The Coleman-Hilton Scholarship at the British School at Rome

1. Background

a. Established in 2012, this travel Scholarship has been generously donated by Mr Jeffrey Hilton and Ms Suzanne Coleman to enable an outstanding postgraduate student in Classics and Ancient History to focus on a concentrated period of research whilst in residency at the British School at Rome (BSR).

2. Eligibility

a. Applicants must be in enrolled full-time in a Doctor of Philosophy in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Sydney and should be in their penultimate or final year of studies.

b. Applicants must be conducting research in classics and ancient history.

c. Applicants must be an Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident.

d. Applicants are to be engaged in archaeological, historical, or literary research on some aspect of the Roman Empire up until AD 476.

e. Applicants must be intending to be a resident at the British School in Rome for a minimum of six months.

3. Selection Criteria

a. The Scholarship will be awarded on the basis of:

I. demonstrated academic excellence,
II. established research direction,
III. presentation of a well-articulated high-quality research plan, and
IV. capacity for future influence and leadership.

b. Applicants will submit a written research brief and samples of their work. They should be able to clearly demonstrate the value of this Scholarship to their personal career and goals and how they will benefit from and contribute to the vibrant residential community of artists and scholars at the BSR.

c. The Scholarship will be awarded by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or their nominated delegates following consideration on the recommendation of:

I. a selection committee consisting of members of Classics and Ancient History, and
II. if necessary, Director of the BSR or their representative.

4. Value

a. The Scholarship is valued at $42,000. It is intended to contribute to residential costs and tuition fees, but does not cover the whole charge by the BSR.

b. The Scholarship value will be paid direct to the BSR by the School of Humanities on receipt of invoices for residential costs and tuition fees.

c. Deferral of the Scholarship is not permitted without the prior permission of the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

d. The Scholarship recipient cannot suspend their award.

e. The recipient may be required to refund all or part of the scholarship if they discontinue or suspend their candidature or fail to complete the intended study at the BSR.

f. The Scholarship cannot be transferred to another area of research.

g. The Scholarship will be offered subject to the availability of funds.

h. No other amount is payable.

i. The Selection Committee has the discretion not to award the scholarship if there is no applicant of sufficient merit.

5. Ongoing eligibility

a. To continue receipt of the Scholarship, the recipient:

I. must commit to full-time residency at the BSR for a minimum of six months, with occasional travel as necessary for research,
II. is encouraged to fully participate in the resident community at the BSR, and to avail themselves of the unique interdisciplinary lecture programme offered there, and
III. attend and pass the annual progress evaluation.

6. Termination

a. The Scholarship will be terminated:

I. on resignation or withdrawal of the recipient from their research degree,
II. upon submission of the thesis or at the end of the award,
III. if the recipient ceases to be a full-time student and prior approval from the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has not been obtained to hold the Scholarship on a part-time basis,
IV. if the recipient suspends their candidature or discontinues from the Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney,
V. if the recipient fails to complete the intended study at the BSR,
VI. upon the recipient having completed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy,
VII. if the recipient receives an alternative primary scholarship. In such circumstances this Scholarship will be terminated in favour of the alternative scholarship where it is of higher value,
VIII. if the recipient does not resume study at the end of a period of approved leave, or
IX. if the recipient ceases to meet the eligibility requirements specified for this Scholarship, (other than during a period in which the Scholarship has been suspended or during a period of approved leave).

b. The Scholarship may also be terminated by the University before this time if, in the opinion of the University:

I. the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the terms of this offer,
II. the student fails to maintain satisfactory progress, or
III. the student has committed misconduct or other inappropriate conduct.

c. The Scholarship will be suspended throughout the duration of any enquiry/appeal process.

d. Once the Scholarship has been terminated, it will not be reinstated unless due to University error.
e. The terms and conditions of the scholarship may be varied in such manner as the Senate of the University of Sydney, or such other body delegated by the Senate, shall determine provided that the objectives of the award and the special selection criteria stated in Clause 3a above are preserved.

7. Misconduct

a. Where during the Scholarship a student engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the Scholarship or in connection with the student’s application and eligibility for the Scholarship), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds provided, the University may require the student to repay payments made in connection with the Scholarship. Examples of such conduct include and without limitation; academic dishonesty, research misconduct within the meaning of the Research Code of Conduct 2023 (for example, plagiarism in proposing, carrying out or reporting the results of research, or failure to declare or manage a serious conflict of interests), breach of the Student Charter 2020 and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the Scholarship.

a. The University may require such repayment at any time during or after the Scholarship period. In addition, by accepting this Scholarship, the student consents to all aspects of any investigation into misconduct in connection with this Scholarship being disclosed by the University to the funding body and/or any relevant professional body.

8. Reporting

a. The recipient of this scholarship is required to provide a brief report to the Chair of Classics and Ancient History at the conclusion of the residency, summarising their work while they were a resident at the BSR. The BSR may also request a report and a brief statement for possible inclusion in the research reports section of Papers of the BSR.