Topic outline
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The following questions and answers are drawn from the longer list of FAQs which is available here and which is updated more regularly than this webpage.
1. Do all panels have to have an end-user? An end-user should be appointed where it is appropriate and meaningful to the project or the candidate.
2. Who is the lead in arranging supervisory panels? The Principal Supervisor.
3. When should an end-user be appointed to the supervisory panel? As early as possible, ideally at the stage of project establishment prior to project advertisement. Sometimes this won’t be appropriate/possible, and if this is the case an end-user can be added at a later date. Preferably an end-user is engaged early in candidature to provide continuity of supervision for candidates.
4. Should Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and other less experienced academic staff be included on panels? They certainly can be, and being part of a panel provides a supportive environment in which to learn the craft of supervision. More experienced members of the panel should be prepared to act as mentors to ECRs and those with less experience of supervision. In developing a panel with less experienced supervisors, it is important to consider the role they will play and how more experienced panel members will provide mentoring.
5. An end-user would be a good addition to my candidate’s supervisory panel, but I don’t have any contacts in the relevant industry. How do I find an end-user advisor? End-users will likely come from your existing network – if not, you can talk to colleagues in your Academic Unit, Institute or Centre who may have appropriate contacts. Your candidate(s) may also have links with industry, particularly if they have significant employment experience prior to commencing their research degree.
You may also like to speak to the Partner Engagement or Business Development Manager who supports your Academic Unit for advice. The updated list of contacts is available here.
Please direct any further questions to tphd@unisa.edu.au and if they are likely to be of more general interest, we will include them and an answer in the online list of FAQs which can be found here.