Infrastructure support for higher degree by research (HDR) candidates is an integral component of the University of Canberra's committment to quality in its research degree courses. Satisfaction with the University's HDR courses and the timely and successful completion of them are due, in part, to the provision of appropriate levels of infrastructure. This infrastructure includes physical facilities, funding for the direct costs of the research and participation in the research culture.

All research projects must be designed within the context of the infrastructure support that is likely to be available to carry them out. Faculties and University Research Centres play an important role in matching prospective candidates and their projects with available human, physical, financial, and technical resources and in the timely provision of those resources. The university, like other research organisations, can never promise that support will be available for any course of research regardless of cost. It is essential that costs are considered carefully when decisions are made about research questions, techniques, and directions: this is especially important when any of these change during the course of candidature.

It is the responsibility of the host Faculty or University Research Centre to ensure that the direct costs of research (and other infrastructure support implications) must be taken into account when thesis topics are negotiated with prospective candidates. Faculties and University Research Centres are primarily responsible for the provision of infrastructure support (e.g research facilities and funding for the conference travel and fieldwork) and for the articulation of the specific infrastructure support offered to candidates enrolled through the Faculty or Research Centre.

University of Canberra's Infrastructure Support for Higher Degree by Research Candidates Policy

Infrastructure Support Policy for HDR Candidates (PDF and RTF)

The University has established a central policy that outlines the University's minimum requirements with regard to the provision of infrastructure support for HDR candidates at the level of the Faculty and University Research Centre.

The policy complements the guidelines on infrastructure support established by Faculties and University Research Centres. These guidelines set out the specific support available to candidates enrolled in the area as well as how candidates can access resources available.