AUQA Commendations & Recommendation for Research
and Research Training
Including approval, support, supervision, research
centres, research staff
Commendations
AUQA commends USQ for successfully
fostering research excellence through its research centres.
USQ C 5
AUQA commends USQ for its suite of
comprehensive, robust and timely policies and procedures for ethics,
biosafety and research conduct. USQ
C6
While acknowledging that ACU started
from a low base, AUQA commends the embedding of a culture of research in the
University over a short period of time, including ACU’s success in
supporting staff to complete higher degrees.
ACU C9
AUQA commends Curtin for its
research planning and policies which have led to enhanced research outcomes.
CUT C3
AUQA commends the ‘Early Career
Researcher’ Development Program as a means of increasing the
University’s research capacity. UB
C4
AUQA commends the University for
attaining a position of strong leadership in a number of research areas
(particularly Engineering). UN
C9
AUQA commends the University for its
development of a research database that will support strategic and policy
decision-making. UN C10
AUQA commends the University for a
robust system of ethics approvals. UN
C11
AUQA commends the University for its
investment in the Centre for the Study of Research Training and its Impact (SORTI),
which has the potential to provide invaluable advice on research training,
the quality of the research experience and the quality of research
supervision. UN C12
AUQA commends the University for the
establishment of a number of research centres which are greatly assisting in
the achievement of its objectives of building critical mass and alliances
with national and international institutions, industry groups and companies.
Adelaide C2
AUQA commends the University for
good outcomes I research across a number of research indicators and for a
demonstrated trend of improved performance in most measures.
Adelaide C3
AUQA commends the manner in which
the Board of Education and Development has responded actively to the
outcomes of the review of the higher degree by research program.
Adelaide C4
AUQA commends the University for its
Structured Program for higher degrees by research students.
Adelaide C5
AUQA commends SUT for undertaking a
review of its research training program and for the manner in which it has
begun to respond to the review’s findings.
SUT C4
AUQA commends the University of
Canberra for the importance it gives to activities designed to support and
to encourage early researchers. Canberra
C5
AUQA commends the University of
Canberra for being sensitive to the needs of its higher degree students and
for responding to concerns expressed by students about the need to improve
research training, and in particular for developing Research Learning Plans.
Canberra C6
AUQA commends Macquarie University
for developing a suite of research support grants that are aligned to the
strategic intentions of the University.
Macquarie C8
AUQA commends Macquarie University
for the high level of awareness of, and commitment to, strong ethical
practices in the Univerity’s research activities.
Macquarie C9
AUQA commends Macquarie University
for making good progress against its innovative vision of establishing a
Research Park. Macquarie C10
AUQA commends Macquarie University
for developing an organisational culture that strongly commits to the
integration of research skills, practices and outputs into its teaching
programs. Macquarie C11
AUQA commends UQ’s extensive and
effective support of early-career researchers.
UQ C10
AUQA commends UQ for its successful
introduction of a Graduate
School to
oversee policy and administrative processes for higher degree students.
UQ C11
AUQA commends SCU for its success
with Collaborative Research Centres across the designated Areas of Research
Strength through a strategy of concentrating on comparative advantage in
Linkage grants and a focus on opportunities that are regionally valued.
SCU C8
AUQA commends the leadership
provided by the SCU Graduate Research College, for the pivotal role it plays
in developing the University’s research profile, and maintaining
appropriate levels of research training and support opportunities.
SCU C9
AUQA commends the University for the
active steps it has taken to support and develop its emerging research
culture. UNDA C9
AUQA commends the University for the
establishment of the Centre for Research and Graduate Studies which is an
effective support mechanism for higher degree by research students on the
Fremantle campus. UNDA C10
Recommendations
That further attention be given to
the criteria defining the different kinds of research centres and, in
particular, to the relationship between the flagship concept and research
centres. ACU R14
That ACU consider the role of
research centres and flagships in research student training and, in
particular, in the provision of resources to support research education.
ACU R16
That, in preparing for the next
iteration of its Research and Research Training Management Plan, USQ
consider how to appropriately extend its support for research activities as
a means for both increasing the research quantum and further enhancing its
teaching programs. USQ R15
That USQ consider developing a
research capabilities database for public dissemination, as a means for
furthering research linkages with the community.
USQ R17
That USQ investigate ways of
encouraging and supporting the individual effort of staff researching their
own teaching practices for the benefit of the staff and the University as a
whole: (a) both in terms of adding to the University’s research
publication and income effort; and (b) to its general ability to inform and
improve its teaching practices and, therefore, the learning experience of
students. USQ R18
That criteria for registration as a
supervisor of research students be made more precise, that registration be
mandatory for supervisors, that adequate training and development
opportunities be provided for existing and potential supervisors, and that
criteria and procedures for de-registration be set down.
CUT R16
That annual reports by supervisors
be a mandatory part of the system for monitoring the progress of research
students. CUT R17
That the place of the Research
Leadership and Management Plan in relation to the University’s SSI be
reconsidered in order to inform a more robust approach to research planning
and the understanding of staff of research objectives.
UB R20
That consideration be given to
increasing the representation of the higher education schools on the
Research Committee and Research Higher Degrees Committee, as a means of
achieving the objective of enhancing the effectiveness of the development
and implementation of research planning and policy.
UB R21
That the review process for research
centres be more precisely specified, and that consideration be given to
including significant external input. UB
R22
That UB make more publicly known and
enforce the criteria for eligibility to become a postgraduate research
student supervisor and that all new Associate and Principal supervisors be
required to undertake appropriate training before being admitted to the
Register. UB R24
That UB ensure that “The Code of
Good Practice: Research Degree Supervision” be reviewed regularly and
actively promoted to postgraduate students and supervisors.
UB R25
That UB ensure that its policy
requiring regular reports on the progress of postgraduate students is
implemented and that consideration be given to elaborating a mutual
expectations document that can serve as the basis of a discussion between
student and supervisor(s) at commencement.
UB R26
That the University establish a
focus for research leadership at the Central Coast Campuses.
UN R12
That the University give attention
to ensuring compliance with its policy on minimum resources for postgraduate
students. UN R13
That the position of Dean of
Graduate Studies become a 100% position (from its current 50%).
CUT R18
That the University reconsider
whether the Postgraduate Programs Portfolio Committee adds significant value
to the University’s quality assurance in this area.
UN R6
That AMC develop a clear policy and
tailored strategies for identifying and pursuing different forms of research
and scholarship, in addition to consultancy.
AMC R14
That AMC urgently formalise the
research ethics approval processes with the University of Tasmania, ensuring
that the process will be sufficiently rigorous to provide a level of
assurance equivalent to that of research undertaken within the University
itself. AMC R15
That AMC develop a focus for its
research training activities that draws upon the full resources and
cross-disciplinary potential of the College.
AMC R16
That AMC undertake an external
review of its entry standards and assessment systems for its higher degrees.
AMC R17
That AMC benchmark criteria and
guidelines used by a number of Australian universities in relation to
supervisor selection and professional development.
AMC R18
That, in the establishment of a
research centre and in its annual reporting and review, greater attention be
given to the role of Advisory Boards, particularly with respect to
validation of research programs and accessing sources of research funding.
Adelaide R16
That the Graduate Centre ensure that
the policy of co-supervision is implemented throughout the University.
Adelaide R17
That the process for the regular
formal review of Masters and PhD student progress be revised, the forms
simplified and the role of co-supervisors in the review process be made
explicit. Adelaide R18
That greater emphasis be placed on
the training of new and existing supervisors of higher degree by research
students to ensure greater awareness and implementation of University
policies for effective research training.
Adelaide R19
That SUT develop amongst staff a
more consistent understanding of the definition of ‘research intensive’
and promulgate it widely throughout the University and to its stakeholders.
Further, that it more explicitly define the role of the co-ordinators
of the nine identified areas of research activity.
SUT R6
That greater consideration be given
to the opportunities for research higher degree students from across the
University to interact academically and more informally.
SUT R7
That, in developing the Research
Master Plan, specific attention be paid to clarifying the linkages between
research and teaching and the ways in which such links can be encouraged for
the mutual benefit of both activities. SUT
R8
That the ‘Active Researcher’
classification categories at the University of Canberra be tightened by
paying closer attention to the comparability of sub-category requirements
and the entry level requirements, especially at Researcher Classification
Levels 1 & 2. Canberra R8
That the University of Canberra take
steps to resolve an apparent tension between its chosen developmental
strategy of encouraging commercial research capacity on a relatively broad
front, while simultaneously cultivating niche areas of national and
international research competitiveness.
Canberra R 9
That there be a clearer definition
of and differentiation between, ‘research’, ‘commercial research’
and ‘consultancy’ at the University of Canberra, as distinctive
categories for the prioritisation of research activity.
Canberra C10
That the University of Canberra use
its surveys, learning plans’ and its revised version of the ‘Gold
Book’ to signal clear, consistent and confidential complaint reporting
pathways for research students, which will allow them to report issues
confidently and without fear of prejudice to any future study opportunities;
and use its revised version of the ‘Gold Book’ to assure consistency in
the quality of supervision and consider upgrading the standards of
facilities and support for doctoral researchers.
Canberra R11
That the University of Canberra
ensure that there is greater transparency in the allocation of resources
across categories and areas of research, especially by more clearly
differentiating between honours and HDR student entitlements.
Canberra R12
That the efficacy of the
relationship between Macquarie Research Ltd and the Research Office be
reviewed with a view to developing an optimal partnership.
Macquarie R11
That the University review the
system for interacting with the tenants of the Research Park so as to
develop better systems for exploring collaborative opportunities.
Macquarie R12
That the University establish a
system for the ongoing monitoring of Code of Supervisory Practice and of the
adequacy of academic and resource support for research students at the
Divisional level. Macquarie R13
That in line with expressed intent,
UQ better define the relation between research centres and schools in order
that the presence of the centres and their staff enhance the student
experience and the research opportunities of non-centre staff.
UQ R8
That the structures in place for the
management of research and research education and training be reviewed to
ensure that the maximum synergies are gained.
UNDA R18
That the University promulgates
areas of research priority throughout the University and develop strategies
to facilitate growth of the research culture particularly in these areas.
UNDA R19
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