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Departmental Review Procedure for Postgraduate Students

You are here: ICS Home > Postgraduate > Research > Current Students > Progression > Departmental Review

Components of Departmental Review
Purpose
Departmental Interview Procedure
Department-Specific Arrangements
Forms

Components of the Departmental Review

The Departmental Review process occurs annually (or more frequently, if necessary), with the following components:

1. An oral presentation for Electronics and Mathematics students; a talk at the Mini-Conference for Computing students; no oral presentation for Physics students.
2. The student completes a self-assessment in the form of a document of 1 or 2 pages summarizing progress, highlighting major tasks completed, listing any publications, outlining any significant impediments to progress, and providing a plan of expected milestones for the remainder of their candidature. Additional documentation, such as papers submitted or published and reviews thereof, and/or draft thesis chapters, may be also be provided to substantiate the self-assessment.
3. Following the receipt of the self-assessment document a panel interview with the student will be arranged by the Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research. The number of staff involved and which staff are included vary by Department (refer table below). The comments of the panel are held on file in the Department. A record of the interview will be kept, to be signed by all present, and to be made available to the Head of Department and the Postgraduate Research Committee on request.
4. The interview panel's comments are referred to by the Divisional Director and Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research at the time of making a final recommendation for the Higher Degree Research Candidate's Progress Report.

The outcomes of the Departmental review may contribute to the University review, particularly when problems have been identified that require action, hence the Departmental review process must be completed before the University review (i.e. by the end of the mid-semester break in 2nd semester) each year.

Purpose

The purpose of the Departmental Review is to:

1. determine whether candidates are progressing adequately to complete their candidature in close to minimum time, or in the worst case within 4 full-time equivalent years (for PhD);
2. make recommendations for action by the student, supervisor, Department and/or Division as appropriate, to rectify or alleviate any problems identified with the student's candidature as soon as possible;
3. provide students with an opportunity to receive independent feedback on their research and progress;
4. provide students with an opportunity to raise any problems or issues with their candidature, supervision, or any other matter;
5. to provide students with advice and assistance if required.

The overall aim is to ensure any problems are highlighted and dealt with appropriately as early in the student's candidature as possible.

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Departmental Interview Procedure

The interview should not take more than half an hour. The aim of the process is to treat the student and supervisor as a team, except under exceptional circumstances (e.g. apparently unsatisfactory progress) when the rights and confidences of both parties must be respected. With good reason the following process may be initiated at any time by student and/or supervisor, but must occur at least once per year (usually in the 2nd semester mid-semester break) during each student's candidature.

The interview should follow this procedure:

1. Dates and times for the interview are determined (e.g. by the Dept. administrator) which are mutually convenient for the student, the student's supervisor(s), and the interview panel (i.e. the Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research, or nominee, and one other academic who is not a supervisor of the student).
2. At some time prior to the interview the interview panel should convene in a private conference room and highlight any obvious matters, if any, arising from the student's self-assessment document and requiring particular attention.
3. Under normal circumstances the student (and, in some departments, supervisor(s)) will go into the interview at the appointed time. However at the interview panel's discretion the supervisor may initially be interviewed alone (the latter would be appropriate in cases where the student's self-assessment indicates poor progression or other problems).
4. If not initially present, the student is called in and the purpose of the interview stated.
5. The student's self-assessment document is discussed point-by-point by the reviewers, supervisor (if present), and student, and the gist of the discussion recorded by the Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research (or their nominee) on the interview record.
6. The chair of the interview panel summarises the progress review, provides an assessment (e.g. between unsatisfactory and excellent), and notes on the interview record any recommended actions to be taken by the student, supervisor, Department, or Division, and, if necessary, the date of any follow-up review.
7. All parties present sign and date the interview record.
8. The supervisor(s) (if initially present) are asked leave the interview.
9. The student is asked if they wish to make any confidential comments (i.e. in the absence of their supervisors) about any matter concerning their candidature and progress.

At the conclusion of the interview it should be highlighted to the student that they should not hesitate to approach the Department Director of Postgraduate Research and/or Head of Department, if at any time they have questions or concerns that they do not feel comfortable discussing with their supervisor(s).

The self-assessment and interview record forms are to be kept as confidential documents in the student's Departmental file, with copies to be provided to the Divisional Postgraduate Research Committee if requested, or if specific matters require action by the Division.

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Department-specific arrangements

Oral Presentations

Computing Mini-Conference 19-23 June 2006
Talk and panel interview schedule
For all necessary information, please read the Computing Mini-Conference guidelines. You will need to fill out the self-assessment form in preparation for the mini-conference and hand it in to Melina Chan by the 9th of June 2006. Information about what to include with the self-assessment form can be found in the Computing Mini-Conference guideline and the self assessment form.

Attendees at Interview

Physics does not require the supervisor to attend the interview.

Forms

Self-assessment form (Physics, Maths, Electronics) Form A ~ doc
Self-assessment form (Computing) Student self-assessment form ~pdf
Postgraduate Progress Interview Record Form B ~ doc

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