What Does the Research Office Do?
•Research Policy Development
The RO ‘sets the framework’ for undertaking research in the University by developing policies, regulations and procedures to enable staff and students to implement the research policies.
•Research Promotion and Incentives
The RO promotes the research activities of staff primarily by providing incentives in the form of rewards for pub
lications and the VC’s prizes for outstanding research achievement. It also publicises and disseminates research using the open access online repository (USPERR) and promotes research collaboration by administering research networks such as the Pacific Islands Universities Research Network (PIURN) and hosting and facilitating international research conferences.
•Postgraduate Research (PGR) Student Support
The RO administers around $1.8 m of PGR studentship support via the Graduate Assistantships programme and regional PhD studentships. In addition it provides support for data analysis and statistics via training workshops and individual mentoring and support. The RO is also responsible for monitoring enrolment, progression and completion statistics.
•Research Funding
The RO assists with external research grant applications and bidding processes and administers the University Research Committee (URC) funding to Faculties as well as the Strategic Research Theme (interdisciplinary) funding across the University. It distributes approximately $1.6 m funding via these two mechanisms.
•Research Performance Monitoring
The RO assesses and reports to senior management on the research performance of individuals, Schools, Sections, Faculties and the University, including external candidates for job applications and internal candidates for promotions. The RO also applies research performance monitoring according to the research performance thresholds in the Staff Development and Appraisals process. The RO also manages the research ethics clearance processes of the University.
•Staff Training
The RO runs a range of staff training, including the implementation of the Research Skills Development (RSD) Framework in the teaching programmes, induction of new staff, training in research grant applications skills and PGR supervision skills and accreditation.
