Business School PhD Completion Award

1. Background

a. This PhD Completion Award is established to provide PhD students who have shown strong potential to pursue jobs in prestigious academic and industrial positions the opportunity to improve their publication record and better prepare for job market success.

2. Eligibility

a. Applicants must apply within 6 months of their expected thesis submission date.

b. The recipient must be under examination for a PhD within the University of Sydney Business School at the start of award.

c. The student must not have consumed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy at the start of the award.

3. Selection Criteria

a. The successful applicant will be awarded on the basis of:

I. curriculum vitae indicating the expected date of thesis submission,
II. two recommendation letters from the PhD supervisor and the Discipline Post Graduate Research Coordinator,
III. previous research experience demonstrated through a publication or working paper largely authored by the applicant with an authorship statement outlining the contributions made by the candidate to the research and the writing of the paper, and
IV. an activity plan (e.g., publication plan, developing new research projects, academic conferences, research seminars and networking, etc.) with a maximum of 2 pages.
b. The successful applicant will be awarded by the nomination of the Associate Dean Research Education following the recommendation of an assessment panel consisting of several senior academics.

4. Value

a. Unless otherwise stated in the award Offer Letter, the award will provide a total allowance equivalent to the University of Sydney’s Research Training Program (RTP) stipend rate per annum (pro-rata) for 6 months, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

b. No extension is possible.

c. The payment will be made in two lump sum instalments during the award period. The first instalment will be made right after the recipient submits their thesis for external examination by their due date (i.e., the expected thesis submission date as per section 2a) and the second payment will be made in three months after the first instalment subject to satisfactory performance. Recipient is advised to notify the Scholarships Office at scholarships.office@sydney.edu.au upon their thesis submission to request the first instalment.

d. The award cannot be deferred or transferred to another area of research.

e. No other amount is payable.

f. The award will be offered subject to the availability of funding.

5. Leave Arrangements

a. The award recipient receives up to 20 working days recreation leave each year (pro-rata) of the award and this may be accrued. However, the recipient will forfeit any unused leave remaining when the award is terminated or complete. Recreation leave does not attract a leave loading and the PhD supervisor’s agreement must be obtained before such leave is taken.

b. The award recipient may take up to 10 working days sick leave each year (pro-rata) of the award and this may be accrued over the tenure of the award. Students with family responsibilities, caring for sick children or relatives, or experiencing domestic violence, may convert up to five days of their annual sick leave entitlement to carer’s leave on presentation of medical certificate(s). Students taking sick leave must inform their supervisor as soon as practicable.

6. Research Overseas

a. The award recipient may not normally conduct research overseas during the tenure of this award.

7. Suspension

a. The award recipient cannot suspend their award.

8. Changes in Enrolment

a. Not applicable

9. Termination

a. The award will be terminated if the recipient does not submit thesis by their due date (i.e., the expected thesis submission date as per section 2a).

b. The award may also be terminated by the University before this time if, in the opinion of the University:

I. the activity plan is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the terms of this offer,
II. the recipient fails to maintain satisfactory progress, or
III. the recipient has committed misconduct or other inappropriate conduct.

c. The award will be suspended throughout the duration of any enquiry/appeal process.

d. Once the award has been terminated, it will not be reinstated unless due to University error.

10. Misconduct

a. Where during the award a recipient engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the award or in connection with the recipient’s application and eligibility for the award), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds provided, the University may require the recipient to repay payments made in connection with the award. Examples of such conduct include and without limitation; academic dishonesty, research misconduct within the meaning of the Research Code of Conduct (for example, plagiarism in proposing, carrying out or reporting the results of research, or failure to declare or manage a serious conflict of interests), breach of the Code of Conduct for Students and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the award.

b. The University may require such repayment at any time during or after the award period. In addition, by accepting this award, the recipient consents to all aspects of any investigation into misconduct in connection with this award being disclosed by the University to the funding body and/or any relevant professional body.