3. Your first month

• During this first month’s meetings with your PA and advisory team, these are things you should cover:

  • • setting up a meeting schedule

    • discussing and fine-tuning your project

    • discussing any compliance requirements like ethics approvals

    • confirming data management plans

    • continuing to explore expectations (both your own and your advisor/s’). As a starting point for productive discussion, it may be useful for you and your advisors to complete the Supervisory Expectations Questionnaire and compare your answers.

    • developing an Individual Development Plan (IDP) which will be reviewed at your Progress Review.

• Use your staff login to access Workday and complete compulsory modules, including:

  • Research Integrity Module (Epigeum)

  • Respect at UQ: Higher Degree Research Context module

  • Health, Safety and Wellness induction

  • Annual Fire Safety

  • Cyber Security Awareness

  • Privacy at UQ

  • Core Cultural Awareness modules

You will receive regular reminders about incomplete compulsory modules. This is set at the same frequency as reminders to staff. Some courses require a refresher, so you may receive a further reminder later in your candidature.

• Complete any other health and safety training and activities required of you, outlined on the health and safety training website. Your Principal Advisor should be able to guide you on what is necessary for your project.

• You can set up a UQ email signature for your student and staff email accounts by downloading the template from the UQ Digital Asset Manager (UQ staff login required). 

Organise the essentials

• Ensure you are aware of financial arrangements, for example, conditions of scholarships or internal/external funding, which may affect your project and timeline.

• Familiarise yourself with the University’s Progress Review requirements.

• Find out what software you need and download free student software for personal use from ITS.

Build your networks

• Visit the UQ Library website. You should particularly take note of the Library’s Faculty Services Librarians.

• Familiarise yourself with Student Advocacy and Support (part of the UQ Student Union), a free independent, short-term support service for all UQ students. Student Advocacy and Support can provide assistance on matters relating to equity, employment, gender and sexuality, legal advice, intellectual property, migration, and welfare.

• Socialise by exploring the UQ Association of Postgraduate Students (APS).