Mentor supervisors work with supervisory panels or individual supervisors, such as provisional principal supervisors, that require support.

Mentor supervisors must meet the requirements of section 1.2 for principal supervisors and have a demonstrated track record of success in HDR supervision, as evidenced by at least five HDR completions.

Principal supervisors have overall responsibility for the coordination of the supervision panel. The principal supervisor has responsibility for ensuring that appropriate academic and research support is available to the candidate and for the project, providing advice and guidance through all stages and milestones of candidature, including the examination process, and monitoring the progress of the candidate’s project. The principal supervisor also has academic and administrative responsibilities for the candidate as described in the Research and Research Training Policy, associated procedures and guidelines.  It is also the responsibility of the principal supervisor to lead the supervisory panel in supporting the candidate.

Provisional principal supervisors have similar responsibilities as principal supervisors; however they will be supported by a mentor supervisor. Provisional principal supervisor status may be granted where inexperienced supervisors have demonstrated a commitment to HDR training and the application is supported by their line manager.

Associate supervisors, in coordination with the principal supervisor, have responsibility to provide academic and research support to the candidate and project and may be required to provide specialist knowledge or skills training to the candidate.  The associate supervisor should support the principal supervisor and contribute to the continued progress of the candidate and project. The associate supervisor may act as the principal supervisor for a period of up to three months where the principal supervisor is absent or unavailable.

External supervisors work with the supervision panel to support the candidate through the provision of academic, research or specialist advice while abiding by University candidature and supervision requirements. Registration is normally approved on a candidate-by-candidate basis for this category.

Principal, provisional principal and associate supervisors must:

In addition to these items, for registration as a principal or mentor supervisor, they must;

Inclusion on the Register of Supervisors does not guarantee the allocation of HDR candidates to a supervisor or inclusion of the supervisor on a supervision panel. Appointment to supervisory panels is outlined in Section 6. Supervisory panels.

In addition to the requirements in Section 2.1 Eligibility for registration, to be registered as a principal supervisor the applicant must have at least one HDR completion. Adjunct staff are not normally registered as principal supervisors and this will only occur in compelling circumstances with approval of the Dean, Graduate Research.

In addition to the requirements in Section 2.1 Eligibility for registration, to be registered as a provisional principal supervisor, the applicant must be able to demonstrate:

Provisional principal supervisors must be allocated a mentor supervisor. On completion of their first HDR candidate, provisional principal supervisors will be automatically transferred to full principal supervisor registration.

A provisional principal supervisor would not normally supervise more than one candidate in this role.

In considering the requirements in Section 2.1 Eligibility for registration, where an applicant for registration as an associate supervisor completed their HDR program within the last 12 months or has had a significant interruption to their academic career, the requirement to meet Minimum Research Achievement threshold may be waived.

External supervisors are normally registered to supervise a specific candidate or identified cohort of candidates. Where an external supervisor is appointed for a specific candidate, they will be removed from the Register once their candidate/s complete.

Prospective supervisors are required to undertake professional development activities, as outlined in section 5. Supervisor training and professional development.

Application to the Register of Supervisors must be endorsed by the applicant’s workload supervisor and organisational unit and approved by the Dean, Graduate Research, or nominee. Initial admittance to the register is for a four-year period from the date of approval.

The Graduate Research School maintains the supervision register and records the relevant supervisor training activity undertaken.

Each supervisor’s registration status will be periodically assessed by the Graduate Research School. Supervisors who continue to meet the requirements outlined in Section 2. Supervisor registration and Section 4. Responsibilities and conduct will retain their status, or their supervision category upgraded where they have achieved the requirements of another category (ie, upgraded from associate supervisor to principal supervisor).

Where a staff member with principal supervisor status has not supervised a candidate in three or more years, their status may be transferred to that of associate supervisor. If a supervisor has not supervised a candidate for more than four years, they may be removed from the register and may apply to be readmitted.

Where the supervisor has not maintained their professional development hours but meets all other requirements, their supervision status would normally be suspended until training has been undertaken.  Where a supervisor has been suspended due to this clause for a period of 90 days, their supervisor status will be reviewed, as per section 3.2 Review.

Where a staff member no longer meets the requirements outlined in Section 2. Supervisor registration or Section 4. Responsibilities and conduct, their status will be reviewed.

Where a supervisor no longer meets the requirements outlined in Section 2. Supervisor registration or Section 4. Responsibilities and conduct, their supervision status will be subject to review.  The Dean, Graduate Research, in consultation with the supervisor’s line manager(s), will consider the supervisor’s status and activity. The recommendations following a review may be one or more of the following:

If, on review, a supervisor is found to no longer meet the requirements for registration, their supervisor status may be suspended. Supervision status may also be suspended due to serious candidate complaints, academic misconduct, or research misconduct processes.

If a supervisor does not contest a suspension decision, or the decision to suspend the supervisor is upheld following contest, they will be removed from the register.

Where a principal supervisor is suspended, the associate supervisor may act in the role of principal supervisor for a period of up to three months. Where a supervisor is removed from the register, or where the period of suspension is for greater than three months, the supervisory panel must be reviewed by the Graduate Research School in consultation with the relevant organisational unit (e.g., Research Centre) to ensure that it meets Federation university supervision requirements.

Where a supervisor has been suspended from the Register of Supervisors and they contest the decision, they may do so by writing to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation, or nominee within 10 business days of receiving notification of their suspension.

The roles and responsibilities for HDR supervisors are described in detail in the HDR Supervision Guidelines. All supervisors have a responsibility to ensure they adhere to University policies in performing their supervision duties, including undertaking the administrative duties associated with supervisory practice, such as completing progress reporting and responding to candidates within a reasonable timeframe.

All Supervisors, including external supervisors, are expected to act with the highest standards of conduct and integrity and in alignment with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. All supervisors should be particularly mindful of the power imbalance that exists between candidates and supervisors. Supervisors are expected to actively work to ensure that this is not abused, and that all candidates are provided with an appropriate and supportive professional environment in which to undertake their program of research and study. Supervisors are strongly encouraged to set clear boundaries in their professional relationships with candidates and to communicate these early in candidature. Supervisors should refer to the Principles for Respectful Supervisory Relationships Guidelines for guidance. 

Where a supervisor is not performing at the required standard (for example, not supporting the candidate to complete their research in a responsible manner, or to meet their responsibilities under the HDR Candidate Procedure) their supervisor registration may be subject to review.

Prospective supervisors are required to participate in 16 hours of internal or approved external supervisor training prior to their admittance to the Register.  Recognition of prior learning is available for experienced supervisors who are joining Federation from another Institution. External supervisors are not required to participate in supervisor training.

Supervisors are required to participate in at least two hours of research training or supervision related professional development each year, on average over each four-year period.

A supervisory panel will be formed for each HDR candidate. Panels will comprise of at least:

Supervisor panels should normally be comprised of two paid Federation University staff members in the capacity of principal supervisor and associate supervisor. Where an exception is made to this rule, at least one panel member must a paid University staff member. Additional supervisors may be appointed as associate or external supervisors.  Normally, supervision panels should not exceed five members. Where a candidate or project involves Indigenous peoples, places or knowledge, it is strongly recommended that membership of the supervisory panel reflects this.

To be eligible for consideration for a supervision panel, supervisors must:

All individuals on the supervisory panels must be endorsed by their respective manager with delegated authority for the workload of the members of the supervisory team, and approved by the Dean, Graduate Research.

A panel chair will be allocated to each supervisory panel to assist in matters such as Confirmation of Candidature. This would normally be the Higher Degree by Research Coordinator for the discipline of the principal supervisor. This role may be filled by another academic staff member on a case-by-case basis on request of the HDRC in conjunction with the principal supervisor.  Where a conflict of interest does arise another senior staff member for the academic area will perform this role.

The University’s Enterprise Agreement sets out key principles for the calculation of workload allocation for HDR supervisors. This includes information about workload for employees undertaking roles as principal and associate supervisors, noting that:

The relative proportion of workload that is allocated across the supervisory team is standardised, unless the Graduate Research School is notified in writing via the Candidate / Supervisor Agreement or Change of Supervisor form to an alternative arrangement agreed by members of the supervision panel. The standard division of workload for the supervisory panel is described in the HDR Supervision Guidelines.

All workload associated with supervision must be approved by the staff member’s line manager.

The number of supervisory panels on which a supervisor may participate is limited. Any registered supervisor will not normally supervise more than:

Supervision limits for part-time staff should be commensurate according to their fraction.

A supervisor may apply to increase the total number of candidates they supervise, and/or the mix of principal and associate supervisions, by submitting a request in writing to the Dean, Graduate Research, with support from the relevant Research Centre Director (or equivalent). Any supervisory workload is subject to the approval of the supervisor’s line manager.

The Graduate Research School will maintain a database of the supervisory profile of the University, including the EFSTL being carried by each supervisor on the Register. This information will be made available to Research Centre Directors, Executive Deans of Institutes, line managers and others by request.

It is expected that supervisors will review their supervision registration (including their category of registration) and their membership of current supervisor panels and the supervision limit, prior to discussing supervision opportunities with new applicants or transferring candidates.