Research Scholarships for PhD Students Guidelines and Conditions 2012 Closing date: 5pm 1 October 2012. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Please note that this is the date for your application to reach the Diabetes Queensland Office. Diabetes Queensland is the peak body for people with diabetes in Queensland - providing a single, powerful and collective voice for the diabetes community. Diabetes Queensland supports more than 180,000 registrants and 42,000 financial members in Queensland and works to improve the lives of people affected by all types of diabetes. One of Diabetes Queensland key strategies to improve lives is through research. Application forms Application forms and guidelines for all Diabetes Queensland research awards may be obtained from: Our website www.diabetesqld.org.au Click on Health Professionals link By email research@diabetesqld.org.au Correspondence Diabetes Queensland Research Program GPO Box 9824 Brisbane Qld 4001 Email: research@diabetesqld.org.au Telephone: 1300 136 588 1 of 5
General Information Diabetes Queensland conducts and funds translational diabetes research that delivers a direct benefit for people with diabetes and those at risk of diabetes. Translational Diabetes Research is research that informs and investigates: Affordable prevention of type 2 diabetes in the community. Interventions to improve diabetes self-management. Health care delivery changes that improve diabetes outcomes. Health care system changes that improve diabetes outcomes. Targeting interventions high-risk populations. Diabetes Queensland priorities for Translational Diabetes Research are: Areas where the lack of evidence is restricting the evaluation, design or implementation of diabetes prevention or management programs. Areas that will support advocacy for policy or funding changes (of benefit to people with diabetes). Areas with real world applicability i.e. be able to be used within normal systems, settings and resourcing. Areas that consider populations that are at risk or hard-to-reach. Diabetes Queensland invites applications from health graduates (who meet criteria for eligibility and excellence) for scholarships in full-time postgraduate translational diabetes research studies leading to a PhD or an equivalent degree at a Queensland university or institution under the supervision of a responsible investigator. Work is neither planned nor supervised by Diabetes Queensland. Diabetes Queensland reserves the right not to aware a scholarship. Eligibility An applicant must: Be an Australian citizen or hold permanent residence. Reside in Queensland and be commencing a course of full-time study for a research based PhD in an approved Queensland tertiary institution. Have the agreement of the tertiary institution to administer the scholarship. Be undertaking translational diabetes research. Applications will be accepted from Diabetes Queensland staff and assessed without advantage. 2 of 5
Terms of Funding PhD scholarship funding is for up to three years. The value of each scholarship on offer for 2013 may be up to $30,000 per annum, inclusive of all costs. Diabetes Queensland does not offer partial or top-up scholarships. Successful applicants are required to actively seek alternative funds from major granting bodies such as the Australian Research Council and the NHMRC and will provide annual progress reports and evidence of doing so. The intention of this requirement is that successful applicants will only require a Diabetes Queensland scholarship for one year. Diabetes Queensland scholarships are intended to provide financial support solely for the student. In accepting the administration of a Scholarship, the institution undertakes to provide the facilities and services necessary for the efficient conduct of the research, and further agrees to meet the normal overhead expenses and normal institutional maintenance charges. No part of a Scholarship may be retained by the institution for its own use. Diabetes Queensland must be notified if scholars are receiving or intending to receive funding from other sources. Any additional funding, including scholarships or fellowships, combined cannot provide greater than 50% of the Diabetes Queensland stipend as per Diabetes Queensland s funding year. The funding year will commence on 1 January and terminate 31 December. Recipients can apply to delay the start of the grant term by a period of months by providing a written request to Diabetes Queensland. Diabetes Queensland can in its sole discretion grant such a request. The administering institution must inform Diabetes Queensland by 28 February of the relevant date of commencement if a grant is to commence later than 1 January of the relevant year. All successful applicants will be supplied with a Funding Deed that outlines the conditions associated with a Diabetes Queensland Scholarship. The administering institution will be required to return the signed Funding Deed to Diabetes Queensland prior to disbursement of funds to the administering institution Application Applicants must complete the application form and provide all required supporting documentation. It is the applicant s responsibility to ensure their application is complete and accurate. In particular, electronic and hardcopy applications must include all supporting documentation. Applicants must ensure that the electronic copy is exactly the same as that of the hardcopy. 3 of 5
Electronic applications must be submitted to Diabetes by the email research@diabetesqld.gov.au Applicants must arrange for two referees to prepare reports giving their opinions of the applicant and their ability to carry out and benefit from the proposed research or training. It is suggested that candidates forward a copy of their application to the referees when requesting a report. The absence of referee reports may prejudice the application. The referee reports should include comment on the following: 1. Whether the applicant has the knowledge, skills and creativity to pursue the research program that has been proposed. 2. The applicant s future in Queensland diabetes research. 3. Any particular work that has already been done which would make the applicant worthy of this award? 4. Referee s views on (or assessment of) the quality of the research proposal. It is strongly recommended that referee reports be included with the application. Referees may send their report directly to Diabetes Queensland, however, it is the applicant s responsibility to ensure that referee reports are submitted on time. Late referee report will not be accepted. All scholarship applications will be treated confidentially and will only be viewed by assessors, Scholarship committee members and Diabetes Queensland Research program staff. Assessment Process A Diabetes Queensland Committee will read the applications and provide a score (no comments provided) based on the criteria of relevance to translational diabetes research, proposed methodology, impact, current and proposed research program and track record of the applicant. Recommendations from the Committee are then presented to the Diabetes Queensland Board for agreement. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in November. Results will not be given over the phone. Successful applicants are given administrative details about the funding. Ethics The withdrawal of ethics approval or failure to comply with the conditions of ethics approvals will result in the termination of the scholarship and the return of any unspent funds. 4 of 5
The Obligations of Scholars Data Sharing With due consideration to ethics approvals Diabetes Queensland will require the right to access data produced as a result of the funded research. Media coverage of the research The ability of Diabetes Queensland to fund research is dependent on its ability to raise funds through public donation. Public awareness of Diabetes Queensland s role in funding research, particularly successful research, is therefore crucial. For this reason, receipt of a Diabetes Queensland Scholarship places obligations on the scholars and their institutions about involving Diabetes Queensland in any publicity surrounding the research. High impact publications arising from Diabetes Queensland Scholarships or key presentations at national or international conferences are excellent topics of interest for the media. We ask that you contact the Research Program in advance of publications going to press or conference presentations occurring. Where a media release or conference is planned, it is the responsibility of both the scholar and the institution s media office to give Diabetes Queensland s Research Program notice in advance of the release or organisation of the conference, and to accommodate reasonable requests for Diabetes Queensland participation in the publicity. Acknowledgement in papers Scholars are expected to make the results of their research available through the usual scientific channels. The support of Diabetes Queensland shall be acknowledged in any publications or media publicity arising from research supported by Diabetes Queensland e.g. Dr (Surname) was supported by a Scholarship (Award Reference No) from the Diabetes Queensland. One copy of any reprints or published paper shall be sent to Diabetes Queensland s Research Program. Assistance at Diabetes Queensland special events Diabetes Queensland may call upon scholars to provide assistance, where appropriate, with publicity and other special events. This could include presentations at donor functions, fundraising events and health and medical professional conferences, or other public relations activities such as being interviewed or featured in Diabetes Queensland media promotions. 5 of 5