• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• Section 3 - Procedures
• Responsibilities and Required Actions
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy specifies the steps required and criteria to be met for approval for Offsite Research Enrolment (offsite enrolment) for Higher Degree Research (HDR) applicants and candidates.

(2) To ensure that all external and internal obligations are met for supervision and candidature management, the University requires approval of all offsite enrolment.

Scope

(3) This Policy applies to all HDR applicants and candidates enrolled at the University, and all staff involved in HDR supervision and candidature management.

Section 2 - Policy

(4) The default enrolment mode for candidates enrolled in the University’s HDR courses is Onsite Research Enrolment (onsite enrolment). This includes Cotutelle and Joint PhD candidates who are on ‘MQ time’.

(5) Candidates may apply for offsite enrolment if the research project requires the candidate to be permanently or predominantly located outside the University’s Wallumattagal campus, or in exceptional circumstances, which will be considered on a case by case basis.

(6) The following criteria must be met for offsite enrolment to be approved:

1. the research project must be designed in such a way that the candidate has access to all resources required to complete a high quality research project including research and physical infrastructure and applicable IT / information services; and
2. the proposed arrangement does not disadvantage the candidate with respect to access to academic and pastoral support services, access to / mechanisms for engaging with intellectual culture and other researchers, or opportunities for social engagement with other students and academic staff.

(7) International candidates residing outside Australia will not normally be approved for offsite enrolment, with the exception of candidates undertaking applied industry embedded research or where geopolitical or global events prevent travel to Sydney and the University's Wallumattagal campus. In the event that a candidate is prevented from travelling to Sydney and the University's Wallumattagal campus at the time of commencement, the Graduate Research Academy requires that candidates travel at the earliest opportunity.

(8) Where a Principal Supervisor and candidate have not met in person, the Principal Supervisor must confirm that at a minimum a Skype/Zoom interview has taken place with the candidate.

(9) A robust plan for communication must be documented and agreed by the candidate and supervisory team for all Offsite enrolment. This is to include mode and frequency of communication that factors in any time zone differences, as well as a contingency plan should issues arise (e.g. if one party stops responding to messages or fails to meet appointments).

Section 3 - Procedures

Responsibilities and Required Actions

(10) This Procedure requires actions by the following:

1. Department Director, Research Training (or equivalent);
2. HDR Applicant and current Candidates;
3. Officer, Graduate Research Academy;
4. Principal Supervisor (for PhD/MPhil) or Research Masters Supervisor (for MRes Y2); and
5. Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Research.

HDR Applicant

(11) The University will notify applicants for HDR courses of their obligations under this Policy. Applicants are expected to have read and understood the provisions of this Policy prior to enrolment.

(12) The HDR applicant must note in their HDR application:

1. their country and place of residence during their candidature;
2. whether their research will primarily be undertaken via onsite enrolment or offsite enrolment; and
3. for offsite enrolment, the applicant must complete and upload the Request for Offsite Research Enrolment Form.  

(13) Where approved by the Graduate Research Academy, accept offer of admission subject to offsite enrolment requirements.

Current HDR Candidate

(14) Current HDR candidates seeking to change from onsite to offsite enrolment must review this Policy and complete the Request for Offsite Research Enrolment Form and submit this to their Principal Supervisor or Research Masters Supervisor.

Principal Supervisor (PhD/MPhil) or Research Masters Supervisor (MRes Y2)

(15) The Principal Supervisor or Research Masters Supervisor must review the Request for Offsite Research Enrolment Form and complete the Supervisor Section.

Department Director of Research Training, or equivalent

(16) The Department Director of Research Training, or equivalent, will consider the Request for Offsite Research Enrolment Form, complete the Department Section of the Form, and recommend approval of offsite enrolment (if suitable) to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Research.

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Research

(17) The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Research will review the Request for Offsite Research Enrolment Form and the recommendation from the Department Director of Research Training, or equivalent.

(18) The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Research will approve or not approve the offsite enrolment request.

Officer, Graduate Research Academy

(19) The Officer, Graduate Research Academy will receive the Request for Offsite Research Enrolment Form.

(20) The Officer, Graduate Research Academy will advise the candidate of the offer of enrolment and candidature requirements.

(21) When the candidate accepts the offer of offsite enrolment, the Offsite HDR Location Category will be selected in the candidate’s student record.

Section 4 - Guidelines

(22) Nil.

Section 5 - Definitions

(23) The following definitions apply for the purposes of this Policy:

1. Onsite Research Enrolment (onsite enrolment): is a mode of enrolment where the candidate lives within reasonable commuting distance from the University’s Wallumattagal campus. This does not mean daily attendance at campus, but candidates and supervisors will have frequent contact, which may be online, with an agreed, regular attendance schedule on campus to enable the candidate to be embedded in the campus environment and research culture.
   
   Candidates who reside within a reasonable commute of the University’s Wallumattagal campus but who are permanently (more than six (6) months) carrying out research, or research related travel, fieldwork or collaboration activities at a location outside  that campus (such as candidates who are employed by industry and carrying out research for their HDR in the course of their employment at an industry location) are considered to be ‘onsite’, and expected to have frequent contact with their University  supervisor, with an agreed, regular attendance schedule on campus to enable the candidate to be embedded in the campus environment and research culture.
2. Offsite Research Enrolment (offsite enrolment): is a mode of enrolment where the candidate lives permanently (greater than 6 months) outside reasonable commuting distance to the University’s Wallumattagal campus. Candidates and Supervisors will have frequent contact via online or other digital means.
   
   Offsite Research Enrolment does not apply to candidates undertaking research related travel, fieldwork or collaboration activities away from campus for less than six (6) months. Approval of short term (less than six (6) months) HDR research related activities away from the Wallumattagal campus should be approved via the relevant Faculty processes, with notification to the Graduate Research Academy.