The Higher Degree Research Committee is a committee of Academic Board. The committee makes recommendations to Academic Board, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and the Dean, Graduate Research School on matters of graduate research training quality and performance, degree accreditation/removal, research integrity and emerging trends in relation to graduate research.
It is responsible for advising Academic Board on higher degree by research (HDR) frameworks and, as necessary, the plans and policies related to HDR programs and training. The committee approves guidelines and selection process for university internal graduate research funding schemes; and conditions of award and procedures related to ranking and recommendations for graduate research scholarships.
Contact
Jenny Luong
Senior Governance Support Officer (Electoral Officer)
telephone 02 9514 1235
email Jenny.Luong@uts.edu.au
Committee details
2025 meeting dates
Tuesday 18 February
Tuesday 15 April
Tuesday 17 June
Tuesday 19 August
Tuesday 14 October
Tuesday 25 November
Time: 10am to 12pm
Composition and membership
| Composition | Member | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Dean, Graduate Research School (Chair) | Professor Chris Turney (acting) | ex officio |
| Deputy Chair (nominated from committee membership) | TBA | |
| Director, Graduate Research School | Yamini Sandiran | ex officio |
| Director of Researcher Training and Research Development, or nominee | Associate Professor John Rees | ex officio |
| Director, Teaching Learning and Curriculum, or nominee | Dr Deborah Nixon (nominee) | ex officio |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership and Engagement), or nominee | Professor Jason De Santolo | ex officio |
| One nominee from each faculty who has academic responsibility for graduate research matters to be nominated by the dean | Associate Professor Bhuva Narayan, Arts and Social Sciences Associate Professor Christina Nikitopoulos Sklibosios, Business Associate Professor Sumita Ghosh, Design, Architecture and Building Associate Professor Andrea Trianni, Engineering and Information Technology Professor Rob Duffield, Health Professor Jessie Hohmann, Law Associate Professor Matthew Arnold, Science Associate Professor Daniel Ramp, TD School | Until 31 December 2025 |
| Two academic faculty HDR supervisors at level D or E to be elected (one to represent the disciplines of Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) and one to represent the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) | Associate Professor Patrick Lenta (HASS) TBA (STEM) | 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025 |
| One research institute nominee representing the research institutes to be nominated by the Head of the Institute and approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) | Professor Jason Prior, Institute for Sustainable Futures | 5 September 2023 to 31 December 2025 |
| Director, Connected Intelligence Centre, or nominee | Associate Professor Kirsty Kitto (nominee) | ex officio |
| One senior staff member, in the domain of international research partnerships and PhD/MRes student mobility, nominated by the DVC (international) to represent International | Ana Paula Ruiz Ochoa | 5 September 2023 to 31 December 2025 |
| Two graduate research degree students elected by and from graduate research degree students of the university | Sandushan Ranaweera Belinda Brucki | 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025 |
| Co-opted members on the basis of their skills and experience as appropriate | Clare McKenzie (Director, Scholarly Services, University Library) Lachlan McDaniel (Indigenous Higher Degree by Research Coordinator, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research) | 15 August 2023 to 31 December 2025 |
| Associate Professor Sarah Kinkel Miller (Deputy Dean, Graduate Research School) | 24 October 2023 to 31 December 2025 |
On the recommendation of the chair, the committee has the power to approve the co-option of members on the basis of their skills and experience as appropriate.
Prior to meetings, committee members are expected to seek input from the areas they represent, then after meetings, communicate discussions, outcomes and decisions to their respective units or disciplinary areas (particularly where this involves communicating to multiple faculties).
Terms of reference
- To make recommendations on graduate research training quality performance, and benchmarking, including accreditation of new and existing degrees, or removal of accreditation of degrees.
- To make recommendations on enhancing and improving student experience, and encouraging excellence through innovation and improvement, taking into account national and international trends, use of emerging technologies and new approaches to graduate research.
- To identify, and make recommendations on, emerging issues pertaining to graduate research training in alignment with national/international trends and future professional needs of graduates.
- To make recommendations on developing, overseeing, monitoring and reviewing the qualitative, and quantitative, performance and quality assurance measures in graduate research, and recommend actions to enhance performance in, and quality of, graduate research.
- To make recommendations on graduate research integrity, including promoting, preserving and upholding research integrity for graduate research degrees by providing advice on the supporting UTS teaching and learning/research governance instruments.
- To approve
- guidelines and selection process for university internal graduate research funding schemes; and
- conditions of award and procedures related to ranking and recommending applicants for graduate research scholarships.
- To conduct such other business related to graduate research training and programs as the Chair, Higher Degree Research Committee, sees fit.
Membership term
The length of committee membership terms will be two years for staff and one year for students, consistent with the term of membership for elected members of Academic Board. Nominated positions will be for a two-year term commencing 1 January of even years. Membership (of nominated or elected positions) may be extended for one year by the drawing of lots, to a maximum term of three years, in order to stagger membership.
Number of meetings
Minimum of six scheduled meetings per year.
Quorum
The quorum shall be one-half of the current members of the committee. If one-half is not a whole number, the next higher whole number shall be used.
Vacant positions on the committee do not count toward the total membership of which one-half is required to reach a quorum.
Academic Board approved the revised name, terms of reference, and composition of the Higher Degree Research Board (re-named ‘Board’ to ‘Committee’) effective from 26 July 2023 (AB/23-3/55). Transitional arrangements are being undertaken.