The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) and the Regional Universities Network (RUN) is conducting a joint study on the factors and inequalities that influence HDR students’ non-completions in Australian regional universities, including:
These factors might be positive or negative (e.g., a student finding a job/moving away or leaving due to financial difficulties). We are currently seeking:
We seek participants from the above institutions to participate in approximately 1 hour-long interviews and/or focus groups. Interviews/focus groups may be undertaken at a time and location that is convenient to you, either face-to-face, online, or by phone.
To register your interest in participating, click here.
For further details on the project, click on the ‘Forms and further details’ Tab (see left hand menu).
To ask a question about the project, email CAPA’s Research Officer, Dr Lara McKenzie.
Project number (ethics approval): 0000021514
Approval to conduct this research has been provided by Central Queensland University, in accordance with its ethics review and approval procedures. Any person considering participation in this research project, or agreeing to participate, may raise any questions or issues with the researchers at any time. In addition, any person not satisfied with the response of researchers may raise ethics issues or concerns, and may make any complaints about this research project by contacting the Ethics Office Research Division (Bldg 32 Rm 2.60) CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton Queensland 4701 on (07) 4923 2603 or by emailing ethics@cqu.edu.au. All research participants are entitled to retain a copy of any Participant Information Form and Participant Consent Form relating to this research project (to access click on the ‘Forms and further details’ Tab, see left hand menu).
I am Dr Lara McKenzie, Research Officer at the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA). I am currently recruiting participants on behalf of CAPA as well as the Regional Universities Network (RUN), as together we are conducting a joint project on HDR attrition in Australia’s regional universities. I am working alongside Professor Susan Kinnear, Dean of Graduate Studies (Research Division) at Central Queensland University; Dr Robert J Watson, Graduate School Coordinator at Federation University Australia; and Natasha Abrahams, President of CAPA to conduct a mixed-methods study.
I am currently seeking interviewees and/or focus group participants for our research exploring the multiple, intersecting factors and inequalities that influence students’ non-completions in Australian regional universities. These factors might be positive or negative (e.g., a student finding a job/moving away or leaving due to financial difficulties). The study will focus in particular on non-completing Higher Degree Research (HDR) students’ experiences as well as those of professional/research university administration staff and academic supervisors. Furthermore, it will analyse recent non-completions figures collected from Australian regional universities.
Interviews and/or focus groups will run for approximately 1 hour, and will be undertaken at a time and location that is convenient to you, either face-to-face, online, or by phone. You can register your interest here.
Please note that any identifying information provided by you will be kept strictly confidential, and will not be communicated with anyone from your current or former institution or any other RUN institution. Please see the forms below for further details on confidentiality, data storage, and privacy.
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You will also find below the project’s Participant Information Sheets and Participant Consent Form. We also ask that you to forward this information on to anyone who you think may be interested in participating (including previous HDRs, academic supervisors, and professional staff who are involved with HDR-related activities).
Yours sincerely,
Dr Lara McKenzie
Participant Information Sheet for Non-Completing Students
Participant Information Sheet for Academic Supervisors and Professional Staff
Professor Susan Kinnear (Dean of Graduate Studies, Research Division, Central Queensland University)
Dr Lara McKenzie (CAPA Research Officer)
Dr Robert J Watson (Graduate School Coordinator, Federation University)
Natasha Abrahams (CAPA President)
Note: we are currently only recruiting non-completing HDRs from Federation University. All other data collection is now complete.
To register your interest in participating, click here.
If you have any further questions about the project, please email CAPA’s Research Officer, Dr Lara McKenzie.
