The Vice Chancellor and President's Scholarships are awarded each year to the top PhD students in each Academic Unit at the University of South Australia. Up to seven scholarships are awarded per annum.
The award is valued at $10,000 and supports students whose research project exemplifies the objectives of the Transformed PhD and who can demonstrate how they would use the scholarship to further these objectives. These may include, but are not limited to:
- overseas and domestic trips for the purpose of collecting data with an end user or industry partner,
- engaging with an end user from government, industry and/or community on the research project
- activities that broaden the student’s focus on entrepreneurship and innovation,
- transferable skills development
- opportunities to present their research at a conference
The Vice Chancellor and President’s Scholarship will provide funding towards the research project activities identified in the student’s application and approved by the selection panel.
As UniSA’s top PhD students, recipients will be expected to be part of a cohort of Ambassadors for the Transformed PhD, advocating for significance and innovation in their research findings, and participating in promotional and media activities. In preparation, recipients of the scholarship will be provided media training and support by UniSA’s Communication and Marketing Unit. Scholarship recipients will have access to a media education workshop focused on engaging with media audiences across radio, print, television and social media platforms. The training will explore:
- news values
- how to identify the news in your research
- writing for media
- interview preparation
- tips for radio and TV interviews
- developing social media profile and engagement
- new platforms for presenting research and ideas
Value
The award provides $10,000 to support PhD students with their transformed PhD as outlined in their application.
Eligibility
The scholarships are available to commencing international and domestic students undertaking a PhD at the University of South Australia.
To be eligible, students must be:
- Enrolled in a PhD at UniSA
- Within 12 months of commencement at the time of application
- In receipt of a Commonwealth or UniSA funded scholarship*
- Highly ranked amongst other scholarship applications
Note: It is expected that the student’s supervisory panel will comprise at least 3 supervisors including an end-user advisor.
Students who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to apply in June each year.
*RTP Stipend scholarships, IPRS, USAPA, UPS, IRTS and RTIS stipend
Selection
The Vice Chancellor and President’s Scholarship is competitive and selection is based on:
- Meeting the eligibility criteria
- Academic and research standing as reflected in the student’s application for admission and scholarship awarded at UniSA
- the student’s ability to demonstrate how their research exemplifies alignment with the objectives of the ‘Transformed PhD’ and how they will use the scholarship to further these objectives,
- the student’s supervisory panel
- Principal supervisor’s supporting statement on behalf of the supervisory panel
Conditions
Students must have their research proposal approved within 6 months full-time study. The scholarship will be paid upon confirmation of candidature.
As recipients also have an ambassadorial role to play in advocating for the significance of their research and the transformed PhD, they will be required to participate in the University’s promotion of the Transformed PhD, including media activities.
By the end of the third year of candidature or when the total of the Scholarship funds have been spent (whichever comes first) a written report must be submitted to Student and Academic Services, detailing how the Scholarship funds were expended.
Funds are not to be used to support core project costs associated with the project needs required to underwrite and deliver.
Process of awarding the scholarship
Students who meet the eligibility criteria will be identified by the University and invited to apply in June.
This is a competitive process Applications will be assessed by a sub-committee of the University’s Research Degrees Committee (RDC). The sub-committee includes the Dean of Graduate Studies and Deans of Research (or delegates) from each Academic Unit and the Manager: Scholarships and Candidature, Student and Academic Services (or delegate). The panel decision is final and does not include the capture of comments for the purpose of individual feedback should your application be unsuccessful.
Students will be notified of the outcome of their application towards the end of August/beginning of September.
When all conditions have been met the award of $10,000 will be made available to the student via a cost centre managed within the relevant Academic Unit.
How to apply
Upon invitation, applicants will need to complete the application form provided. The application will require:
- A one page proposal outlining their research project and how it exemplifies the objectives of the Transformed PhD. The proposal must also clearly describe how the scholarship will be used to achieve these objectives, and
- The Principal supervisor’s supporting statement on behalf of the supervisory panel
- A copy of your CV
Application closing date to be determined for 2022
Previous recipients
2020
- Henry Blake
- Kathryn Stephenson
- Mohamed Taha Amen
- Nikou Javadi
- Amy Parkin
- Siti Mokhtar
- Claire Simpson-Smith
2019
- Tuyet Dam
- Mehmet Yildiz
- Yusuf Hayat
- Li Zou
- Ashleigh Hull
- Dorsa Maher
- Mahmoud Khedher
- Madduma Kaluge Wijewickrama
2018
- Christina Viljoen
- Kirsten Victory
- Dimitrios Saredakis
- Thi Minh Phuong Nguyen
- Ramin Hassankhani Gharagozlou
- Kay Khine Myo Min
- Mohammed Mahmoud
- Vu Viet Hoang Pham
2017
- Chanda Mpundu-Kaambwa
- Kelly Vaughan
- Lisa-Angelique Lim
- Parinaz Ahangar
- Emmanuel Baawuah
- Ou Yi
- Luke Hynes-Bishop
2016
- Melissa Bennett
- Rebecca Callahan
- Gipsy Hosking
- Seung Ho Lee
- Stephanie Mills
- Ellen Scott
- Amy Wilson
2015
- Felicity Braithwaite
- Julie Cartlidge
- Jianghui Dong
- Farzana Kastury
- Lisa Matricciani
- Eve Raets
- Lucy Simmonds
2014
- Briony Ankor
- Ginige De Silva
- Quang Do
- Hyewon Jung
- Xuan Li
- Malgorzata Ludwichowska-Alluich
- Ricky Martin
2013
- Helen Palethorpe
- Gretchen Gordon
- Clint Bellenger
- Scott Weeks
- Tracey Dodd
- Aipeng Chen
- Morgan Schebella
