The industry/government partner identifies a suitable project for study and consults with CEED and the University postgraduate co-ordinator to define the terms of reference that meet both the client’s agenda and the university’s guidelines for postgraduate research.
Once the research project is defined, the industry partner/client agrees to provide a formal scholarship for study on a per annum basis. The scholarship is tax free and provided to the student in fortnightly instalments through QUT’s Office of Commercial Services.
The term of the project / full-time study is a minimum of one year with provision for up to two years. Work is based at the client’s premises with the student visiting the university as required for supervision and access to resources.
For Company Employees
An industry-based Research Masters provides a way to upskill yourself or your employees, using one of the company's research projects as the employee's thesis topic. This way, an employee can earn a prestigious Research Masters degree, at the same time as they complete a company-based research project.
The first step is for the employee to contact CEED in order to get help with the enrolment process for a Research Masters degree (Engineering or IT) at QUT. A brief project proposal is assessed by QUT to ensure it meets the criteria for a postgraduate research project - and CEED assists through this process. Once the project topic is approved, and the employee's enrolment is approved by QUT, the employee will work part or full-time on the research project ... with regular reviews by a QUT academic supervisor. CEED will also monitor the employee / project's progress at key times throughout the project duration. The project duration will be 18 months to 2 years (full-time) or up to 4 years (part-time).
The final three months of the project should be dedicated to writing the research thesis, which will be assessed by QUT ... in order for the Master of Engineering or IT (Research) to be awarded to the employee. Alternatively, the employee may like to spend time writing the thesis throughout the project's duration. Either way, it is important to allow enough time for this important task in order to satisfy the requirements for attaining a Research Masters degree.
Recruitment of a Suitable Graduate/Candidate
CEED will advertise the company's research project, screen applicants for eligibility, send applicants' resumes to the client for review, liaise with the company regarding who they'd like to interview, and organise interviews. A suitable research candidate/graduate is then selected by the company.
Eligible applicants can be graduates of any recognised Australian university, with a final GPA (Grade Point Average) of 5.0 or above (on a scale of 1 to 7, where 7 is highest). They must be willing to enrol at QUT for completion of a Master of Engineering or IT (Research) degree, whilst completing their research topic, based full-time with the company. They will have an appropriate academic supervisor from QUT ... in addition to their company supervisor/s and mentor/s. The candidate must attend regular meetings with their academic supervisor (at QUT), as well as with their company supervisor/s.
Once the company has found a suitable graduate, CEED will assist them to enrol correctly and gain an academic supervisor. CEED will also assist the company and graduate to complete the necessary paperwork, and get the project started. CEED will also monitor the project's progress on a quarterly basis, and assist throughout the project's duration when required.
Sponsorship Cost (paid by industry partner)
- Scholarship payment: *$25, 000 per annum + GST (paid to the student fortnightly via QUT)
- CEED/QUT administration fee: $ 6,400 + GST per annum
- Supervision: 500 per quarter + GST
* The client sets the level of scholarship. We recommend a minimum level of $25,000 per annum to attract top candidates. Higher amounts may be offered depending on the prevailing market conditions.
The client is invoiced quarterly in advance from QUT. The administration fee is amortised over the first year. For the second year, the invoice amount is simply the value of the scholarship plus supervision pro-rata on a quarterly basis. The project length is set (as required for completion) to the nearest quarter in the second year i.e. 15, 18, 21 or 24 months. Note that QUT then releases the student's scholarship in fortnightly payments.
SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT(S) – Example only
Project duration: Commencing January 23, 2008 - minimum of one year with provision for up to two years.
Scholarship: $25,000 per annum.
Year 1: $33,400 per annum + GST
Year 2: $ 6,750 per quarter + GST, ‘til the end of project
Example - Year 1, 2008:
1. First payment of $8,350 + GST due by January 31, 2008 as per tendered tax invoice from QUT.
2. Second payment of $8,350 + GST due by April 30, 2008 as per tendered tax invoice from QUT.
3. Third payment of $8,350 + GST due by July 31, 2008 as per tendered tax invoice from QUT.
4. Fourth payment of $8,350 + GST due by October 30, 2008 as per tendered tax invoice from QUT.
Example - Year 2, 2009:
$6,750 + GST per quarter, payable in advance as per tendered tax invoices from QUT for the duration of the project, i.e. from 1 to 4 quarters.
Payment dates: January 31, 2007 for first quarter 2009
April 30, 2007 for second quarter 2009
July 31, 2007 for third quarter 2009
October 30, 2007 for fourth quarter 2009
