Prospective supervisors

<p> Become an HDR supervisor and support excellent researcher education at Sydney</p>

The University provides development for HDR supervisors via training and resources for supervisory best practice.

Find out what is required from HDR supervisors, including:

Information for current supervisors

Why become a supervisor?

Being an HDR supervisor at the University of Sydney is your opportunity to play a pivotal role in forming the research professionals of tomorrow.

The efforts you make to grow and nurture an effective supervisory relationship with your candidate/s have a long-lasting impact. At the University, we strive to provide world-class research education that drives positive outcomes within academia and the wider community.

We know that excellence in supervision supports excellent candidate outcomes. You are key in helping our HDR students to reach their potential and prepare for their future careers.

Chang XU with his Phd student in the server lab

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Roles and responsibilities

A team of at least two supervisors oversees each HDR student. Supervisory team members must work together to develop the student’s personal and professional capabilities as a researcher capable of producing high-quality research.

Please read the Higher Degree by Research Supervision Policy for full details of supervisory roles and guidance on the structure of supervisory teams.

HDR supervisors are required to:

  • Build a quality working relationship with their student/s, regularly discussing the roles, requirements and progress of the research project. This is essential for establishing shared understandings that support successful on-time completion.
  • Give tailored support and constructive feedback.
  • Be responsive to the student’s changing needs throughout the degree and mindful of the student’s wellbeing needs.
  • Approach HDR supervision with respect for equity and diversity, professional conduct and keep research integrity and ethics foremost in mind.
  • Immerse the student in a culture of research, involve them in the intellectual life of the faculty and discipline, and advise on training and development opportunities.

One supervisor in the team will be nominated as the lead supervisor. The lead supervisor has additional responsibilities to ensure appropriate resources and support are available to assist the student’s progression.

For detailed information on HDR supervisor requirements, refer to the:

You should also familiarise yourself with the other documents specific to HDR candidature available on the policy website.

Please note: some faculties and schools have local provisions regarding HDR candidature – these can be accessed by following the ‘related documents’ links listed on the policy website.

I learn as much from my PhD candidates as they do from me, so the most important thing I can do as a supervisor is to offer them is a safe space where our collective knowledge can be freely exchanged, debated, and challenged to foster innovation.

Associate Professor Jo-An Occhipinti

SUPRA Supervisor of the Year Award winner 2024

Eligibility criteria

All HDR supervisors must be:

  • Research active, and be a current continuing or fixed-term staff member of the University of Sydney or an affiliate.
  • Qualified to undertake research supervision appropriate to the discipline by having a qualification at AQF Level 10 or equivalent professional or research experience.
  • Approved for registration as a supervisor of HDR students.
  • Casual staff cannot be supervisors unless they have a designated role as an affiliate or hold another concurrent role as a continuing or fixed-term staff member.

In addition to the above criteria, lead supervisors must also:

  • Be continuing or fixed-term members of the University’s academic staff at Level B or above or hold an affiliate appointment where their substantive role is at an equivalent status to a Level B academic role.
  • Have supervised at least two HDR students at AQF Level 9 or higher to timely and effective completion or complete the Accelerated Lead Supervisor Program.

Please see Faculty of Medicine and Health HDR Supervision Provisions for additional criteria.

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Mandatory training

Eligible staff and affiliates must complete mandatory supervisor training to supervise HDR students. This training ensures familiarity with University of Sydney policies and expectations and connects supervisors to relevant support areas. 

The training consists of six online modules, followed by an in-person workshop. After you have completed all compulsory training, you must download your ‘Learning Transcript’ from Workday Learning and upload this to the Research Education Candidature System (RECS) to finalise your supervisor registration application.

For module enrolment support, please email hdrac.ops@sydney.edu.au.

The HDR Supervisor Training Program's online component consists of six modules within Workday Learning. Each module takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Once the online modules are complete, you must attend an in-person workshop by the Safer Communities Office: Module 7: Respectful Research Training.

If you cannot attend in person at our Camperdown or Westmead campuses, you should complete our EOI form for an online session.

These are typically held once a semester. You will be contacted when the next session is scheduled. 

Registration

After completing the mandatory training, all HDR supervisors must apply to join the University’s supervisor register.

You can select two levels of registration, depending on your role in the supervisory team and eligibility: supervisor or lead supervisor. Please refer to the eligibility criteria and register for the appropriate level.

How to register

Registration is completed through the Research Education Candidature System (RECS). The relevant faculty/school delegates review applications, which are ultimately approved by the University's pro-Vice-Chancellor (Researcher Training). 

To register, first complete the steps in the mandatory training in Workday and then log in to RECS. Then, to apply for registration in RECS, navigate to the home screen and select My Record > Supervisor Registration.

For support with registration and/or RECS, please email hdrac.ops@sydney.edu.au.

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