Research Facilities
Postgraduate Arts Research Centres
The Postgraduate Arts Research Centres (PGARCs) provide physical resources and a stimulating research environment for research students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. There are three postgraduate centres associated with the Faculty: PGARC Fisher, PGARC Old Teachers’ College and PGARC Woolley. PGARC Fisher and PGARC OTC offers shared facilities to postgraduate research students in the early years of their candidature; PGARC Woolley offers dedicated desks to students in the final stages of their research degrees. Information about the facilities and details of the eligibility requirements and the application process are below.
PGARC Fisher
* PGARC Fisher will be closed until April due to renovation works in Fisher Stack.
PGARC Fisher is located on level 2 of the Fisher Library Stack. Access is gained via the door on the outside of the Fisher stack (behind the coffee cart). The Centre has 71 non-dedicated desks, lockers, a kitchen, a seminar room, a lounge space and access to printers and photocopiers. Each desk has a desktop computer than can run as either a Mac or PC.
Entry to PGARC Fisher is gained via your student swipe card once you have applied for and been granted access. The card allows entry 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
PGARC Old Teachers' College
PGARC OTC was completed in December of 2011 and is Level One of the Old Teachers’ College. This project was partially funded by a grant from the Federal Government’s Better Universities Renewal Funding (BURF) Scheme. This facility provides over 70 non-dedicated desks, lockers, kitchen, lounge space, and access to printers and photocopiers. Each desk has a desktop computer than can run as either a Mac or PC.
Entry to PGARC OTC is gained via your student swipe card once you have applied for and been granted access. The card allows entry 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
PGARC Woolley
Postgraduate research students in the final stages of writing their thesis are eligible to apply for a place in PGARC Woolley. PGARC Woolley is located on the fourth floor if the John Woolley Building (A20). It provides 39 dedicated workstations, each with a lockable file drawer. There are also kitchen and toilet facilities, a telephone and a lounge area. Access is by security swipe-card, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Eligibility and Application Procedure
Students undertaking an MPhil or MA (Res) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences may apply for a dedicated desk when they are in the final 9 months of candidature; PhD students may apply when they are in their final 18 months. These periods are calculated using students’ latest completion dates. Desks in PGARC2 are only available to enrolled students; this means desks are not available to students who have suspended their candidature. There is sometimes a short waiting list for dedicated desks.
Apply for PGARC access
PGARC Management
The Director of PGARC is .
There is also a student committee, consisting of elected representatives from each of the PGARCs. Student committee members, in collaboration with students who use the facility, do a number of things including:
- organise social and scholarly events
- welcome new students and give orientation tours of the PGARC facilities
- identify issues with students or use of the facility to the PGARC Director
- identify administration or infrastructure issues to the Faculty Secretariat
To get in touch with the Student Committee, email
It is strongly recommended that you join the PGARC Mailing list once you become a member of PGARC. To join the PGARC mailing list please click here to subscribe
Useful Contacts
- Security: +612 9351 3847 ( 24 hours )
- Emergencies: +612 9351 3333 ( 24 hours )
- Report computer problems: For urgent matters, call 9351 6000.
- For all administrative queries about paper supplies, stationery, lockers etc as well as issues relating to faults with air conditioning, lighting or plumbing, please contact
Occupational Health and Safety
It is important that you are aware of Occupational Health and Safety issues relating to your place in the PGARC facilities. Please consult the University’s Risk Management Office for comprehensive OH&S guidelines.
Information about Workplace Ergonomics and the best way to set up and use your workstation is also important and you are encouraged to review this information.