Postgraduate Research Scholarship in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Child and Youth Mental Health

1. Background

a. This Scholarship aims to support an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student undertaking a PhD student who is undertaking research in changing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community for child and youth mental health.

b. This Scholarship is offered by Growing Minds Australia (GMA) and is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia through the Medical Research Future Fund.

c. The Terms and Conditions of this scholarship follow the Funding Agreement (the Agreement) between the Commonwealth of Australia and the University of Sydney for the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) for Research Activities. The Commonwealth of Australia is represented by the Department of Health (Health).

d. In addition, the Terms and Conditions of this scholarship follow the Multi-Institutional Agreement for the Commonwealth of Australia Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) for Research Activities, where the University of Sydney is the Administering Institution.

e. This Scholarship may be taxable, and the successful recipient should seek tax advice from a registered tax agent.

2. Eligibility

a. Applicant must be an Australia Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student as identified in University of Sydney’s Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity Policy 2015.

b. The Scholarship is offered subject to the applicant having an unconditional offer of admission or being currently enrolled to study full-time in a PhD within the School of Psychology, Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney.

c. Applicant must be willing to conduct research in child and youth mental health consistent with the core activities of GMA.

d. Applicant must also hold at least one of the following:
I. an Honours degree (First Class or Second Class Upper) or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or
II. Masters degree with a substantial research component.

e. Applicant must apply for the Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarships.

f. Applicant for the supplementary scholarship must hold a primary stipend scholarship.

g. Applicant must be under the primary supervision of a researcher member of Growing Minds Australia based at the University of Sydney.

h. Applicant must hold or willing to apply for a Working with Children Check (WWC), where necessary.

3. Selection Criteria

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

I. academic merit, and
II. curriculum vitae.

b. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship on the nomination of the relevant research supervisor(s), or their nominated delegate(s).

4. Value

a. This scholarship may be awarded as either a primary or supplementary scholarship. The type and value of the scholarship will be indicated in the letter of offer.

b. The primary Scholarship will provide a primary stipend allowance equivalent to the University of Sydney Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend rate (indexed on 1 January each year) for up to three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

c. The supplementary Scholarship will provide a supplementary stipend allowance of $14,050 per annum (fixed rate) for up to three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance, to applicants who hold a primary stipend scholarship.

d. Periods of study already undertaken towards the degree prior to the commencement of the Scholarship will be deducted from the maximum duration of the Scholarship excluding any potential extension period.

e. The Scholarship is for commencement in the relevant research period in which it is offered and cannot be deferred or transferred to another area of research without prior approval.

f. No other amount is payable.

g. The Scholarship will be offered subject to the availability of funding.

5. Eligibility for Progression

a. Progression is subject to attending and passing the annual progress evaluation.

6. Leave Arrangements

a. The primary Scholarship recipient receives up to 20 working days recreation leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued. However, the student will forfeit any unused leave remaining when the Scholarship is terminated or complete. Recreation leave does not attract a leave loading and the supervisor's agreement must be obtained before leave is taken.

b. The primary Scholarship recipient may take up to 10 working days sick leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued over the tenure of the Scholarship. 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.

c. Successful recipient of the supplementary Scholarship will have the same conditions as indicated in the terms and conditions of their primary scholarship.

7. Research Overseas

a. The primary Scholarship recipient may not normally conduct research overseas within the first six months of award.

b. The primary Scholarship recipient is required to follow official advice from the University and Department of Foreign Affairs and Travel in light of travel restrictions due to Covid-19.

c. The primary Scholarship recipient may conduct up to 12 months of their research outside Australia. Approval must be sought from the student's supervisor, Head of School and the Faculty via application to the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) and will only be granted if the research is essential for completion of the degree.

d. In addition, primary Scholarship recipient may be required to seek further approval as outlined in the University of Sydney’s Covid-19 Response Plan.

e. The primary Scholarship recipient must remain enrolled full-time at the University and receive approval to count time away. All periods of overseas research are cumulative and will be counted towards a student's candidature.

f. If the primary Scholarship recipient is conducting research outside of Australia, the recipient acknowledges that the University of Sydney is not liable for any costs incurred. This includes but is not limited to: cost of travel and transfers (unless stated under section 4 (Value) of this scholarship to amount listed), delays due to travel restrictions or State and/or Federal quarantine requirements on their return to Australia.

g. Successful recipient of the supplementary Scholarship will have the same conditions as indicated in the terms and conditions of their primary scholarship.

8. Suspension

a. The Scholarship recipient cannot suspend their award within their first six months of study, unless a legislative provision applies.

b. The Scholarship recipient may apply for up to 12 months suspension of the Scholarship for any reason during the tenure of the Scholarship. Periods of Scholarship suspension are cumulative and failure to resume study after suspension will result in the award being terminated. Approval must be sought from the student's supervisor, Head of School and the Faculty via application to the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC). Periods of study towards the degree during suspension of the Scholarship will be deducted from the maximum tenure of the Scholarship.

c. Successful recipient of the supplementary Scholarship will have the same conditions as indicated in the terms and conditions of their primary scholarship.

9. Changes in Enrolment

a. The Scholarship recipient must notify HDRAC and their supervisor promptly of any planned changes to their enrolment including but not limited to: attendance pattern, suspension, leave of absence, withdrawal, course transfer, and candidature upgrade or downgrade. If the award holder does not provide notice of the changes identified above, the University may require repayment of any overpaid stipend.

10. Termination

a. The Scholarship will be terminated:

I. on resignation or withdrawal of the recipient from their research degree,
II. upon submission of the thesis or at the end of the award,
III. if the recipient ceases to be a full-time student and prior approval has not been obtained to hold the Scholarship on a part-time basis,
IV. upon the recipient having completed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy,
V. if the primary scholarship recipient receives an alternative primary stipend scholarship and has not been approved to hold this scholarship as supplementary scholarship as per clause Value 4c. In such circumstances this Scholarship will be terminated in favour of the alternative stipend scholarship where it is of higher value,
VI. if the supplementary scholarship recipient is awarded another supplementary stipend scholarship that results in the recipient obtaining an overall supplementary stipend amount of more than 75% of the value their primary stipend Scholarship. In such circumstances, if the new Scholarship offer is the greater supplementary amount, then supplementary component of this Scholarship will be terminated, or
VII. if the recipient does not resume study at the end of a period of approved leave, or
VIII. if the recipient ceases to meet the eligibility requirements specified for this Scholarship, (other than during a period in which the Scholarship has been suspended or during a period of approved leave)
IX. if the recipient changes supervisors without the prior approval of Professor Mark Dadds

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

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

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

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

11. Misconduct

a. Where during the Scholarship a student engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the Scholarship or in connection with the student’s application and eligibility for the Scholarship), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds provided, the University may require the student to repay payments made in connection with the Scholarship. 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 Scholarship.

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

12. Intellectual Property

a. The successful recipient of this Scholarship (the Student) must complete the Student Deed Poll supplied by the University of Sydney.

13. Confidentiality

a. The Student must have prior written consent from the Commonwealth Department of Health, the University of Sydney and disclosing party before any Confidential information is disclosed to a third party.

b. Confidential Information may be disclosed if required by law, including a request under Freedom of Information legislation, but, if possible, it must inform the relevant other Parties first and use reasonable endeavours to limit the terms of that disclosure as reasonably requested.

14. Publications

a. The Student may include the results of the Project in whole or in part in their thesis, in which case the non-enrolling institution(s) whose Confidential Information and/or Intellectual Property will be prejudiced if it is published in the Student’s thesis may reasonably request that the thesis be submitted to examiners in confidence and that the thesis be held in restricted confidential storage in accordance with the enrolling institution’s applicable regulations, by-laws and procedures. Each party will endeavour to keep any period of restriction for a PhD thesis to a minimum.

b. The publishing Party will provide a copy of the proposed publication to each other Relevant Party at least 28 days in advance of submitting for publication (or such shorter timeframe as may be agreed between the publishing Party and each other Relevant Party). The other Relevant Parties may provide comments and/or reasonable amendments to the publication to protect their Confidential Information and/or Intellectual Property, including requesting removal or delay to the inclusion of information which may pre-empt the other Party’s publication of its Project IP which is not jointly owned with the publishing Party, provided the comments and/or amendments are given to the publishing Party in writing no later than 14 days before the publication is proposed to be submitted. If no such comments or amendments are provided within the 14-day period, the publishing Party can submit the proposed publication, subject to any applicable requirements under the Funding Agreement. Where a Relevant Party requests that the material be amended, the publishing Party will use all reasonable efforts to amend the proposed publication accordingly and, if requested, delay submission of the publication for a period not exceeding 6 months to allow appropriate registration of any registrable Intellectual Property.

15. Acknowledgement

a. The Student must ensure that the Funding from Health for this Research Activity is properly acknowledged (including in accordance with any requirements specified in a Funding Condition) in any correspondence, public announcement, advertising material, research report or other material produced by, on behalf of or through the Administering Institution or a Participating Institution that relates to that Research Activity. The Administering Institution must notify Health about any Research Activity launch, and any other media event relating to the Research Activity and provide a reasonable opportunity for the Health Minister or their representative to attend.