News Archive

Writing a 100,000 word doctoral dissertation can be a lonely experience at the best of times. When you add in ‘the tyranny of distance' the challenges facing PhD and Masters students in the Great Southern, many of whom also have full time jobs and family commitments, become considerable indeed.

As PhD student and UWA tutor Christina Malatzky explained, ‘If you were based in Perth you would have a network of other postgraduate students to bounce ideas off. You would have a support base. That's why we established the University Professional Development and Postgraduate Network at the UWA Albany Centre as a way of bringing together Masters and PhD students and others involved in further research projects. It's an opportunity to share ideas and experiences. Many of the people involved in the network are also tutors at the UWA Albany Centre so we have the opportunity to discuss teaching and learning issues as well as our own research.'

The newly formed group, which is interdisciplinary in nature and includes postgraduate students and research fellows from Curtin, Edith Cowan and Murdoch universities as well as those studying at UWA, has met twice to give updates on participants' research and to workshop opportunities for attracting research grant funding. The next meeting at 4pm on Tuesday November 23rd will discuss publishing research findings in academic journals and turning academic research into books aimed at a wider readership. Recent graduates and those currently engaged in PhD or Masters studies who are interested in attending should contact the UWA Albany Centre, on 9842 0888.

Media references

Paula Phillips (UWA Albany Centre) (+61 8) 9842 0810