FACULTY of INFORMATICS RESEARCH TRAINING MANAGEMENT PLAN 2007
Vision To recognise the Faculty of Informatics as a national and international centre of excellence for teaching and research.
Mission To provide the highest quality education to produce outstanding graduates in the areas of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Information Systems and Technology, Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering, and Mathematics and Applied Statistics.
To be recognised nationally and internationally for our research, development and innovation in Information Technology and Telecommunications, Mathematical and Computer Modelling, and Industrial Automation.
To maintain and expand strong links between the University, community and industry, both locally and internationally.
Within the four broad thematic areas of research strength, our Faculty contributes to the research efforts of the University through its key research groups: • Telecommunications and Information Technology Research Institute (TITR) • Institute for Mathematics Modelling and Computational Systems • Centre for Industrial Automation Research
1. Recruitment Strategies
To increase the number of Postgraduate Research students, especially domestic students. 1.1 Develop marketing material for internal and corporate use, and be proactive in its use. We will consider engaging professional market researchers. 1.2 Consider developing a Prominent PhDs web site. The site will list inspiring projects (both past and present) with high-profile supervisors, and will include links to project timelines and descriptions, supervisor profiles and information regarding subsequent careers of successful students. 1.3 To link with 1.2, an advertising campaign will be undertaken and will refer to the Prominent PhDs web site URL. 1.4 Initiate discipline-specific marketing initiatives, targeting industry groups and societies to promote PhDs at UoW. A database of appropriate mailing groups will be established to assist in this process.
2. Induction/Orientation
To provide new research students with a comprehensive introduction to the Faculty. 2.1 Continue to participate in the University Postgraduate Research Student Orientation Program. 2.2 Host a lunch for Faculty postgraduate research students during the University’s Orientation Program. Students will be introduced to the Dean and key research personnel in the Faculty, and provided with appropriate information regarding entitlements, research centres and where further information can be accessed. 2.3 Provide new research students with discipline-specific orientation booklets.
3. Supervision
To provide a more cohesive and supportive environment for supervisors and ensure quality supervision across the Faculty. 3.1 Workshops on presentation skills, Powerpoint, LaTex and other skills, currently run by individual academic and research units, will be aggregated and promoted Faculty-wide for the benefit of both Honours and research students, and less experienced staff. 3.2 Conduct annual workshops for new and inexperienced staff. Appropriate workshops by CEDIR and other units and individuals will continue to be supported. 3.3 An ESDF-funded project on research supervision is expected to be completed towards the end of 2002. The Faculty Research Committee will examine the report and implement relevant findings to improve supervision practice.
4. Information Provision
To ensure the Faculty provides adequate and accurate information to its research students. 4.1 Aggregate, review and improve the information provided by research units, schools, the Faculty and Office of Research. 4.2 Review and improve online information for research students, through both the University's web site and the Faculty's web site. Considerable effort will be given to improving the presentation and linking of this information. 4.3 Ensure that research students, especially new research students, are aware of the research information provided.
5. Student Life/Experiences
To enhance the quality of research training by providing research students with a more fulfilling research experience. 5.1 Monitor professional development and social activities organised by schools and associated research units to determine if faculty-wide activities are required. 5.2 Consider forming an Informatics Research Student Society. Its objectives will include offering mutual support to its members during their time at UoW. If formed, the Society will be assisted in hosting a social function each session. 5.3 Review funding available to facilitate short overseas exchanges for research students, and consider encouraging such exchanges.
6. Provision of minimum computing standards
To provide research students with relevant computer facilities and assist in the development of relevant IT skills, where not already developed. 6.1 Monitor the provision of adequate and current hardware and software to our research students, noting that the provision of such is dependent upon funding. 6.2 Ensure that research graduates have the computing skills to undertake their research degree, and, where necessary, provide skills training and/or promote training courses.
7. Strategies to assist over-time students
To identify and assist over-time students and those at risk of going over-time to ensure quality research output within required completion times. 7.1 Identify students at risk of going over-time through the existing annual evaluation. If necessary, corrective action will be initiated by the Faculty's Postgraduate Coordinator. 7.2 Consider requiring students to give a seminar after 2.5 years or just prior to writing up their theses, whichever occurs first. This will help students organise their time and assist in identifying students at risk of going over-time. 7.3 Consider a program where once an at-risk student is identified, the second supervisor is given the responsibility of initiating corrective action. If there is only one supervisor a second will be appointed. Appropriate action may include setting up specific tasks, a timeline, and giving counselling on the elimination of obstructions to progress. 7.4 Consider the implementation of a student “buddy” system to provide at-risk or over-time students with guidance that a senior person, by virtue of their seniority, cannot give.
Research Training Management Plan