1. General

The intent is to offer a significant number of research scholarships each academic year to outstanding graduates wishing to pursue research to Ph.D. level in a principal research area of the School. Applicants would normally be expected to have a first class Honours degree in Computing, Maths. or a related discipline. University regulations require applicants with a primary degree, to register initially for an M.Sc., (with transfer to the Ph.D. register at the end of year one - subject to satisfactory progress), but students who are designated Ph.D.- track will normally be considered for Scholarship in year of entry.

Scholarship awards will be made at a level commensurate with national norms; current values as given.¹

2. Aims and Objectives

In line with the underlying aim of promoting excellence in School research, the Research Scholarship awards should serve to:

• encourage staff (and students, where feasible) to bid for external/DCU funding
• motivate research group activity
• reward new directions and/or re-vitalisation of research effort
• extend the research pool through national and international recruitment

The School is also committed to encouraging flexible working patterns for strong postgraduate applicants, which may include part-time and/or partially work-funded models, such as industrial sponsorship, research or teaching assistantships, (where admissible through alternative funding), etc. Applicants under these alternative models will not normally be eligible for Student Scholarships.

3. Selection Criteria for Student Scholarships

• quality of student
• supervisor track record and quality of project. Criteria will normally include: publications in the proposed or a related area in high-quality journals, completion rate of previous students, (where appropriate), record of grant applications in previous three to five years. Conference presentations. Other mainstream academic activities.
• Current School-support of research group, e.g. number of P.G.s funded. Track record per capita - as measured e.g. by journal publications, conference papers, other activities as above.
• Student diversity and complementarity with student body, proactive effort and likely contribution to School as a whole.

Last Updated: June 2003