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RSISE-2004 PhD Study Program

Guidelines for RSISE supervisory panels

(Approved by RSISE Faculty Board – 18 June 2004)

This new study program is expressed as a set of guidelines for supervisory panels. As guidelines they do not have the status of rules but rather they require that any deviation from them be formally reported to and approved by the Director of RSISE (normally delegated to the Associate Director).

A priori context for the application of the guidelines

1. The supervisory panel will sign-off on these guidelines prior to an offer of scholarship being made.
2. The determination of a customised program for each student is the responsibility of the supervisory panel working to these guidelines.
3. Reports and submissions indicated by the guidelines and any deviation from these guidelines will be reported in writing to the Associate Director of RSISE.
4. An RSISE completion certificate will be issued indicating the extent to which the student has achieved enhancement of their PhD studies based on the monitoring of the progress in the study program.
5. The supervisory panel’s first priority is to nurture a successful ANU PhD and then the best enhancements possible under these guidelines.

Guidelines for supervisory panels

1. The initial supervisory panel will comprise members listed on the “supervision assurance statement” completed before a formal offer is issued to the student.
2. The supervisory panel will determine and advise the student on all aspects of candidature as required by ANU rules and on all aspects of their enhanced study program.
3. The supervisory panel will approve and submit a preliminary study program for the student within one-month of the student’s enrolment comprising:

• Names and roles of members of the supervisory panel
• Current thesis topic – tentative initially, to be refined later
• Current research plan – tentative initially, to be refined later
• Current coursework plan – tentative initially, to be refined later
• Current networking plan – tentative initially, to be refined later
• Current financial plan – tentative initially, to be refined later
• Current supervision plan – tentative initially, to be refined later

For guidance on the content of study plans approved by RSISE:

• RSISE-2004 Content Guidance of Study Plans

4. The supervisory panel will report on the progress of the student on a biannual basis normally in March and September.
5. The bi-annual report on progress will cover the following points:

• Date on which monitoring was completed
• Performance with respect to research, coursework, networking and financial dimensions since the previous report
• Any changes to the approved study plan for the student (see 3 above) against which performance over the next six months should be evaluated
• Recommendations regarding changes to supervisory panel or candidature.

6. The student’s coursework plan will indicate typically up to 18 units of assessable study and will include the history of courses successfully completed during PhD candidature (including workload and form of certification), plus current and anticipated courses and their approximate dates. It will reflect a balance of coursework types showing acquisition of depth, breadth, professional skills and where relevant cross-disciplinary transitional/foundational understanding expected of an RSISE PhD graduate. The following is a guide to achieving a balance for a novice student:

Foundational/Transitional courses	0 - 9 units
Overview courses	3 - 9 units
Advanced state-of-the-art courses	3 - 12 units
Professional skill development courses	3 - 6 units

For details on the characteristics of these course types for the RSISE 2004 Study Program:

• Course types for the RSISE 2004 Study Program

7. The student’s networking plan will reflect the networking options presented to the student in terms of the people, seminar presentations, conference papers and external placements that are considered relevant. The plan will progressively indicate the options exercised during the course of PhD candidature.
8. The student’s financial plan will indicate the budget, external funding, and commercialisation assessment associated with the student’s project together with any actions and achievements related to external funding or commercialisation.
9. A satisfactory student will complete a good research thesis and demonstrate achievement in relevant technical and professional coursework, will have networked extensively within relevant Australian academia and industry, have multiple networked colleagues overseas and at least one significant networking visit with colleagues in Australia or overseas, and will have a clear understanding of the intellectual property and commercialisation potential inherent in the work completed for their PhD thesis.