21 October 2025

AGRS e-News

Message from the Co-lead, Graduate Researcher Transition Project Manager

Dear All,

With 75 days to go until day one of Adelaide University there is still a lot of work happening towards transitioning current students to the new University. Last week on Monday, 13 October, an email was sent to all students and supervisors to advise that 15

November is a very important date as all changes to candidature should be submitted by that time and no new online progress reviews should be commenced to allow for the shutdown of University of Adelaide systems and the transfer of data. Students planning on submitting their thesis in 2025 should note that all submissions for initial examination should be done before 19 December this year or will need to wait until 5 January 2026.

Please continue to keep your eyes on your emails as we will be advising soon on the new Adelaide University progress reviews, the process for submitting a thesis from 2026 and all students will shortly receive a study/transition plan confirming their Adelaide University program. From November you should receive advice on where to get your AU ID card. If you have any questions about transition please get in touch by emailing graduate.research@adelaide.edu.au

Kind regards,

Diana Reed

Co-lead, Graduate Researcher Transition Project Manager, Candidature and Examinations

Adelaide Graduate Research School

Division of Research and Innovation

Tip of the Month

Transitioning to AU Graduate Researchers Briefing 24 September 2025

This briefing covered important information regarding study/transition plans and changes to reviews of progress. Those that were unable to make it to this session can view the recording.

Celebrating Students' Success

Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Research Excellence - September 2025

We are delighted to announce the exceptional achievements of the students who have been honoured with the Dean's Commendation for Research Excellence for the month of September 2025. These individuals have demonstrated exemplary dedication, innovation, and scholarly excellence in their respective fields of study.

Congratulations to these exceptional students, whose achievements not only reflect their dedication to academic excellence but also their remarkable contributions to research. We look forward to witnessing the continued success and impact of these scholars in their respective fields.

Joshua Crawford – School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Nicholas Gunn – Adelaide Medical School
Yanyan Hong – School of Humanities
Jacob Maher – School of Biological Sciences
Alana McClelland – School of Biological Sciences
Shiryo Owa – School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Cambrey Payne – School of Social Sciences
Yuanlin Qi – School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Jiarna Zerella – Adelaide Medical School
Shuai Zhang – School of Chemical Engineering

Mental Health Awareness Month – International Potluck & Team Games

What a feast! A huge thank you to all our HDR students who joined our potluck lunch on Tuesday 14^th October. We travelled the world through food, from biryani and rasgulla to tahu walik and martabak (and plenty more delicious surprises!). After lunch, we teamed up for cultural games, testing our knowledge of songs, foods, festivals and even swapping some slang words from our home countries. Thanks also to all the AGRS staff who made the event a success and the Wellbeing Team for supporting the event as part of Mental Health Awareness Month!

Postgraduate Scholarship Opportunities

The Adelaide Graduate Research School maintains a searchable database of available scholarship opportunities (both full scholarships and supplementary scholarships), funded by both the University of Adelaide and external funding bodies. While the majority of available scholarships are awarded as part of the standard admission and scholarship rounds for domestic and international students, some are awarded at different times throughout the year, and may have a separate application process.

Visit the Postgraduate Scholarships website regularly for up to date information on current scholarship opportunities.

The John Crampton Travelling Scholarship – Now Open

Expressions of Interest are now open for the John Crampton Travelling Scholarship, supporting postgraduate study in Architecture, Engineering, Fine Arts (excluding Music and Dance), or Classical Antiquity overseas.

The scholarship is open to Australian citizens, permanent residents, and graduates of Australian universities, and may provide support for up to 3 years of study abroad. The scholarship provides a stipend of $25,000 p.a. and allowances.

Applications close on 16 November 2025.

For more details, including eligibility and how to apply, visit: John Crampton Travelling Scholarship | Scholarships & Prizes

Shut Up & Write

These sessions offer a valuable space to concentrate on your writing and share your journey with fellow students. Take this opportunity to move closer to completing your thesis.

What can you expect?

Dedicated, focused writing time
Morning tea
An opportunity to set personal goals and track your progress alongside peers

24 September: Register here

You can find the dates for other sessions throughout the year here. Keep an eye on the website for updates!

Writing Bees for HDRs

Are you a Master of Research or PhD student? Join the Writing Bees to connect with other students and work on your thesis in a supportive environment. It doesn't matter what stage you are at in your degree. Sessions run for three hours and are hosted by an experienced research writer who can provide writing support. Please bring a fully charged laptop or other device to work on during these sessions. Registration information can be found here.

University Library

Library workshop for researchers

27 October, 11am: Introduction to systematic searching for ABLE: This workshop will provide an introduction to systematic searching and literature reviews for ABLE disciplines, focusing on how approaches to searching and reviewing research can be modified for non-health areas. Register.

Held online via Zoom. HDR students can claim CaRST points for attendance. For any queries, contact your Liaison Librarian at liaisonlibs@adelaide.edu.au

Open Access Week 2025

International Open Access Week will be held from 20-26 October. This year’s theme is Who owns our knowledge? OA Week provides opportunities for researchers, libraries, institutions, funders, publishers, and communities to host activities promoting immediate and unrestricted access to research outputs.

Three webinars hosted by Open Access Australasia are open for registration:

The politics of knowledge: who controls the story and who has access to it?
Tuesday 21 October, 9.30am. Online. Register

Community ownership: relation, reciprocity and responsibility
Wednesday 22 October, 12.30pm. Online. Register

Vive la revolution! Taking our knowledge back

Thursday 23 October, 12.30pm. Online. Register

The Library's Open Access webpages provide further information on types of OA and benefits for your research. For queries, contact your Liaison Librarian.

Help Improve Visa Processing for Chinese Postgraduate Students

James Laurenceson, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute (UTS), is researching delays and issues in visa processing for Chinese postgraduate students and scholars. While concerns have been raised, there is little systematic data available. To address this, ACRI has launched a short 5–10 minute survey. They are seeking responses from Chinese nationals who applied for an Australian visa (for stays over 3 months) since January 2023. The findings will support advocacy efforts, including by Universities Australia.

If relevant, please click this link or the above QR code to take the survey. Your support can help bring clarity and change.

Respect. Now. Always.

The University seeks to promote an inclusive, respectful and fair environment for all people whilst engaged in University-related activities. A range of services are available to assist students who have safety concerns or have experienced bullying, sexual harassment or assault. For further information, help, or to report an incident, please visit the Safer Campus Community website.

As a student of the University, you can help to keep your campus safe by looking out for your own safety, and the safety of others and by conducting yourself in a manner consistent with the Student Charter. Remember that unacceptable behaviours such as Harassment, Discrimination, Bullying and Victimisation are not tolerated at the University.

Free, independent and confidential Counselling Service

Did you know that as a Postgraduate Student you are entitled to access counselling services provided to students at The University of Adelaide. To find out more information visit the Counselling Centre website.

Free and confidential Disability Service

As a Postgraduate Student you are also eligible for assistance from the Disability Service if you have a disability or ongoing medical condition. Information about the nature of your disability is not disclosed – information obtained from you about the functional impact of the disability is shared with academic staff solely for the purpose of assisting you with your studies. Details relating to the Disability Service and the on line registration process can be found on the Disability website.

Useful resources for staff can be found at the staff section of the Disability website.