Graduate research orientation and resources

For our Graduate Research Students

Orientation

We wish you a warm welcome to the Faculty of Information Technology and our Graduate research community.

Step 1 – Before Your Arrive

Please let us know when you are arriving

To make sure that everything here in the Faculty of Information Technology is ready for you on arrival, please email the Graduate Research team at fit-graduate.research@monash.edu.

• Arriving in Australia as International Student - You can request an Airport pick up service
• For international students - Services for International students

Make an appointment to meet your supervisor

You will need to contact your Supervisor in order to schedule your first meeting. This should take place on, or leading up to, your enrolment day. The best way to arrange this is to email your supervisor.

Step 2 – Enrolment

Here's what you need to do to enrol:

Step 1: Create your Monash account

It may take a few hours for your account to be activated and you need your Monash account activated to continue the next steps of your enrolment. Already have your Monash account? Go to Step 2.

If you have any issues or questions regarding the above, please contact eSolutions.

Step 2: Register your details

Step 3: Prepare your enrolment documents

• You can complete the Intellectual Property and Ethics form now by logging in using your Monash account. Please read the Graduate Research Student Intellectual Property Guidelines prior to completing the form. The form needs to be endorsed by the main supervisor before you enrol. Screenshots of the online form are available here.
• Please complete, sign and return the Course Enrolment Form to FIT-graduate.research@monash.edu. This form has to be approved by the Faculty office. Note: International students will need to provide a Victorian home address and a local Australian contact number. You can request to commence earlier or later than your commencement date on the Course Enrolment Form. The new commencement date must be within 10 working days of the commencement date in your admission offer.
• Original or certified copies of your academic transcript Your academic transcripts and degrees must indicate successful completion. If any documents are in a language other than English, you must provide certified translated copies.
• Original or certified copy of your proof of citizenship
• This can be your passport, birth certificate or citizenship certificate
• Copy of Visa (for international students)
• Evidence of relocation to Melbourne (if applicable)
• Any other documents (if applicable)
• Scholarship banking details form (if applicable)

• International relocation: Copy of your boarding pass
• Interstate relocation: Proof of Victorian address - a copy of bank statement or utility bill

• Please check your Admissions letter for additional documents listed in the Condition of Offer section.

If you have been awarded a University scholarship, please complete this form. International students relocating to Australia, please complete this form once you have opened an Australian bank account.

Step 4: Email enrolment documents to mgro-candidature@monash.edu

You have not completed your enrolment until Monash Graduate Research Office (MGRO) receives and process these documents. Please ensure that you have completed Steps 1 to 4.

Step 5: Order your Monash ID Card (M-PASS) Online

Once you have confirmed that you are now enrolled, you can order your Monash ID card (M-PASS) online.

Meet your Graduate Research Administrator

You will already have met your Graduate Research Administrator through the Admissions process. The Graduate Research team will continue to support you throughout the Graduate Research lifecycle. They will be your first point of contact for any administrative matters that arise during your candidature.

You may contact them via email at fit-graduate.research@monash.edu or give them a call at +61 3 9902 0945.

Meet with your supervisor

As a part of your arrival orientation, you must have your first meeting with your supervisor. Your Graduate Student Services Coordinator will have given you a copy of the First Meetings Kit. See also Guidelines on Graduate Research Student Intellectual Property.

It is very important during meetings in the first few months to discuss and agree on matters such as

• Roles of each supervisor and student in the supervisory team
• Schedule regular meetings (at least every two weeks for Full-time, monthly for Part-time; maybe by Skype/Zoom or telephone or exchange of emails if cannot meet face to face; students are to take responsibility for making sure the invitation goes out and meetings are in everyone’s calendar)
• Student’s and supervisors’ expectations/responsibilities – submitting work, timelines for feedback, recording meetings, supervisors’ availability, student preferences
• IP matters: identify any issues and if agreements are needed – see Guidelines on Graduate Research Student Intellectual Property
• Dealing with leave requests and the importance of communication of changes in circumstance: NOTE international students may not leave Australia during candidature unless they are on approved leave (annual, study away) or intermission. See Types of Leave
• Establish “ground rules” if supervisors are authors on student papers – or vice versa – based on Monash's policy of what constitutes authorship.

Booking a Desk and IT Equipment

Booking a desk via Skedda

The HDR desk space will be bookable by default unless you are part of a lab. This means that you will have the ability to book a desk on the days and times that you intend to be on campus.

Getting set up:

• Visit Skedda now.
• Sign in using Okta (Single Sign On).

Next steps:

• Once you register, we will allocate you to your department grouping so you can book desks with those undertaking related research. (We’ll endeavour to do this quickly, however, this step may take 24 hours. It is not automated and won’t occur instantly).
• You will then be able to book desk space whenever you’d like to work from campus. Guides are available here, along with a range of FAQs to support the booking arrangements ( doc version ).
• You may like to download the app (apple/android), so you can easily book a space from your device.

IT Equipment

As a newly commencing PhD student, we invite you to nominate a device to use while you study your PhD from the list of Monash-supported machines. Please discuss with your supervisor before choosing your computer to ensure it is appropriate for your research.

Should you be unable to find a device from the list, you will need to speak with your supervisor to nominate an appropriate device required for you to undertake your PhD. These requests will incur additional costs, which will need to be paid for by your supervisor. Please note, if you are requesting a non-standard device, this will go through an approval process with your supervisor. Once you have selected an appropriate device, please raise a FIT Services Hub request, and the Operations team will make the order.

Please note it will take 24-48 hours upon receiving this email for your FIT Services Hub account to be activated.

OHS Induction

As a Monash student, it is your OHS responsibility to take reasonable care for your own health and safety and to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others in your work environment. You must also follow all Monash OHS policies and procedures and any changes made to comply with OHS legislation. All documentation on policy and procedures can be accessed here.

Step 3 – Getting Settled - Orientation

Your Key contacts in FIT

At FIT Clayton campus

FIT Graduate Research Team Email: fit-graduate.research@monash.edu Phone: +61 3 9902 0945

Other key Admin staff For your desk assignment, computer equipment and access to the FIT offices Email: FIT-operations@monash.edu

IT Assistance (eSolutions) See their webpage here. Call +61 3 9903 2777 or Email servicedesk@monash.edu

Please refer to your Welcome Email for Department and Student Representatives’ contact details.

Monash University

Your key contacts at Monash University

• Ask Monash
• Monash Connect
• Monash Graduate Research Office
• Monash Graduate Association

Monash - General

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The Monash Graduate Association produces an excellent resource for new research students, please visit the MGA Events page for services and events for HDR postgraduates (Masters by Research and PhD).

Step 4 – Faculty Induction/Orientation Program

Our Faculty usually holds two induction/orientation seminars per year for our new Graduate Research Students. One in the first semester (usually April) and one in the second semester (usually October). Attending an Induction program is compulsory and one of the research training requirements of your Monash Doctoral program. Your Graduate Research Student Coordinator will advise you about these.