HDR Industry Engagement for Students
As a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) student and emerging researcher you can offer fresh insights and innovations to a problem or opportunity that can help industry and advance your career.
Why engage with industry?
With close to 50% of HDR students gaining employment in organisations beyond academic, it is critical that your research degree prepares you to succeed in both academic and industry environments.
To do this you will need skills in research communication, collaboration, stakeholder management, project management and an understanding of industry contexts. These skills are highly sought-after by industry employers and will give you the ability to apply your expertise to industry problems. Many of these skills are also critical for future success in an academic career, both for teaching industry-relevant courses, and to develop collaborations that create impact for society, the environment, culturally and economically.
The Flinders University Doctoral Graduate Attributes also provide detailed descriptions of the skills you will develop by undertaking a PhD degree that you can offer to industry.
There are many ways to be engaged with industry including:
Joint supervision – where a HDR is actively supervised by a supervisor from an industry organisation. Recorded as an Industry Supervisor.
Joint or fully funded research – where the HDR research project is partly or fully funded by industry.
Internships – a research internship is defined as a position within a research end-user where a student has undertaken research and development (R&D) activities related to their HDR. A research internship can be either paid or unpaid, and can form part of an enrolment. Please refer to the frequently asked questions below for more details.
IMNIS is a STEM and health related industry mentoring program. PhD students who have completed their confirmation of candidature can apply to work with IMNIS mentor.
Mentees accepted into the program complete a short survey and are then matched by IMNIS with an experienced industry leader who will be their individual mentor for the year. Mentees need to commit time to meet their mentor (1 hour per month for 12 months) and attend the 5 IMNIS events.
APR Intern for PhD students
APR Intern facilitate short-term PhD student placements to connect students with industry to gain experience in a practical research environment. PhD students can view available internship opportunities advertised at APR Intern.
Training that helps prepare HDR students for work with an industry partner
Some of the scholarship opportunities available for PhD internships include:
Together with a variety of industry partners, Flinders University is offering bright and curious people the opportunity to undertake leading-edge research with the PhD Enterprise Scholarship.
This supervisor-led opportunity links PhD students with industry partner, university researchers and CSIRO researchers working closely together to deliver a training experience that is anchored in an industry-specific application problem. Discuss the CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) opportunity with your Principal Supervisor to determine overall eligibility.
The National Industry PhD Program will support PhD candidates to undertake industry-focused research projects and be equipped with the knowledge and skills to better translate university research into commercialisation outcomes. Upon completion, candidates will have the ability to work at the interface of research and industry, and across the sectors in future.
The Program consists of two streams:
Program funding information is available here.
A passion for health, fitness and helping young people make better life choices are some of the key drivers of Emilea Mysko’s decision to pursue a PhD at Flinders with the help of the Sammy D Foundation.
The Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) program has provided a platform to discuss with the experts ...
Four Flinders University PhD students have taken up internships through the APR Intern Program since its implementation in 2018.
A research internship is defined as a position with a research end-user where you have undertaken research and development (R&D) related to your higher degree by research (HDR). A research internship can be either paid or unpaid and forms part of an enrolment.
A research end-user is defined as an individual, community or organisation external to academia that will directly use or directly benefit from the output, outcome or results of the research.
Examples of end users includes businesses, governments, non-governmental organisations, communities and community organisations. Specific exclusions of research end-user are:
Equivalents (international or domestic) of the above exclusions.
A conversation at the beginning of candidature with your Principal Supervisor about what you want to achieve and your aspirations, particularly career goals, will help you and your supervisor identify relevant engagement opportunities and plan these into candidature. You will need written confirmation of the planned internship duration and the research and development activities within the first 18 months FTE of candidature (36 months for part-time students).
An internship can be commenced any time during your candidature, provided you have completed the written confirmation within the first 18 months FTE of candidature (36 months for part-time students) of the planned internship duration and the research and development activities.
An eligible industry internship is 3-months minimum (60 days full-time equivalent). However, the internship requirements and hours/days can be negotiated between you, your Principal Supervisor and host organisation. The agreed industry internship can then be undertaken by you at any point during your course.
No, there is flexibility in how eligible industry internships can be structured. They can be undertaken on-site, on-campus and online, and with both domestic and offshore research end-users.
Internships work well when you feel comfortable and safe in your host organisation’s workplace, and able to contribute to the organisation. When you know the expectations and understand what work will be completed for the project.
Expectations should be made clear at the initial interview including work and learning objectives, dress standards; work attendance; clear project outlines (if a project is to be completed); if working on-site, orientation to the workplace – toilets, refreshments and introduction to other staff. If in doubt ask questions and act in a professional manner, show initiative and be willing to perform a variety of jobs.
A health and safety induction must be provided to the student upon commencement.
Once you have started your internship, you are bound by the standards of performance conditions in the host workplace. It is important that you raise any concerns early, first with your supervisor in the workplace, and if the issue(s) cannot be resolved, or if the concerns require discussion, please contact the Principal Supervisor and Office of Graduate Research HDR Engagement Coordinator.
A letter of agreement sets out the obligations of the University and its Staff, the industry partner and you regarding the internship.
For PhD internships, a written agreement must be entered into by all parties within 18 months of your HDR course commencement as a full-time student, or within 36 months as a part-time student.
Yes, international students can participate in industry internships and must discuss the opportunity and timing with their Principal Supervisor and ensure it fits with current visa requirements.
Students are required to complete a reflection form upon completion of their internship that addresses what they have learnt, how the skills they have developed contribute to the Doctoral Graduate Attributes.
Industry Partners are asked to evaluate your progress mid-way through the internship and at the end. The Office of Graduate Research HDR Engagement Team will arrange this.
Flinders University will ensure that it takes out and maintains public liability and professional indemnity insurance for the student and its staff.
The Industry Partner will ensure that it takes out and maintains appropriate public liability insurance covering the internship organisation in relation to any loss, damage or injury suffered by the student.
If the Internship requires the student to travel outside of Australia, the student will be responsible for registering with Flinders University in order to access its corporate travel insurance policy and otherwise ensuring that appropriate coverage is in place.
If the student is undertaking employment as their internship, they will be employed by the Industry Partner and as such, will be covered by the Industry Partner's relevant insurances.
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