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Office of Research & Innovation

Induction and Enrolment

Higher Degree by Research
CDU design students and lecturers

Welcome to Charles Darwin University.

This is a good time to familiarise yourself with all the relevant HDR information and on Faculty and University websites. 

On or before the first day of your course you should make contact with your Primary Supervisor and the Faculty HDR Administration Officer who will go through the day-to-day administration issues that you need to be aware of.

Please see below the activities that you can do to help you familiarise yourself with your HDR course.

Tasks to complete in your first day / week / month.

Your Higher Degree: Beginnings

Welcome to your Higher Degree Programme. 

This is a key moment of your life. A pivot. A transition. A foundation. This is a new context and environment. Most of us only complete one higher degree in our lives. So – how do we start? 

This short checklist offers options and opportunities to structure your first day / week / month. 

1. Contact your Principal Supervisor and Associate Supervisor. Organize your first meeting as soon as possible. 

2. Meet your key HDR administrators in your Faculty. They are great people and can assist you throughout your candidature. 

3. Familiarize yourself with the administrators in the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI). Particularly, remember to use the email address research.degrees@cdu.edu.au if you need any support, or are not sure where to ask for support. 

4. Say hello to the Dean of Graduate Studies, Tara Brabazon. She meets with all students. Keep in touch with her throughout the candidature: tara.brabazon@cdu.edu.au 

5. Activate your computer account https://activation.cdu.edu.au.

6. You will now have an email address. For more information, see For students | Charles Darwin University (cdu.edu.au)

7. You will now have access to software. Visit portal.cdu.edu.au. Enter your email address and password. 

8. If you are an on-campus student, you will be granted access to a computer, printer and office space. Contact your HDR administrators in your Faculty for assistance. 

9. Read past theses. The PhD is a genre. Read completed theses and understand the genre. Visit researchers.cdu.edu.au. Choose “student theses.” 

10. Review the Charles Darwin University Supervisory Charter. Be clear on your rights and responsibilities, and the rights and responsibilities of your supervisor. 

11. Review the requirements for your first milestone: the Confirmation of Candidature. 

12. Complete the 8 core modules from Epigeum’s Research Integrity programme. 

13. Log the key support services through the university 

14. Remember to discuss Intellectual Property as soon as possible with your supervisors. 

Enjoy your experience with CDU. We are here to care and support you through your higher degree

Computer Access and CDU Email Account

Whilst studying at CDU, students are provided with a personal CDU email account as part of Mircrosoft Office365, the allowance for this email mailbox is 50GB.

Please visit https://activation.cdu.edu.au to activate your student computer account.

Your user name to log into CDU systems is in the format s123456@students.cdu.edu.au unless otherwise specified on the log in page.

CDU provides two official email addresses to each student as follows:

  1. using your Student ID number, with an "s" at the start. For example, if your student number is 107007, then your email address will be: s107007@students.cdu.edu.au
  2. using your first name and surname. For example, if your name was James Bond, then your email address will be: james.bond@students.cdu.edu.au

If you are a CDU staff member you are also required to set up a student account and mailbox, which will be separate to you staff account and provide access to student focused resources.

Please note that all email correspondence sent by CDU is sent to your student email address and you must either monitor this mailbox or set up an email forward to another mailbox you do monitor. This can be done in they myAccount application which you can access from CDU Portal. Please make sure your junk email filters are set up to accept these emails.

Because you are a Post Graduate student, you can also change your primary email address in the myAccount application. Including changing your email to @cdu.edu.au or @menzies.edu.au

CDU Portal provides access to your student email and other important resources including logit and CDU’s help desk system, allowing you to log requests for help.

On-Campus Workspace Allocation and Resources

Note: HDR candidates from Menzies School of Research please refer to Menzies handbook for this section

Room Allocation

On-campus students are generally allocated a workspace whilst on campus. As study space is limited, this is to be organsied with your supervisor/HDR Administrative officer prior to your commencement as well as where and when to collect keys or access a swipe card on your first day.

You need to formally request that you be allowed to retain your office space if you take an extended leave of absence. Such a request must be in writing by submitting a HDR-21 Leave of Absence form.

Telephone, computer and internet

Each on-campus student will have access to a dedicated postgraduate desktop computer for their use. Your computer should have email/internet access and an appropriate level of software. Candidates are provided with access to a computer via their faculty. Discuss options with the Faculty HDR Administration office who will arrange hardware options. If you have problems with getting access to computer, please contact the HDR Administration office in your respective faculty.

ITMS supports CDU HDRs with a diverse range of IT resources and support. Visit ITMS | Charles Darwin University (cdu.edu.au. 

If you need to log a job with ITMS: LogIt (easyvista.com) 

Service Desk
T: 08 7943 6600
E: itsupport@cdu.edu.au (for faults)
Internal: Ext 6600 International: +618 7943 6600

In-person
CDU Library, Red Building 8, Casuarina campus
Casuarina campus map (PDF 1MB)

After Hours Access

The Faculty HDR Administrator and Supervisor can organise access to your work area after-hours. Your full name, student card number, proxy number (if you have one, located on the back of the student card) and building/level/room number will be required. Please allow a few business days for your request to be processed.

For any problems contact CDU security on Free call: 1800 646 501 (Australia-wide 24/7) or Casuarina 08 8946 7777 (24/7). Waterfront campus (08) 8946 8888 (8am-2pm; 4pm-9pm Mon-Fri). E: security@cdu.edu.au

Air-Conditioning (After-Hours)

It can get hot in buildings after-hours. All buildings have swipe facilities to control the air-conditioning. If you plan on working after regular office hours (0800-1630), you will need your student card to operate the air- conditioning system in your area.

Printing, Photocopying, Stationery

The Faculty HDR Administrative Officer should be able to set this up for you or contact IT services. Basic stationary supplies will be provided by your faculty using procedures appropriate to that faculty.

Laboratory Space

If you require Laboratory space, discuss this with your supervisor.

Off-Campus Resources

Where computer networking is possible, an off-campus student will be provided with email access through the University. Off-campus candidates shall receive the same levels of access to Direct Financial Support, Inter-Library Loans and conference funds as an on- campus candidates.

Where a candidate is enrolled as an external student and resides greater than 100 km from the campus of enrolment, the faculty has a mechanism for supporting direct candidate-supervisor interactions at least once per year. Further information regarding access to candidate- supervisor interaction funds and other resources should be obtained from the faculty HDR administrator.

Access to other University libraries and internet for external students.

ULANZ is a Library borrowing scheme that allows staff and students of Australia and New Zealand universities to borrow in person from any other participating university library. https://www.caul.edu.au/programs- projects/ulanz-borrowing-scheme

The Eduroam service allows university staff and students to access the internet via wireless networks at CDU and other participating universities without the need to obtain or create a new account at the host institution.

By using a modified version of your CDU username and password and your laptop, you will be able to access the internet. See https://www.cdu.edu.au/itms/eduroam for more information.

Workspace for Visiting External Students

Contact your supervisor and HDR Administration officer to assist with allocation of a desk space during your visits to the CDU campus.
 

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