PhD Lifecycle

Your time as a PhD student is strictly monitored by the University through the respective faculty. The way this monitoring occurs is through a variety of different activities, tasks, and reports that students need to complete on schedule. The most important of activities are called milestones. The university mandates that certain tasks be completed at specific points in a student’s candidature.

It is the responsibility of the student to monitor their own progress throughout their candidature.

At commencement

• Orientation week and induction program

Within Semester One and Two

• Completion of all core and foundational courses
• Submission of dissertation proposal
• Completion of Dissertation Proposal Defense (DPD)
• Confirmation of supervisory panel and topic

Within Semester Three

• Completion of Journal Article for Publication (JAP) Course (3 credits)

To support students’ academic achievement on the course, students are required to enroll course on “Journal of Article Publication” convened by Yanwar Pribadi, PhD. This is a graded course and compulsory for all third semester of PhD program. Please refer to the syllabus made by the convenor for the course detail.

• Fieldwork, if required

Within Semester Four

• Work In Progress (WIP) 1 (after fieldwork)

Within Semester Five

• Work in Progress (WIP) 2
• Submission of dissertation for examination

At Semester Six to Eight

• Closed Dissertation Examination
• Submission of dissertation revision
• Open Dissertation Seminar

Students’ Three months Report

From semester three (3), students are required to complete a three months report, which includes a progress report and plan for the  next three months. The report is written by the student and signed by the promotor. This report is submitted via ULMS that is provided by the Program. No template is provided.

The report must include:

• Commentary on student progress with the reference to the supervision process with the supervisory panel;
• A list of specific research and writing goals with dates for completion:
• A projected submission date for the overall dissertation;
• Reference to any unresolved or challenging conceptual or research problems;
• The status of field research (if any, either underway or completed);
• Concerns about supervision; and
• Concerns about academic progress in general.

This report is reviewed and signed by the promotor, who assesses the student’s progress against previous reports and comments, if required.

Dissertation Proposal Defense (DPD)

A DPD is a formal University requirement and until successful completion of the DPD, candidature is provisional. The DPD consists of three components:

• Submission of a written dissertation proposal of at least 7000 words;
• A meeting of the Head of the Program and the supervisory panel;
• A faculty seminar attended by faculty members and students

The University requires the DPD to be completed within the first year of enrolment (Semester 1 and 2), but to help students meet milestones, the faculty provides academic advisor for each student. These advisors play a crucial role in guiding students through the first year of candidature, ensuring they are on the right track and providing valuable insights and support along the way. They help students set realistic goals, create a customized plan of action, and offer assistance in overcoming any challenges or obstacles that may arise during their PhD journey.

The thesis proposal should lay out concisely the nature of the research project, its significance, how it relates to existing literature in the field, and the principal research issues that the thesis will address. The thesis proposal must contain a survey of the relevant theoretical literature, an outline of expected fieldwork, an indicative list of the proposed chapters of the thesis, and a preliminary bibliography.

The thesis proposal must be submitted to and discussed with the program. The program will then assess whether it is sufficiently developed for the student to continue. It may also take into consideration the opinion of other faculty members at the faculty seminar. After the seminar, the Head of the Program presents its assessment to the Dean of the Faculty, who makes the final decision as to whether the student will continue and advises them of the result in writing.

If the DPD is reagrded as unsatisfactory, the student may be required to repeat the defense in six months. If the repeat DPD is also unsatisfactory, the program can institute steps to terminate the candidature.

No student will be permitted to have a supervisory panel until a satisfactory DPD has been completed.

Work in Progress (WIP) 1

The Faculty requires students to complete Work in Progress 1 within Semester Four and Five after beginning their course of study, and usually three months after completing fieldwork. The WIP 1 is intended to demonstrate students are satisfactorily managing the evolution of their research project and that they are on track to complete on schedule. The WIP 1 should consist of the submission of a written paper, a meeting of the full supervision panel, and a seminar.

The WIP 1 paper should answer the following questions:

• How has the project evolved since the DPD?
• What challenges have been posed by the research undertaken so far?
• How have you had to redefine the project?

Following the WIP 1, students will receive a report from their supervisory panel that will be incorporated into their WIP 1 as a measure of their progress. If progress is deemed unsatisfactory, panels will implement a remedial action plan.

Work in Progress (WIP) 2

The Faculty requires students to complete Work in Progress 2 within Semester Six. The WIP 2 is intended to provide more detailed information about the research or student’s progress. It may include specific achievements, challenges faced, and solutions implemented since the first report. It also include more concrete and updated future plans and goals, as the research process has advanced, and students have a better understanding of what’s achievable. The WIP 1 should consist of the submission of a written chapters, a meeting of the full supervision panel, and a seminar.

The WIP 2 paper should answer the following questions:

• Where are you currently at in the overall project/dissertation as it was planned?
• What goals need to be accomplished to successfully complete?

Students will receive a report from their supervisory panel that will be incorporated into their WIP 2 as a measure of their progress. If progress is deemed unsatisfactory, panels will implement a remedial action plan.

Closed Dissertation Examination (Oral Presentation)

1. Students are required to have a closed dissertation examination in a form of oral presentation attended by a supervisory panel and examiners at their semester six or later at the semester seven.
2. Students may propose to have an external examiner who are experts of international standing. The external examiner will attend the seminar online through Zoom or when possible the external examiner will be requested to attend the seminar in person.  
3. At the examination, students are expected to demonstrate their:
   • Independent command of the material;
   • Ability to communicate clearly and consisely the analysis of the material and findings; and
   • Ability to respond approproately to constructive comment and criticism.
4. Following the examination, examiners can make one of four recommendations:
   • The student are able to proceed the millestone to the Open Dissertation Examination unconditionally;
   • The student are able to proceed the miles stone to the Open Dissertation Examination subject to nominated corrections or revisions;
5. Following the seminar, students will receive a feedback report from their examiners and supervisory panel that will be incorporated into their dissertation and become a measure of their result.
6. Students are required to submit their revised dissertation to the supervisory panel eight weeks or less after the seminar.

Open Dissertation Seminar (Oral Presentation)

1. Students are required to deliver an oral presentation advertised to the university and open to the public attended by a supervisory panel and examiners.
2. Students may propose to have an external examiner who are experts of international standing. The external examiner will attend the seminar online through Zoom or when possible the external examiner will be requested to attend the seminar in person.
3. Following the examination, examiners can make one of four recommendations:
   • The student should be granted the degree unconditionally;
   • The student should be granted the degree subject to nominated corrections or revisions;
   • The student should not be granted the degree but should be permitted to resubmit a revised for examination;
   • The student should not be granted the degree.
4. Examiners are required to prepare a detailed report giving reasoned arguments for their recommendation and are required to return this to the Faculty one month after the seminar.
5. The Chair of the seminar will announce and award the student’s predicate following the seminar.
6. Any correction and revisions that are required must be made to the satisfaction of the supervisory panel and the faculty before the final version of the dissertation is deposited in the University library.
7. Students should refer to the library requirements and regulation on how to submit their final version of the dissertation.

Additional Important Information

Supervision

All PhD students will have a supervisory panel consisting of at least two members, that is promotor and co-promotor. The panel brings together key members of the Faculty with relevant experience to facilitate students’ independent research.

Members of the panel will take on different roles:

• The promotor is responsible for major research matters. They will be available for regular consultation and will maintain regular contact. The promotor is expected to read and comment on students’ written work.
• Co-promotors provide additional advice and guidance regarding students’ research projects. The level of support provided by a co-promotor varies depending upon the stage of the research project, the needs of the student, and the supervisor’s expertise and other commitments. As a minimum, co-promotors should attend two panel meetings each year and be involved in the consideration of milestones.

Every supervisory relationship is different and it is important to have open and honest discussions the panel regarding expectations. It is important to establish good working practices which includes meeting writing and other relevant deadlines, set and agreed in consultation with the supervisory panel. In all circumstances the panel is there to advise and comment. They are not co-authors of your work. Every members are required to implement University rules, policies and procedures.

In the first few months of supervisory panel appointment, it is expected that students regularly meet with their promotor and co-promotor. After this period, the frequency of meetings will depend upon the student’s needs and the promotor’s workload. As a general guide, students should expect to meet their promotors formally at least once a month and at other times as needed. Toward the end of the PhD program more frequent meetings can be expected. Full panel meetings usually occur twice a year and are ogranised by the promotor.

Topic

During the first year of program, a research topic is likely to evolve. It may continue to do so, in response to research results, following the Dissertation Proposal Defence (DPD). If a student desires to change their topic in a significant way followong their DPD, they will need to undergo the DPD process again and no extension to the program will be provided. Such a change should thus be carefully considered and discussed in detail with the panel.

Closed and Open Dissertation Examination Seminar

The seminar will be organized by the Faculty under the recommendation of the Promotor. Students do not need to provide anything related to the process of the seminar. However, active participation and engagement from students are highly encouraged to ensure the success of the event.

Dissertation Style

Adhering to the correct thesis style while writing is important. The UIII provides guidelines on the format, style and production of a dissertation.

Field Research Funding

Referring to the university budget planning in 2024, no funding is provided by either the Faculty or the University for PhD field research. Consequently, students are encouraged to seek external funding opportunities or grants to support their research endeavors.

On-Site Requirements

Commencing from semester 5 through 8 (third and fourth year), it is imperative that all PhD students are present on-site at the university. Should you desire to utilize the student dormitory, kindly liaise with the university administration staff. In order to augment your productivity, the university offers a dedicated shared workspace specifically designated for your use. The office is situated on level 1 of the right wing of the building, in close proximity to the main staircase.

Student-Lecturer Collaborative Publication

As part of the student-lecturer academic engagement, students are obligated to engage in collaborative publication with both their primary supervisor and co-supervisor. The publication must be featured in a Scopus indexed journal and must be completed before the program’s conclusion.