

If you experience issues organising your Progress Review, seek the support and advice of your advisory team and Chair. To gain a clearer picture of how everyone involved in the Progress Review process collaborates please refer to the roles table below.

More information found here My progress reviews - my.UQ - University of Queensland

1 April 2022 – 30 June 2022 is a transition period from Milestones to Progress Reviews. Please read the following relevant information about this transition:

• Details on Progress Reviews

Panel Composition

Progress Review Panel (PRP) in SEES will consist of

• A chair chosen from the HDR committee
• A reviewer with knowledge of your subject area who is not on your advisory team
• Your advisory team

If possible, you will have the same panel for all three reviews.

Confirmation of Candidature Review

The Candidature documents and Confirmation Proposal document must be submitted through my.UQ by the census date of the research quarter. The Confirmation Proposal document comprises:

• Cover page
• Project title, summary, aims and rationale
• Literature review
• Significance and innovation
• Methods
• Expected outcomes
• Preliminary work
• Budget and timeline
• References

The candidate organises the Confirmation of Candidature Review meeting to take place in the second half of the research quarter. It will include a 60–90-minute meeting with your review panel. The meeting includes a 20–30-minute oral presentation with 10 minutes of question time, which is open to the School, followed by a closed discussion with your panel. The closed discussion consists of four stages: 

• Questions from the Panel and Advisors,
• Panel discussion with the advisors (without the candidate),
• Panel discussion with the candidate (advisors present), and
• Discussion between the Chair and the candidate only

Verbal feedback will be provided by your reviewer(s) after the oral presentation. Your chair will also prepare a written report detailing the recommendations of the Progress Review Panel to the Dean, UQ Graduate School.

You will receive a copy of the Panel’s written reports and will be required make any amendments based on the feedback provided to the satisfaction of your advisors.

More information can be found on the Graduate School website.

The Candidature documents and Mid-Candidature Review document must be submitted through my.UQ by the census date of the research quarter. The Mid-Candidature Review document comprises: 

• Cover page
• Project title
• Research achievements to date
• Presentations
• Publications
• Thesis outline (abstract for each chapter + % complete)
• Timeline
• Problems and challenges

The candidate organises the Progress Review to take place in the second half of the research quarter. The Progress Review will include a 60-minute meeting with your review panel. The meeting includes a 20–30-minute oral presentation followed by: 

• Questions from the Panel,
• Panel discussion with the advisors (without the candidate),
• Panel discussion with the candidate (advisors present)
• Discussion between the Chair and the candidate only

Verbal feedback will be provided by your reviewer(s) after the oral presentation. Your chair will also prepare a written report detailing the recommendations of the Progress Review Panel to the Dean, UQ Graduate School.

You will receive a copy of the Panel’s written reports and will be required make any amendments based on the feedback provided to the satisfaction of your advisors.

More information can be found on the Graduate School website.

The Candidature documents Final Review Document must be submitted through my.UQ by the census date of the research quarter. The Final Review Document consists of:

• Cover page
• Project title
• Research achievements to date
• Presentations
• Publications
• Thesis outline (abstract for each chapter + % complete)
• Timeline
• Problems and challenges
• A copy of the draft thesis
• A copy of any papers

The candidate organises the Final Progress Review to take place in the second half of the research quarter. The Final Progress Review will include a 60-minute meeting with your review panel. The meeting includes a 20–30-minute oral presentation followed by:

• Questions from the Panel,
• Panel discussion with the advisors (without the candidate),
• Panel discussion with the candidate (advisors present)
• Discussion between the Chair and the candidate only

Verbal feedback will be provided by your reviewer(s) after the oral presentation. Your chair will also prepare a written report detailing the recommendations of the Progress Review Panel to the Dean, UQ Graduate School.

You will receive a copy of the Panel’s written reports and will be required make any amendments based on the feedback provided to the satisfaction of your advisors.

More information can be found on the Graduate School website.

Examination of your thesis is facilitated by the Graduate School. Please refer to their guide.

Post-upload Desk Space

Once you have uploaded your thesis for examination, you will be contacted by the HLO in order to begin to make plans for vacating your desk in a timely manner. This will be initiated towards the end of the research quarter in which you uploaded your thesis.

The School recognises that you may still require a desk space in order to complete a corrections outcome of your thesis. In those instances, the School is able to offer you a hot-desk space. Please contact the Facilities Officer (facilities.sees@uq.edu.au) if you wish to access this space.

Advisors Resources

The Graduate School have detailed the requirements of your role as an Advisor through the Essentials of Higher Degree by Research Supervision resource. It includes:

• Funding sources and timelines for HDR applications
• How to register to become a Principal or Associate advisor
• Thesis examinations
• Providing support
• Upcoming training and professional development opportunities

Candidate's Academic Writing

A list of some of the opportunities offered by UQ to assist with your HDR candidate's academic writing:

Responsibilities Snapshot Table

A table detailing a summarised version of expectations and responsibilities for HDR and stakeholders within SEES