• Section 1 - Overview
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy
• Principles
• Minimum Facilities
• Responsibilities
• Student Complaints and Appeals
• Policy Administration
• Section 4 - Definitions

Section 1 - Overview

(1) This policy establishes the principles underlying the provision of appropriate facilities to support the progress of the higher degree research students enrolled at UNE, and identifies the minimum standard which must be met by the University.

(2) The policy's objective is to ensure that UNE provides its higher degree research students with safe, well-maintained physical and electronic resources and infrastructure sufficient to enable them to achieve expected learning and research outcomes as appropriate to the scale, scope, location, enrolment mode and nature of their research. This policy reflects the University's values of providing a formative, respectful, inclusive, flexible and innovative environment to support its vision of being "the nation's university of choice for research into regional issues of global significance."

(3) It addresses the requirements established under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Act 2011, through the Higher Education Standards Framework, those established under the Educational Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, through the revised National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students (National Code 2007), and the requirements under the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007).

(4) This Policy must be read in conjunction with the Guidelines for Minimum Facilities for HDR Students and the relevant School's procedures.

Section 2 - Scope

(5) This policy applies from the date of its publication on the UNE policy page.

(6) This policy applies to all staff and higher degree research students in academic units at UNE and all institutions, domestic and international, with which UNE has a partnership arrangement under which UNE accepts responsibility for the supervision of higher degree research students enrolled at UNE.

Section 3 - Policy

Principles

(7) The facilities provided to higher degree research (HDR) students will meet legislative and University policy requirements for occupational health and safety and equity, and will facilitate the HDR student to conduct their research in keeping with the Code of Conduct for Research Policy and ethical clearance requirements.

(8) The facilities provided to HDR students will enable the safe and secure storage of research data and primary materials by the HDR student, consistent with the Management and Storage of Research Data and Materials Policy.

Minimum Facilities

Overview

(9) The minimum standard for facilities provided to UNE HDR Students will include appropriate on-campus workspace, UNE Library access, access to UNE Information Technology Services support, and appropriate access to student research grant funds.

(10) Part-time and/or off-campus students must be provided with suitable work facilities for their research when on campus, and appropriate access to research funds.

(11) Appropriate support for off-campus students will be determined by the HDR student's principal supervisor and the Head of the relevant School.

School's Capacity to Provide Support

(12) Before a School accepts an HDR student the School must be able to provide the requisite facilities to adequately support the HDR student through their research program.

(13) The determination of additional facilities and if necessary, additional research funds that are required to enable an HDR student to meet the research requirements of their degree will be made by the relevant Head of the respective School on the advice of the HDR student's principal supervisor, and will be guided by budgetary considerations.

Minimum Funding and Funding Administration

(14) The minimum student research grant value will be set and reviewed by the Academic Board Higher Degree Research Committee and will be published in the Guidelines for Minimum Facilities for HDR Students and on the Research Services website.

(15) The Head of the relevant School, with advice from the principal supervisor, will administer the student research grant for legitimate research or research-related expenses, or any other expense which may be substantiated as a legitimate research or research-related cost, in accordance with the School's policies and/or procedures.

Additional Resources

(16) Where additional resources/facilities above the minimum are available within a School or particular discipline area, students are to be supplied with written information detailing policies and/or procedures regarding access to and the distribution of such resources/facilities.

Minimum Workspace and Equipment

(17) Appropriate on-campus workspace is to be available on an individual basis for both internal and external HDR students wherever possible. The minimum area allocated to an HDR student is to be determined by the Head of the relevant School in consultation with Facilities Management Services. Advice on the minimum office workspace equipment is provided in the Guidelines for Minimum Facilities for HDR Students.

(18) Workspace areas occupied by full-time internal and external higher degree research students (when on campus) will be equipped appropriately (see Guidelines for Minimum Facilities for HDR Students). These minimum standards should be appropriately adhered to for part-time internal postgraduates, but may be on a time-shared basis or by other arrangements, as determined by the relevant School.

Library Facilities

(19) Library facilities for HDR students will include access to designated postgraduate and early career researcher support facilities, free document delivery and inter library loans within defined parameters. For details click here

Responsibilities

(20) HDR students are responsible for becoming familiar and complying with this policy, other relevant University policies (see http://www.une.edu.au/policies/ ) and relevant School policies and procedures.

(21) Higher Degree Research Coordinators are responsible for advising the HDR students within their School about the minimum facilities available to them and ensuring that they have access to and are aware of the relevant UNE policies, and the postgraduate student information available through the Research Services web pages.

(22) Heads of School are responsible for providing an annual report to the Academic Board Higher Degree Research Committee on the School's compliance with the requirements of this policy, as set out in the Guidelines for Minimum Facilities for HDR Students.

(23) The Academic Board Higher Degree Research Committee is responsible for:

1. setting and reviewing annually the minimum student research grant per annum for UNE HDR students, and publishing this information in the Guidelines for Minimum Facilities for HDR Students and on the Research Services web page, and
2. monitoring compliance with this Policy.

Student Complaints and Appeals

(24) A student who has a complaint or an appeal regarding adherence to any of the requirements in this policy should refer the matter to the Student Complaint and Services Quality Unit.

Policy Administration

Authorities

(25) Amendment or revision of this policy must be endorsed by Academic Board for the University Council's approval.

(26) Amendment or revision of the related procedures and/or guidelines must be approved by the Academic Board.

Quality Assurance

(27) The Academic Board Higher Degree Research Committee will ensure that the effectiveness of this policy is measured through:

1. benchmarking the University's standards with those adopted elsewhere;
2. information available in annual compliance reports undertaken by the Heads of School with HDR students, as described in the Guidelines for the Minimum Facilities for HDR students;
3. feedback from HDR students on adequacy of facilities provided.

Section 4 - Definitions

(28) Minimum in this policy means the lowest standard that is permissible.