CSIRO Industry PhD Program Rules 1 Program Overview and Objectives .............................................................................................. 1 2 Program Requirements ................................................................................................................ 1 2.1 Research Projects ....................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 Industry Partners ........................................................................................................................ 1 2.3 CSIRO Business Units .................................................................................................................. 2 2.4 Universities ................................................................................................................................. 2 2.5 Supervisory Panel Arrangements ............................................................................................... 2 2.6 Student Eligibility ....................................................................................................................... 3 3 Project Funding ............................................................................................................................ 3 4 Project Development Stages ........................................................................................................ 4 4.1 Expression of Interest ................................................................................................................ 4 4.2 Collaboration Agreement ........................................................................................................... 4 4.3 Student Recruitment Process .................................................................................................... 5 5 In-Project Engagement ................................................................................................................ 6 5.1 Student Career and Professional Development Training .......................................................... 6 5.2 Program Monitoring and Evaluation, and Reporting ................................................................. 6 5.3 Supervisor and Student Support ................................................................................................ 6 Appendix 1: Industry Engagement Component ................................................................................... 7 Appendix 2: Payment Processes and Conditions ................................................................................. 8 Appendix 3: Project Development Stages ........................................................................................... 9 Appendix 4: Project Assessment and Selection ................................................................................. 10 1 Program Overview and Objectives CSIRO’s Industry PhD (iPhD) Program brings together an industry partner, a university and CSIRO to co- develop a four-year industry-focussed PhD project. The program supports a three-way partnership aiming to train new researchers in critical areas and facilitate long-term beneficial interaction between universities, CSIRO and industry. CSIRO’s Industry PhD program is being delivered alongside the National Industry PhD program as part of the workforce initiative in the Australian Government’s University Research Commercialisation Action Plan. Starting in 2022, the program will commence 450 PhD projects with industry across 10 years. The objectives of CSIRO’s iPhD program are to: • provide PhD students with opportunities to develop translational research skills, establish professional networks and increase future career prospects • develop new, or strengthen relationships between research organisations and industry • deliver research solutions and specialised knowledge to solve challenges and create new products and services • provide universities and CSIRO with a deeper understanding of industry requirements, priorities, and culture • enhance innovation and commercialisation through research organisation and industry knowledge transfer • support research projects which are aligned to Government priorities to help strengthen Australia’s economic growth and productivity. 2 Program Requirements 2.1 Research Projects Industry PhD research projects must: • align with government and CSIRO priorities • address an industry-relevant issue while complying with university PhD requirements • be up to four years duration, if completed on a full-time basis. Project duration may be subject to university policy • include at least three calendar months (60 workdays) of project related activities under the guidance of the industry partner. This part of the PhD is referred to as the Industry Engagement Component (see Appendix 1). 2.2 Industry Partners Industry Partners must: • have a registered ABN or ACN • have a substantial presence in Australia (e.g. research, development, primary production, or manufacturing facilities) • provide a suitable staff member to join the PhD student supervisory panel for up to four years •guide the student to undertake a 60-day Industry Engagement component (seeAppendix 1) •be aResearch EndUseras definedbythe Government •provide access to facilitiesand infrastructure required to undertake the project •commit to fund an Industry PhD top-upforfour years.Amounts are outlined below.1 YearIndustry top-up(GST exclusive) 2025$12,0002026$12,0002027$12,3602028$12,731 2.3 CSIRO Business Units CSIRO Business Units must: •provide and fund a suitably experienced researcher tobe part of the PhDstudentsupervisory panelfor up to four years •provide access to requiredfacilities and infrastructure. 2.4 Universities Universities must: •allocate a suitablyexperienced researcher to supervise the PhD student for up to fouryears •advertise, recruit, andenrol thePhDstudentwith support from CSIRO •provide access to requiredfacilities and infrastructure •provide a domestic fee off-set for the PhD student •monitor and assessthestudent in accordance with the university’s HigherDegree byResearchpolicies •pay the student theirscholarship from the commencement of their project as per theCollaborationAgreement. 2.5 Supervisory Panel Arrangements The supervisory panel consists of university, industry and CSIRO supervisors. All parties are required to jointlysupervise the student. Supervisorsshould have complementary, relevant disciplinary knowledgewith roles, and availability discussedand agreed upon before EOI submission to ensurethe student can be properlysupported throughouttheir PhD.ThePrimary Supervisor, allocated fromthe university, isresponsible for monitoring and assessing the PhD student progress in accordancewith theuniversity’sPhD academicrequirements.Industry and CSIRO supervisors may needto meet supervisory requirements of theparticipating university. 1Note: Although there is apreference for funding directly from the industry partner, subject to approval of the Industry PhD program, funding from an alternative source such as a Rural DevelopmentCorporation, Industry Association or Cooperative Research Centrewill be allowed. If from an alternative source, the iPhD program cannot be used to fund an initiative that the organisation is alreadyfunded to deliver (for example, CRC scholarships previously funded or agreed) CSIROIndustry PhD Program Rules: 2024 EOI roundfor 2025 commencement The Primary Supervisor will be allocated a certain amount of time each week to support the PhD student as per university workload conditions. The time commitment for the industry and CSIRO supervisors will depend on the project, university policy and student location. The time commitment can vary during the PhD journey, as the PhD students may need more (or less) time in different phases of their research. 2.6 Student Eligibility To be eligible, Industry PhD students must: • be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or Australian permanent resident • meet university PhD admission and English language requirements • not have previously completed a PhD • not be in receipt of another primary scholarship • be able to commence the program in the year of the offer • enrol as a full-time PhD student. Part-time arrangements may be considered if approved by the supervisory team and in accordance with university policy • be located at the agreed project location(s) and, if required, comply with the university’s external enrolment procedures. When enrolled, Industry PhD students must: • sign the CSIRO Industry PhD Student Agreement within six months of enrolment • maintain satisfactory progress in all PhD academic requirements of the university (Confirmation of Candidature, Research Progress Reviews, etc.) • participate in the career and professional development training delivered by iPhD program staff • undertake an Industry Engagement component with the industry partner (see Appendix 1) • seek approval for personal leave longer than that outlined in the Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) 2017 from the host university, CSIRO and the industry partner • Adhere to the Industry PhD Program’s Scholarship Terms and Conditions available on our website. 3 Project Funding The iPhD program is funded by the Australian Government and the industry partner for up to four years. Funding per year consists of three components: • student scholarship as per the rates listed below which comprises of: o CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship provided by the Government o Industry top-up provided by the industry partner • Project Expense and Development package provided by the Government for research operating costs and research skill development as per the rates listed below • student career and professional development training funded by the Government and delivered by iPhD program staff alongside the student's PhD. Year CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship Industry top-up Total scholarship Project Expense and Development package 2025 $35,020 $12,000 $47,020 $13,000 2026 $36,071 $12,000 $48,071 $13,000 2027 $37,153 $12,360 $49,513 $13,390 2028 $38,267 $12,731 $50,998 $13,792 Further information on program payments and processes is available in Appendix 2. 4 Project Development Stages The key development stages that occur prior to project commencement are outlined below. Refer to Appendix 3 for approximate timeframes for each stage. 4.1 Expression of Interest In 2024, Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for iPhD projects will be accepted from 1 February. The round will be divided into two phases, a primary phase with EOIs due on 19 April, and a secondary phase with EOIs due on 23 August. Approximately two thirds of available projects will be approved in the primary phase to allow the project to be advertised at a time when more students are searching for PhD opportunities. EOIs can be initiated from either CSIRO Business Units, universities, or industry. iPhD Program staff assist with project scoping, partner communication and eligibility checks, as well as supporting the submission of the formal EOI paperwork. Details such as project title, description, supervisor panel details, student location, initial IP considerations and high-level approvals are required. For access to the EOI form and to commence the EOI process, please contact the iPhD program office. All EOIs require support and high-level approval from CSIRO, the university and the industry partner prior to submission. Specifically, the CSIRO supervisor must seek support from their Research Program Director; the university supervisor must seek support from their Graduate Research School; and the industry partner must provide approval to participate. 4.1.1 Project Assessment and Selection EOIs must meet program eligibility requirements and will be evaluated against the evenly weighted criterion outlined below. Further information on Assessment Criterion is provided in Appendix 4. Assessment criterion Short description Industry experience provided to the student The project must provide the student with an experience relevant to undertaking research in or with industry. Project impact Demonstrate the key objectives and predicted impact of the project. Alignment to Government and CSIRO priorities Demonstrate alignment of the project with Federal Government and CSIRO priorities. Research industry collaboration Projects should increase collaboration via strengthening or creating new working relationships between industry and the research sector. Project feasibility and resources Provide details on key project activities, including industry engagement, and the role of the supervisory team in delivering the project. Partners should also outline any additional resources provided to ensure the successful conduct of the project. 4.2 Collaboration Agreement A Collaboration Agreement is established between CSIRO, the university and industry partner for each project. The PhD student is also required to sign an Industry PhD Student Agreement, which aligns to the terms and conditions of the Collaboration Agreement. The Collaboration Agreement highlights privacy, confidentiality, insurance, funding arrangements, project duration, Intellectual Property (IP) and other legal aspects of the program. Within the agreement there are four standard IP options available: • Option 1 - collaborator (Industry partner) owns project IP and results • Option 2 - CSIRO owns project IP and results • Option 3 - university owns the project IP and results • Option 4 - project IP and results are jointly owned Any specific IP considerations should be identified during the scoping of the project, and any new IP created during the Project (other than copyright in the student’s thesis, which the student retains) will be owned and licensed through the Collaboration Agreement in accordance with CSIRO’s IP Principles and the Australian Government’s Higher Education Research Commercialisation (HERC) Intellectual Property Framework. For further detail around our IP options, please contact the iPhD program office. 4.3 Student Recruitment Process Student recruitment can only commence once a Collaboration Agreement is executed between the industry partner, the university and CSIRO. 4.3.1 Project Advertising The university is responsible for advertising projects, however the iPhD program office will also assist. All projects are advertised on the university and CSIRO scholarship websites. Students must submit expressions of interest through the university website. The university undertakes student eligibility checking against university PhD admission criteria. 4.3.2 Student Selection Eligible students are identified by the university and provided to the supervisory panel. The supervisor panel will shortlist, interview, and nominate the most suitable student to formally apply for the scholarship. Selections are based on: • experience relevant to the field of research • research experience and academic excellence • suitability for the project • motivation for undertaking an industry-led PhD project. 4.3.3 Student Enrolment and Signing of Student Agreement The university initiates student enrolment and admission processes. Once complete, a CSIRO Industry PhD Student Agreement is issued between CSIRO, the university, and the student. The Student Agreement must be signed by the student, their university and CSIRO within six months from the student enrolment date. The agreement aligns with the terms and conditions of the Collaboration Agreement and covers IP arrangements, publications rights and other legal aspects. To support a students’ development, project publications are encouraged, but some conditions will be imposed to protect project IP and confidential information of the parties involved. For further detail, please contact the iPhD program office. 4.3.4 Student Onboarding The successful student will undergo onboarding to CSIRO, which will include mandatory government background checks, access to CSIRO infrastructure and appropriate sites and an orientation session conducted by iPhD program staff. 5 In-Project Engagement 5.1 Student Career and Professional Development Training Student career and professional development training is integrated into the CSIRO Industry PhD. The training program includes approximately 20 days of training over four years. Course delivery is mostly online. The training builds the skill necessary for industry-focused research including innovation, entrepreneurship, project and stakeholder management, and communication. Training highlights include CSIRO’s ON Launch Camp for iPhD and staff-level access to thousands of CSIRO online learning courses. A key feature of the training is the Industry Engagement component which consists of 60 days internship throughout the candidature at the industry partner’s location. Refer to Appendix 1 for further details. 5.2 Program Monitoring and Evaluation, and Reporting To assess the effectiveness of the iPhD Program in achieving its objectives and intended outcomes and to support its ongoing improvement, iPhD students and their supervisory team will be expected to participate in program evaluation activities, including interviews and surveys. These activities will be conducted at various stages throughout the four-year PhD allowing for ongoing reflection and learning. iPhD program staff will report results to internal and external stakeholders. 5.3 Supervisor and Student Support The iPhD program supports supervisors and students from the application phase to the completion of the project through the following: • Engagement and check-ins: students are offered structured support throughout their candidature. Students are further encouraged to communicate with iPhD peers throughout the program and to participate in informal networking events to build professional networks. • Project support tools: several tools to support projects are available, which include: o Supervisor guide: suggests the allocation of supervisor roles and responsibilities and provides tools to support supervisor-student relationships and manage projects effectively. o Individual learning roadmap: allows commencing students to complete a self-assessment of core skills. Students are encouraged to share results with their supervisors to plan training and development opportunities based on the mutually negotiated learning priorities. Appendix 1: Industry Engagement Component The Industry Engagement component is a requirement of the CSIRO Industry PhD program. It aims to ensure that the needs of industry guide the development, activities, and outcomes of the PhD project. For further information, refer to our Industry Engagement component FAQs available on our website. Eligible Activities Activities should contribute to the development, research, and outcomes of the PhD project, and be related to the student’s area of research. Potential activities may include: • undertaking practical research translation activities • understanding the research needs of the industry partner and/or the broader industry • testing research assumptions and innovations in an industry setting with end-users. Duration The minimum duration of the Industry Engagement is three calendar months (60 full-time equivalent workdays). Industry Engagement should ideally be completed part-time or in short blocks strategically placed throughout the PhD to encourage ongoing engagement between the industry partner and the student. Location and Supervision The primary location of the Industry Engagement is expected to be the premises of the industry partner. At the discretion and with the agreement of the supervisory team, alternate locations (e.g., at a CSIRO site, remote attendance, or at the university) may be possible if there are travel limitations or if the project requires access to specific facilities and equipment. The industry partner must ensure suitable supervision of all activities at their sites. All industry supervisors must meet university specified requirements and may be required to register on the university’s system. Costs If the student is required to live away from the primary location of the project during the Industry Engagement, the Project Expense and Development package may be used to fund travel and living expenses associated with the Industry Engagement. If the Industry Engagement is likely to include international travel, field work and/or access to remote locations, further details, including how it will be funded, will be required prior to the finalisation of the Collaboration Agreement due to the additional cost and complexity. Publication Research output from the Industry Engagement may be included in the thesis subject to satisfying arrangements contained in the Collaboration Agreement. Planning and reporting Specific planning and reporting requirements may be required in accordance with the university’s policies. The university is responsible for ensuring that any additional agreements for the Industry Engagement are consistent with the Collaboration Agreement. Eligibility under Government RTP Internship guidelines It is intended that the Industry Engagement will support the student to undertake their Industry PhD project and will also meet the requirements for the additional weighting under RTP guidelines. Further information is available about what constitutes an eligible internship is available on the Australian’s Government’s Department of Education website. Appendix 2: Payment Processes and Conditions Student Scholarship The iPhD program pays the CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship (GST exempt) and the industry partner pays the Industry top-up (GST exclusive) in annual instalments to the university to a maximum of four years. After the Collaboration Agreement is executed, CSIRO will send a purchase order to the university outlining the payment schedule for the student scholarship funds. If the university manages the project expense and development funds on behalf of the project, they will also be included. After the student is enrolled, the university must invoice CSIRO for the base scholarship (and project expense and development funds, if applicable), and the industry partner for the top-up scholarship. Project Expense and Development package The iPhD program pays the Project Expense and Development package (GST exclusive) per annum for a maximum of four years to the organisation where the student is primarily based for the project. Before starting the project, the supervisory team must jointly consider all proposed project-related expenses, as well as determine how any excess costs will be funded. Project expenses may include laboratory consumables, fieldwork and travel costs associated with the project, a three-month Industry Engagement and/or professional development activities, such as conferences and research training workshops. The package cannot be used to fund items unrelated to the project, such as professional association membership fees. Whether project expense and development funds can be rolled over to the following financial year depends on the policy of the organisation to which they are paid. In the case of CSIRO, they generally cannot be rolled over to the following financial year. The Project Expense and Development Package funds are an auditable scholarship benefit and must be spent, and proper records kept, in accordance with the travel and purchasing policies of the organisation managing them on behalf of the project. An Annual Statement of Expenditure must be submitted to receive subsequent funding. Student career and professional development training The iPhD Program will cover all costs associated with the student and professional development training and is separate from the student’s Project Expense and Development funds. Taxation Scholarships paid to full-time students for educational purposes are classified as exempt income in accordance with the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. Part-time scholarships are taxable. Any personal taxation circumstances should be discussed with taxation professionals. Appendix 3: Project Development Stages Appendix 4: Project Assessment and Selection EOIs must meet program eligibility requirements and will be evaluated against the evenly weighted criterion outlined below. iPhD staff may consult with CSIRO research leaders for guidance. Applicants may need to provide more information and/or discuss their application with the iPhD program staff. Assessment Criterion 1 – Industry Experience Provided to the Student (20%) The project must provide the student with an experience relevant to undertaking research in or with industry. This may be demonstrated by documenting how the project will: • provide the student with experience in and exposure to the commercialisation and/or translation of research in industry • facilitate education and training opportunities for the student, which focus on developing industry relevant research skills • provide networking opportunities and potential employment prospects in industry for the student. Assessment Criterion 2 – Project Impact (20%) Demonstrate the key objectives and predicted impact of the project. This may be demonstrated by: • a description of the large-scale problem or opportunity the project is seeking to address evidencing the “need” for the project • identification of what project impact and success will look like, particularly in relation to improving the productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability of Australia’s economy. Assessment Criterion 3 – Alignment to Government and CSIRO Strategic Priorities (20%) Demonstrate alignment of the project with Federal Government and CSIRO Strategic priorities. This may be demonstrated by showing how the project aligns to: • Government programs such as the National Reconstruction Fund, or Trailblazer Universities Program • Government priorities such as SME and private industry support, regional development, First Nations Australians, Critical Technologies, Australia’s National Science and Research Priorities • CSIRO Strategic priorities such as Challenges and Missions, and other key research areas. Assessment Criterion 4 – Research Industry Collaboration (20%) Projects should increase collaboration by strengthening or creating new working relationships between industry and the research sector. This may be demonstrated by documenting how the project will: • strengthen an existing relationship and support long-term collaboration between the applicants • develop new significant relationships with strong potential for ongoing collaboration • build capacity and capability in industry and research sectors. Assessment Criterion 5 – Project Feasibility and Resources (20%) Applicants are to provide details on key project activities and the role of the supervisor team in delivering the project. Applicants should also note any additional resources being provided to ensure the successful conduct of the project. This may be demonstrated by documenting: • the role of the supervisors in the project including student supervision and support • available infrastructure and facilities to be used during the Industry Engagement component and how the student will be supported in this time, particularly if the location of the industry partner is different to the location of the rest of their project • viability of project activities and outputs • any additional resource commitment (cash or in-kind) towards the project • any additional funding towards the student scholarship.