Abstract:
In the current policy documents and the debate surrounding the RQF, there has been much interest in how to include, if it is to be included at all, the contribution of research students to quality assessments to be made of each university's research groups. This paper draws on a mapping exercise that constitutes the first phase of a study on the role of research administrative staff in Australian universities and their part in shaping and implementing change. The mapping identifies the deployment of research services personnel and the focus for this paper will be an analysis of the roles of staff and the processes devoted to supporting research students in universities. The findings will be discussed in the light of the intended implementation of the RQF.