AB-CRC Masters Project Scholarships, Australian Universities

Australia. This scholarships scheme is provided by Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre (AB-CRC) primarily to encourage students who are undertaking Masters by Coursework degrees in human and veterinary public health and emerging infectious diseases to carry out their short research project in a topic related to biosecurity.

The AB-CRC Masters Project Scholarships is also primarily aimed to provide enriched learning opportunities for Masters students with an interest in biosecurity and to extend the knowledge, research skills and networks of human and animal health professionals in areas relates to biosecurity.

AB-CRC Masters Project Scholarships are tenable at universities which are core or supporting participants in the AB-CRC including Curtin University of Technology, James Cook University, Murdoch University, The University of Queensland and The University of Sydney. The scholarships provide financial support, in the form of project operating expenses, to students undertaking a short research project as part of a Masters by Coursework degree in a field related to human or veterinary public health.

To receive a Masters Project Scholarship from the AB-CRC, students will sign-off on the Conditions of Award included as part of the scholarship application form. This document will be signed by both the student and the supervisor and will outline both the AB-CRC’s rights and obligations, and the student’s rights and obligations.

Eligibility

• A recipient must be enrolled as a candidate for a Masters by Coursework degree in fields related to human or veterinary public health, emerging infectious diseases or biosecurity.
• A recipient must undertake a short research project on a topic related to biosecurity as part of the course requirements.
• A recipient must be an Australian resident or a student from a developing country in the Asia-Pacific

Project Operating Expenses

• The AB-CRC Masters Project scholarships offered by the AB-CRC consist of project operating expenses valued at up to $5,000 (where the research project contributes 25% or more of total credit points) or up to $2,500 (where the research project contributes less than 25% of total credit points).
• In exceptional circumstances (on a case-by-case basis) approval may be granted for a research project contributing less than 25% of total credit points to receive $5,000, where appropriate budget justification is provided and where the project topic is considered a high priority area.
• The recipient must submit a budget as part of the application process. Operating allowance can be used for research consumables, project-related travel, equipment and inter-library loans, but not items that should be provided as basic infrastructure by the host institution, including computers.

Awarding of the Scholarships

• Scholarships will be awarded to students based on merit and in consideration of the relevance of the project to the activities of the AB-CRC.
• Scholarships will be announced each year in May and December.
• Students will be required to consult with their potential supervisors and their Masters program coordinators to develop project proposals, as the project proposal, supervisor endorsement and Masters program endorsement will form part of the application.
• Applications (including one academic referee report and one professional referee report) will be due in June and January.
• The Scholarship Subcommittee will finalise the awarding of AB-CRC Masters Project Scholarships in July and February.

Initial enquiries may be directed to the Scholarships Administration Officer, Debra Gendle, phone 08 9266 1634 or email education@abcrc.org.au .

Applications must be made using the Masters Project Scholarship Application Form. Application deadline for the current round is on 31 October 2008.

The AB-CRC will ensure that the research projects put forward by candidates selected have been approved by the coursework program in which they are enrolled before the Scholarship is approved for payment.

Application will be assessed and reviewed by a Scholarship Subcommittee of the EUC Standing Committee. Students may be required to vest ownership of Scholarship Intellectual Property in the University, through a Scholarship Agreement, in accordance with the Centre Agreement.