Local Induction Program

Soon after you enrol, your supervisors(s), or Postgraduate Coordinator will arrange an induction for you. The induction will provide you with an opportunity to familiarise yourself with your new work environment, the administrative procedures within your School and, of course, some of the staff and other students with whom you will interact during your candidature.

Features of your induction program will commonly include a discussion of:

• the arrangements made for you to access the resources and facilities that will be required for completion of your research project. These arrangements will be set down formally when you lodge the 'Minimum resources proforma' as part of the requirements for completing the 'Core component of the structured program' and include:
  • on-site facilities (e.g. phone, facsimile, pigeon hole, stationary) office and/or laboratory accommodation;
  • equipment (including computer hardware and appropriate software) and technical support;
  • internet access for research purposes;
  • available financial support for research maintenance, which may include individual student travel, conference and workshop attendances, photocopying, printing, inter-library loans, database searches; and
  • special equipment and facilities not available within your School
• the schedule of your School’s program of seminars
• your responsibilities as a research candidate and your supervisors’ responsibilities (refer to Appendix 2)
• completion of the ‘Expectations in supervision scale’ with your supervisors (refer to Appendix 6)
• the nature and standard of research expected of a PhD or Masters by research candidate in your discipline and the timeframes for achieving the various milestones
• your requirements under the 'Australian Code for the Responsible Practice of Research', which is available in Appendix 7.The Code encompasses a number of research considerations including:
  • data storage and retention
  • the requirement to deposit all original data and primary research materials with the University prior to final qualification for your degree
  • authorship of publications
  • intellectual property and confidentiality considerations
  • ethical guidelines for University research
  • conflicts of interest and
  • research misconduct (including plagiarism and misrepresentation)
• Health, Safety & Wellbeing procedures appropriate to your discipline
• how to apply for ethical clearance (where applicable).

In Schools that have a larger number of research students, the arrangements for induction programs are likely to be quite structured, whilst in other areas of the University you may be inducted informally by your supervisor(s). If you have any questions after your induction and require further information about any of the topics outlined above, you are encouraged to approach your supervisor(s) or Postgraduate Coordinator in the first instance.