Faculty of Arts

This scheme has two application rounds per academic year. Applications close on 28 February for conferences from March to August and 29 August for conferences from September to February.

Applications must include the following (see the Application Form for further details):

• A statement of the activity objectives, proposed format and content (including details of invited speakers and prospective participants)
• A detailed budget (you must use the Budget Proforma (40kb pdf) provided)
• Completion of the Postgraduate Conference Assistance Scheme Application Form (490kb pdf)
• A Marketing and Promotion plan (including timetable for release of information, sample of announcements or fliers, details of locations or web sites that the promotional campaign will be targeting)
• Written evidence of support from the Head of School endorsing the activity on the basis of its relevance/significance and benefit to the postgraduate scholarly community and confirming a financial contribution from the School.

To qualify as a conference or workshop, the following criteria must be met:

• Event should follow a conference format, e.g., the presentation of a series of papers with opportunity for questions
• Conferences or workshops should be held for one full day or longer

To qualify for the grant, the following criteria must be met:

• A significant proportion (at least 50%) of the papers to be presented at the conference should be written by postgraduate students
• The conference/workshop should enhance the academic life and experience of postgraduates in the Faculty of Arts
• Conferences or workshops must have postgraduate participants from other universities and/or institutions (Victorian, interstate or international)
• Applicants must be currently enrolled postgraduate research students at The University of Melbourne

Events must be held no more than 12 months from the time the grant is awarded.

Applications that meet any or all of the following criteria will be favourably viewed by the Selection Committee:

• A multi- and/or inter-disciplinary focus
• A multicultural approach
• No charge to participants
• Financial support from other sources at the University (e.g., UMPA, SGR)
• Financial support from external sources
• Support from, association with, or promotion assistance from a State or National Association or group.

Costs covered by the grant include:

• printing costs
• marketing and promotion costs
• travel expenses and honoraria for visiting speakers
• travel expenses for postgraduate participants from interstate or overseas institutions
• multimedia and/or audio-visual equipment hire costs
• some venue set-up costs (e.g., tables/chairs or rostra/display stand hire; signage costs)
• catering.

Applicants should familiarise themselves with the following conditions before lodging an application:

• Preference will be given to conferences or workshops that aim to attract interstate and/or international participants
• Should any significant details of the event change (i.e, substantial reduction or increase in expenditure or income, change of venue, shortening of program) after the application has been approved by Faculty, Research and Postgraduate Studies must be notified immediately. After notification, Faculty may review funding if changes have been made. Faculty will certainly review funding if changes have been made and applicants fail to formally notify Faculty of such.
• Written acknowledgement of the Faculty's contribution and the Faculty logo must be included on any printed marketing or promotional material associated with the event.
• A financial contribution from the applicant's school must be confirmed and indicated (see the "Application Requirements" section at the top of this web page).
• A report must be submitted by 1 March of the year following the event. Guidelines on preparing such a report can be found on the Grant Report Guidelines web page of the Faculty's website.

Funding will only be made available to successful applicants through their schools's nominated account. Access to this funding should be discussed with the School Manager or Finance Officer. Compliance with the University's financial policies and procedures is mandatory.

Applicants should pay special attention to the following sections of the Financial Policies and Procedures manual:

Purchasing

• 8.1 Quotations
• 8.6 University Preferred Suppliers
• 8.6.2 Travel Services

Payments

• 9.1 General Policy
• 9.3 Payment Information

People Payments

• 10.4.1 Honorary Fellows and Visitors (only applicable to academics invited to deliver a Keynote Address or as visiting speakers for the event)

Taxation

• 11.3.8 FBT and GST

• Visit the School of Graduate Research Upskills Program web page to see if any relevant workshops are offered.
• Planning a Graduate Student Conference by Andrew L. Johns and Kenneth A. Osgood. From the "Noteworthy" column in Perspectives Online 37.3 (March 1999). This article details the conference organisation experience of a couple of postgraduate students in the History department of the University of California at Santa Barbara. A web page from the United States.
• Planning a Panel- from the (American) National Education for Women's Leadership website, a centerpiece of Center for American Women and Politics initiative to educate and empower the next generation of women leaders. Features tips from structuring through to moderating the panel.
• How to Contact a Speaker - from the National Education for Women's Leadership web site, a centerpiece of Center for American Women and Politics initiative to educate and empower the next generation of women leaders. Features sample invitations and tips for the event itself. A web page from the United States.
• Download the Guide to Planning Conferences and Gatherings (Word file) produced by the Student Environmental Action Coalition. Another web page from the United States.