Find a Supervisor

All research degree candidates require a supervisor. It is recommended you start actively searching for potential supervisors in your chosen field before you submit your application.

You can search for a supervisor by researcher name, area of expertise or by research centre name

Supervision at the University of Newcastle

The University of Newcastle is committed to cultivating a Supervisory Culture of Excellence that fosters and supports best practice in higher degree research (HDR) supervision in order to facilitate an outstanding HDR student experience. There are three key pillars that underpin the Supervisory Culture of Excellence: policies and procedures, supervisor registration, and supervisor development.

Policies and Procedures

Guide supervisors and set expectations for best practice, supervisor requirements, and rules. Guided by TESQA and Australian Council of Graduate Research guidelines.

Policies relating to HDR supervision can be viewed here.

HDR Supervisor Register

All supervisors required to register and maintain registration. Sets minimum requirements for supervision. Only registered supervisors can supervise HDR students.

The HDR Supervisor Register guidelines can be viewed here.

Supervisor Development

Supervisors to complete training as a requirement of registration. Supervisors encouraged to pursue ongoing professional development, share supervisory experience, participate in mentoring opportunities, and enhance their supervision skills.

More information on the supervisor development modules can be found here.

Anyone who supervises HDR candidates at the University of Newcastle must be part of the HDR Supervision Register. This ensures that all supervisors receive training and meet research active requirements appropriate for their registered category, and as such provide university-wide high quality supervision to HDR candidates.

The Supervisor Register Categories

Supervisors are assigned to one of five categories within the register based on experience and employment status. All categories of supervision carry training and research active requirements appropriate for that category. Honorary Academic Titles are defined in this document.

CategoryDescription Permitted roles Eligibility & Requirements
0 – Community Staff or external supervisor with knowledge or skills essential to a student’s project
e.g. industry, Indigenous elder, research end user		 External supervisor
Co-supervisor
  • Nominated by Principal Supervisor of supervision team as having knowledge/skills essential for HDR project
  • Must complete initial mandatory training before being activated on the register, and remain up to date with ongoing mandatory training requirements
  • No Research Active requirement
1 – New/ECR UoN staff (incl. honorary academic titles) who have not yet supervised a HDR candidate to completion Co-supervisor
(Principal supervisor on exception *)
  • AQF10 qualification or equivalent research experience
  • Must complete initial mandatory training before being activated on the register, and remain up to date with ongoing mandatory training requirements
  • Research Active (or eligible for exception if they are deemed to be an ECR on track to building a Research Active profile)
2 – Established University of Newcastle staff and conjoints** with supervision experience and have supervised at least 1 HDR to completion. Principal supervisor
Co-supervisor
  • Supervised 1+ HDR to completion
  • Up to date on mandatory training
  • Research Active
3 – Senior University of Newcastle staff and conjoints** with extensive supervision experience and track record of successful, timely completions. Encouraged to mentor category 1 & 2 supervisors and take a leadership role in school research culture. Principal supervisor
Co-supervisor
  • Supervised more than 5 HDR to timely completion
  • Up to date on mandatory training
  • Research Active
4 - Honorary Individuals holding UoN honorary academic titles of Emeritus, Clinical, Adjunct, or Honorary with prior supervision experience. Co-Supervisor
  • AQF10 qualification of equivalent experience
  • Supervised 1+ HDR to completion
  • Research Active
  • Up to date on mandatory training

* Exceptions to allow New/ECR supervisors to act as Principal Supervisors will only be granted in exceptional circumstances and must be supported by the Head of School and Dean of Graduate Research. In this case, a Category 3 (or if not possible, an experienced Category 2) registered supervisor must co-supervise at a minimum 35 per cent supervisory load per the Code of Practice for Higher Degree by Research Candidature.

** Conjoint academics are required to sign an agreement with the School to be accountable for supervisory duties for the length of candidature.

In addition to the eligibility requirements in the supervisor categories above, all supervisors must meet their minimum responsibilities as outlined in the Code of Practice for Higher Degree by Research Candidature and related policies.

A person is not eligible to supervise HDR students if they are enrolled in a HDR degree at this or any other university.

If you are a supervisor who cannot find themselves on the database please refer to the HDR Supervisor Register Guidelines or contact Graduate Research: E: graduate-research@newcastle.edu.au ; T: +61 2 4921 6537