Visiting Scholars program

The Faculty of Education has a programme that supports invited or hosted visiting scholars from around the world. Such visits contribute to the intellectual life of the Faculty, provide an opportunity for networking and building relationships between Monash and other universities, and can be the springboard for research projects, joint publications or teaching activities, and visits/exchanges by Monash staff with the staff in other universities.

Purposes of the visiting scholar scheme

• Mutual research development of visiting scholar and Faculty members
• Preparing collaborative research projects and academic papers
• Bringing specific subject expertise to stimulate Faculty students and staff
• Developing collaborative teaching and research ventures
• Increasing the international profile and activities of the Faculty

Categories of visitors

The Faculty supports two categories of visitors:

• Category 1 - Invited Visiting Scholars
  An individual who is nominated by Faculty staff, through Research Committee, on the grounds that their expertise would contribute significantly to the research, teaching and learning activities in the Faculty. The Faculty provides funding to support the visit of two Category 1 visitors per year and nominations are called for once per year (July/August). These visitors will spend a maximum of four weeks with the Faculty. 
• Category 2 - Hosted Visiting Scholars
  An individual who is approached by a Faculty member about the possibility of working in the Faculty for a period. Commonly invitations by members of the Faculty occur on a relatively informal and ad hoc basis. They often involve mutually agreed sabbatical/visitor arrangements with reciprocal visits by the member of staff. Such visitors may or may not be from overseas. The Faculty Research Groups may also use some of their allocated seed funding to support the visit of Category 2 Scholars.

Process for selecting visitors

Category 1

Faculty staff are asked to nominate potential Invited Scholars, following discussions with their Research Area (the deadline for 2010 nominations is 31st August 2009). All nominations are considered by a Sub-committee of the Faculty’s Research Committee and the two visitors who are best aligned with the Faculty’s Research Areas are selected to visit in the following year. These visitors receive some funding to support their visit, access to office space and a staff card (which allows them to use the computer system and access the Monash libraries). Once selected, the Faculty’s Research Office will follow the University procedures for inviting visitors.

Category 1 nomination guidelines  and an application example can be sourced from the faculty funding page 

Category 2

• Hosts must contact the campus support manager at least 6 months prior to a visit regarding appropriate office space availability. Offices are in short supply and arranging suitable space will require some time and effort. A host must ensure the the office and facilities will meet the specific needs of the visitor. 
• Visitors or hosts must complete the Expression of Interest form and their host must agree to and sign the Responsibilities of a Host form. (see Submission procedures for applications below).
• When the requested visit is for longer than a period of 3 weeks, the forms will be collated and considered by the Faculty's Research Committee when it meets four times per year. When considering applications, the Committee will take into account:
  • the availability of a staff member to act as their host (if you do not have a host, your application will not be considered)
  • the research interests of the visitor and how they are associated with and will contribute to the Faculty research area activities
  • the willingness of the visitor to contribute to Faculty research activities
  • the funding granted to each visitor and ensuring it will be sufficient for the duration of the proposed stay
  • the proposed length of visit
  • the requirements for office space
• Upon application, these visitors will be advised of the next Committee date, at which their application will be considered.
• For periods of less than three weeks, the Faculty’s Research Office will liaise with the visitor and their host and will follow the University procedures for inviting visitors.

Please note: although the Faculty will do its best to ensure that visitors are provided with office space and computer access, due a limit in the number of offices available, there is no guarantee that office space will be available, particularly for longer visits (over 1 month).

Submission procedures for applications

Submission procedures are summarised in the Host checklist  Host checklist form (pdf 28 Kb) or alt.version (doc 44Kb).

Complete the Expression of Interest form (pdf 532Kb) or alt. version (doc 259Kb).

Have your host agree to and sign the Responsibilities of a host form (pdf 27Kb), or alt. version (doc 225Kb).

Ensure all documents are sent to:

Coordinator Research Services
Faculty of Education
PO Box 6
Monash University
Victoria, 3800, Australia

Fax: +61 3 9905 2779
Email: research@education.monash.edu.au