Governance and framework
Governance
The supervision of graduate research students at Monash University is supported by the Graduate Research Student Supervision Policy and Procedure (effective 01 October 2020). These governance documents detail the roles and responsibilities of supervisors, as well as the rules determining supervision categories and appointments of supervisors to graduate research students. All supervisors should ensure they familiarise themselves with both documents.
Supervision framework
Monash's supervision framework outlines the three supervision categories and associated eligibility criteria, roles, load and limits for each.
New prospective supervisors should closely review the eligibility criteria within the framework document to determine which category to apply for.
Appointment of supervisors
All supervisor appointments are made by the relevant faculty Associate Dean of Graduate Research (ADGR) in consultation with the appropriate Head of Academic Unit. When reviewing the appointment of a supervisor, faculties consider qualifications, research skills and experience to support a student’s approved research project. Additionally, some faculties may have their own specific requirements for supervisory appointments, therefore we also recommend contacting your faculty graduate research office to find out what further information you need to be aware of, if any.
Appointment of a Monash supervisor can only be finalised for a Registered or Accredited supervisor.
All non-accredited Monash staff/adjuncts wanting to supervise graduate research students must be registered.
The 'registered' category is an entry point for new supervisors with no prior supervision experience to gain experience as an associate supervisor. Registration is valid for 5 years.
As a registered supervisor, you are permitted to:
- hold the role of 'Associate Supervisor';
- supervise up to 3 graduate research students (PhD or Master’s of Research); and
- hold a 10-25% load per student.
All Monash staff and adjuncts are required to become accredited to supervise as a main supervisor.
This category requires a higher eligibility criteria to ensure Monash meets legislative and regulatory requirements and best practise in graduate research, particularly in relation to being (or becoming) the main supervisor.
As an accredited supervisor, you are permitted to:
- hold the role of 'Main' and 'Associate Supervisor'
- supervise up to 8 graduate research students (PhD or Master’s of Research) as a main supervisor;
- supervisor up to a maximum of 16 graduate research students in total; and
- hold a 10-90% load per student.
Note: Accredited supervisors that are appointed as Emeritus Professors are able to maintain supervisory roles in place at retirement, but are not able to take on new students as a main supervisor.
The external supervisor category applies to those not employed by Monash University. These include academics in partner and non-partner institutions and those in industry.
External supervisors are expected to provide the same quality supervision as Monash supervisors.
As an external supervisor, you are permitted to:
- hold the role of 'external supervisor';
- supervise up to 3 graduate research students (PhD or Masters of Research)
- hold a 10-25% load per student
The external joint award (Strategic Partnership) supervisor category applies to those employed in partner institutions supervising students enrolled in the following institutions:
- IITB-Monash Research Academy
- Warwick-Monash Alliance
- Monash Southeast University.
External joint award (Strategic Partnership) supervisors do not hold a current Monash staff or adjunct appointment and must hold an AQF level 10 (Doctoral Degree or equivalent) qualification, and/or have relevant research expertise. They are expected to provide the same quality supervision as Monash supervisors.
As an external supervisor under a joint award (Strategic Partnership) you are permitted to:
- hold the role of 'external supervisor - joint award'
- supervise up to 8 graduate research students
- hold a 10-50% supervisory load per student for students enrolled in Joint Award degree
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