UQ short fellowship scheme helps staff finish PhDs

A University of Queensland short fellowship scheme is assisting staff with heavy work and family commitments to complete PhD theses.

Introduced in 1994, the University of Queensland Short Term Fellowships Scheme is an initiative of the University's Senate Committee on the Status of Women.

The scheme is open to staff members who, because of heavy work and family commitments, have been unable to devote large blocks of time towards completion of PhD theses.

It facilitates completion by providing the relevant department with funding to employ relief staff while fellowship recipients finish PhDs. Department heads nominate eligible staff and make a case for funds from an annual pool of $50,000.

So far, 12 staff have received fellowships and of the 10 recipients before 1997, six have been awarded PhDs and another two have submitted theses for examination. Another recipient is expected to submit a thesis by the middle of this year.

According to the Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Professor David Siddle, these staff acknowledged that their PhD completion would probably not have been possible without the fellowships.

He said the scheme offered many advantages to the University community.

'The main advantage is to staff members who, because of work and family commitments, find it difficult to devote the time necessary for thesis preparation,' Professor Siddle said.

'The scheme can be viewed as an important mechanism for staff development and it means the University obtains better qualified staff.'

For more information, contact Professor Siddle (telephone 3365 3477).