The Graduate Research Board provides governance oversight for matters relating to higher degree research (HDR) across UTS on behalf of Academic Board.
Contact
Jenny Luong
Senior Governance Support Officer (Electoral Officer)
telephone 02 9514 1235
email Jenny.Luong@uts.edu.au
Board details
2026 meeting dates
Tuesday 17 February
Tuesday 31 March
Tuesday 26 May
Tuesday 14 July
Tuesday 1 September
Tuesday 20 October
Tuesday 24 November (reserve)
Time: 10am to 12pm
Composition and membership
| Composition | Membership | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Higher Degree Research) (Chair) | Professor Penny Martens | ex officio |
| Deputy Chair | Professor Rob Duffield | 31 March 2026 to 31 December 2027 |
| Director, Graduate Research School | Yamini Sandiran | ex officio |
| Director, Research Development and Training, Graduate Research School | Associate Professor John Rees | ex officio |
| Five elected representatives from across the university who have academic responsibility for graduate research matters at the faculty level (with no more than one from any one faculty or unit1) | Professor Christina Nikitopoulos (Business) | 1 August 2025 to 31 December 2027 |
| Associate Professor Bhuva Narayan (Design and Society) | 1 August 2025 to 31 December 2028 | |
| Professor Andrea Trianni (Engineering and IT) | 1 August 2025 to 31 December 2027 | |
Professor Rob Duffield (Health) Professor Jessie Hohmann (Law) | 1 August 2025 to 31 December 2028 | |
| Three elected academic HDR supervisors (levels D and E): one to represent Business, Design and Society, Law; one to represent Engineering and IT, Health, Science; and one to represent ISF, TD School, CIC1 | TBA | |
| Professor Shui Yu (Engineering and IT) | 1 August 2025 to 31 December 2027 | |
| Professor Jason Prior (ISF) | 4 August 2025 to 31 December 2027 | |
| Two graduate research students elected by and from the graduate research students of the university | Ziyi Zhao Sandushan Ranaweera | 1 August 2025 to 31 December 2026 |
| Co-opted members based on the functional area relevant to HDR | Associate Professor Sarah Kinkel Miller, Deputy Dean, Graduate Research School Clare McKenzie, Director, Scholarly Services, UTS Library Associate Professor Mathew Arnold, HDR representative, Faculty of Science Dr Susanne Pratt, HDR representative, TD School (on PEP leave until 20 July) (Dr Sean Walsh (interim)) | 11 September 2025 to 31 December 2027 |
| Lachlan McDaniel, Associate Dean (Research), Indigenous Leadership and Engagement | 14 October 2025 to 31 December 2027 |
1. Elected academic staff membership terms to be staggered such that one-half concludes their term each year.
Quorum
The quorum shall be one-half of the current members of the committee. If one-half is not a whole number, the next higher whole number shall be used.
Vacant positions on the committee do not count toward the total membership of which one-half is required to reach a quorum.
Terms of reference
The board provides governance oversight for matters relating to higher degree research (HDR) across UTS on behalf of Academic Board. The board is responsible for considering the following matters, providing advice, and making recommendations to the applicable decision-making authority:
- providing advice to the PVC (HDR) and Academic Board on strategic directions for HDR, contributing to the delivery of UTS strategies
- providing advice and recommendations to enhance the graduate research student experience, including innovation and excellence, and monitoring systemic issues requiring university wide consideration by the Academic Board;considering and providing advice to the Academic Board on broad issues relating to the quality and standards of HDR programs, including admissions to programs, candidature, supervision and thesis examination
- providing oversight and advice on matters relating to HDR integrity and responsible research conduct, where relevant to HDR programs
- considering and recommending to the Academic Board for approval the establishment, revision or disestablishment of all Higher Degree by Research award programs, streams and courses (academic offerings), including program rules and other academic requirements
- recommending policy relating to all HDR matters to the Academic Board for its consideration and endorsement
- identifying, managing and reporting on HDR risks to the Academic Board
- providing advice on policy settings relating to HDR funding and scholarships where referred under relevant delegations, and
- conducting such other business related to graduate research training and programs as are referred to it by Academic Board, delegated to it by Council or determined by the Chair, Graduate Research Board.
The Graduate Research Board will address the Higher Education Standards Framework relevant to its functions, including HDR integrity, academic policy, academic leadership, educational innovation and benchmarking.