• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements
• Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities
• Dean, Graduate School
• Director of HDR
• Principal Advisors
• Advisors 
• Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance
• Section 5 - Recording and Reporting
• Section 6 - Appendix
• Definitions, Terms, and Acronyms

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) This Policy outlines the principles and key requirements for all Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs at The University of Queensland (UQ or the University), including the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Professional Doctorate programs.

Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements

(2) A HDR program requires candidates to carry out and publish original research in order to progress towards becoming an independent researcher. For these reasons, admission into HDR programs involve criteria that are different from those used to determine entry into an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program.

(3) In addition to program entry requirements, as prescribed in section 3 of the Higher Degree by Research Admission Procedure, the Dean of the Graduate School may approve an application provided criteria are met that ensure the admission of candidates only where there is an appropriate fit between the applicant, research environment, available resources and supervision. These criteria are defined in section 3 of the Higher Degree by Research Admission Procedure.

(4) Approval of admission to the HDR program should be consistent with the intention of the Research Training Program, which is to deliver graduates with the skills required to build careers in academia and other sectors of the labour market (see section 1.3(2) of Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) 2017).

(5) When interacting with applicants, University staff should be mindful of the University's Staff Code of Conduct Policy and of the provision of various Acts of Parliament relating to recruitment and selection, as detailed in the University's Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Policy.

Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Dean, Graduate School

(6) The Dean of the Graduate School approves admission to all HDR programs at UQ.

Director of HDR

(7) The Director of HDR makes an assessment of the HDR applicant quality, project viability and resourcing, and supervision and recommends an applicant to the Dean, Graduate School for admission on behalf of the Head of Academic Organisational Unit (AOU).

Principal Advisors

(8) Principal Advisors are approved UQ staff members that take primary academic responsibility for the candidate during their candidature.

(9) The detailed academic role, accountabilities and eligibility for Principal Advisors are specified in the Eligibility and Role of Higher Degree by Research Advisors Policy.

Advisors 

(10) Advisors are suitably qualified persons who provide expertise related to the candidate’s research and are available to provide advice throughout candidature.

(11) The detailed academic role, accountabilities and eligibility for Advisors are specified in the Eligibility and Role of Higher Degree by Research Advisors Policy.

Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance

(12) Review of, and compliance with, this Policy is overseen by the Dean of the Graduate School and the Academic Board's Higher Degree by Research Committee.

Section 5 - Recording and Reporting

(13) All applications must be lodged via UQ’s student application system.

(14) All student applications and University decisions are filed in the student’s personal record in UQ’s digital student application, admission and record systems (UQ Online Applications System, Si-net, TRIM).

Section 6 - Appendix

Definitions, Terms, and Acronyms