University of New South Wales - Graduate Research School - Research Student On-Campus Workspaces

Are you a UNSW research student who requires library access and a quiet location on-campus to conduct your research away from the distractions of home?

Then you may be eligible to apply for exclusive or shared use of a computer-equipped workstation in the Postgraduate Research Student Study Space in the UNSW Library.

Approximately 10 worksations have become available for use in Semester 2 2008. Applications will be open for two weeks, from 4 - 15 August 2008 apply now.

Research students have 24 hour swipe card access to this secure area where they are able to carry out their research, write up their thesis, practice giving presentations, meet with colleagues, prepare food and relax.

This facility is managed by the Graduate Research School and the UNSW Library and contains 75 individual workstations on level 4 of the Library building on the UNSW Kensington Campus.

The facility accommodates both full-time research students and part-time students. Students may be required to share a space.

I use this space five days a week usually, and sometimes on weekends. It is fully equipped with desk space, a kitchen, printing, photocopying and a more relaxed working area that looks out over the campus. The conference rooms here are versatile and impressive in terms of how easy they make it for a student to prepare a professional paper. All I have to do is log on to the computer in the main conference room, hook up my USB drive with the Powerpoint presentation on it and turn on the projector (all provided). I can then close the door and invite my other postgraduate friends to come and listen to me practice the paper - or I can practice on my own (the soundproof glass makes it easy). Without these facilities it would be difficult to organise a room and access to a projector through my department. I certainly wouldn't be able to do it at 9pm (or even later) at my own convenience! These facilities are wonderful and I have felt truly lucky to have access to them. They show that the university takes its research students seriously. My PhD is my job and this space gives me the right environment in which to see it and treat it that way.

Mandy Swann, PhD Candidate, School of English

Postgraduate Research Student Study Space Information

Facilities
Students Workstation Sharing
Management
Fees
Eligibility
Workstation Application Process
Contacts and Orientation Booklet

Facilities

Each workspace includes:

Desk including drawer unit and shelf
Ergonomic chair
Lockable storage
Computer (Dell GX620SFF with flat screen monitors) running standard library software (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Microsoft Office, Endnote, Java plug-ins for WebCT etc).
Please Note: Macintosh computers are not available.

Communal facilities for all students include:

Networked printers at two locations on floor
Photocopier with scanning functionality
Additional data points for lap-tops
Fully equipped kitchen (fridges, microwave, non-lockable compartments for student tea/coffee/food storage)
Noisy informal lounge area within kitchen area where students can relax and eat
Quiet informal lounge area where students can read away from their workstations
1 large meeting room (equipped with audiovisual equipment for students to give and practice presentations)
2 small meeting rooms for private meetings with supervisor in a quiet environment

Students Workstation Sharing

Depending on demand, students may be required to share occupancy of the workspace with another student.
The two students will be assigned set days when they will be eligible to access the workstation. Students are free to access the general area for quiet reading at any time.

Management

This facility is managed jointly by the Graduate Research School and the UNSW Library.

The Graduate Research School is responsible for approving allocation of workspaces in consultation with the relevant Faculties
The Library manages all on-site support for the facility

Fees

There are no student fees for these spaces. The School/Faculty in which the student is enrolled covers all costs associated with the allocated workspaces in the facility.

Students should note that internet charges are billed directly to the School/Faculty and you are therefore required to use these resources responsibly.

Students sharing workstations are provided with separate log-ins so charges for computer and internet access are tracked to the user number and can be billed to the appropriate School/Faculty.

Eligibility

The Postgraduate Research Student Study Space was created to increase the number of dedicated workspaces available to UNSW research students to enable them to carry out their research activities on campus. In particular, the space was designed to accommodate students in the Arts and Humanities disciplines whose research requires a library research environment rather than scientific lab work and access to technological infrastructure. Students from experimental-based disciplines who are in the writing-up phase of their candidature and no longer require close or daily contact with their School environment may also find the workstations useful.

Faculties are responsible for covering all costs associated with the student spaces and are invited each year to make a submission to the Graduate Research School requesting the allocation of spaces for their students within the facility.

Students must be enrolled in a UNSW research masters or doctoral degree.
Both full and part-time students are eligible to apply.
Students who have previously held a workspace are eligible to reapply.

Workstation Application Process

1. Student Application Form

Students are required to submit an application form to the Graduate Research School via email: libspace.grs@unsw.edu.au. Applications are generally accepted twice a year, at the beginning of each semester.

Approximately 10 workstations have become available for use in Semester 2 2008. Applications are currently open and close on 15 August 2008.

2. Graduate Research School Approval

The Graduate Research School considers student applications in consultation with the relevant Faculties and will advise students of whether they have been allocated a space.

3. Library Space Allocation

The Library then allocates students to workstations and sets up IT and swipe card access for each student. Seven working days are normally required to allow the swipe card access and IT facilities to be set up at the workstation. Following the allocation of places, students will receive an email from the Library advising of access start-dates and Orientation Session times.

4. Student Access and Orientation Sessions: All new students need to attend an Orientation Session prior to being able to occupy their workstations. Students will be provided with their workstation number and keys and swipe card access instructions at the Orientation Session.

Multiple Orientation Sessions will be held to accommodate full-time and part-time students as outlined below:

Access Dates: Orientation Sessions

August 2008 Dates and times to be confirmed

Contacts and Orientation Booklet

Graduate Research School

Application forms from students in all Faculties should be submitted to the Graduate Research School at email: libspace.grs@unsw.edu.au

Library Contacts

The Library is responsible for all on-site support including assistance with workspace equipment and computers, swipe-card access and Orientation Sessions.

An Orientation Booklet is provided to all workspace users. This booklet contains all necessary support contact details and information regarding on-site usage of facilities and will be available for download from here soon.

** Additional Information for Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences students

In addition to the workspaces available in the Library, FASS provides spaces for its students in the Webster Building and the Postgraduate Students Lab in the Morven Brown Building.If you are a FASS student and wish to apply for a space in any of these buildings (except the library), please complete the separate application form on the FASS website.