Vonwiller Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholarship

1. Background

a. This Scholarship is established from a gift from the Vonwiller Foundation to support research in the Digital Science Initiative where the successful applicants will develop novel clinical and data science approaches to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) diagnostics. Working collaboratively, these students will accelerate research in applied machine learning to ultimately identify the molecular biosignatures of patients with silent atherosclerosis, and the application of these AI algorithms to imaging held in data banks such as BioHeart. Working in an interdisciplinary manner will bring together medical, computer science and engineering mindsets to apply a smart digital solution to a devastating physical problem.

2. Eligibility

a. The Scholarship is offered subject to the applicant having an unconditional offer of admission to study full-time in a PhD within Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney.

b. Applicants must be willing to conduct research in the area of Detection and Treatment to Prevent the Progression of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

c. Applicants must also hold at least a three-year bachelor's degree in the related fields below:

a. Medical Informatics,
b. Computer Science,
c. Machine Learning / Deep Learning / AI
d. Data Science
e. Bioinformatics,
f. Applied machine learning or similar.

3. Selection Criteria

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

I. academic merit, and
II. area of study and/or research proposal.

b. The successful applicant(s) will be awarded the Scholarship on the nomination of the relevant research supervisor(s), or their nominated delegate(s).

4. Value

a. The Scholarship will provide a stipend allowance equivalent to University of Sydney Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend rate (indexed on 1 January each year) for up to 3 years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

b. The recipient may apply for an extension of the stipend allowance for up to 6 months.

c. A part-time scholarship may be approved where the University is satisfied that there are special circumstances beyond the student’s control. For example, medical conditions, financial hardship and carer’s responsibilities. A part-time scholarship may have tax implications and recipients should seek tax advice from a registered tax agent.

d. The Scholarship is for commencement in the relevant research period in which it is offered. Recipients can defer the Scholarship for up to three research periods subject to the approval of their Lead Supervisor. Deferment of the Scholarship for more than three research periods is considered on a case-by-case basis by the Associate Dean (Research Education), or their nominee. International students currently outside Australia should apply for their student visa once they have received their ECOE number and can usually defer their application if their student visa has not been granted by their enrolment deadline.

e. Recipients cannot transfer the Scholarship to another area of research or change their lead supervisor.

f. No other amount is payable.

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

5. Eligibility for Progression

a. The Scholarship is maintained for PhD students by attending and passing the annual progress evaluation, including all the required candidature milestones and remaining enrolled in their PhD.

6. Leave Arrangements

a. The Scholarship recipient receives up to 20 working days recreation leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued. However, the student will forfeit any unused leave remaining when the Scholarship is terminated or complete. Recreation leave does not attract a leave loading and the supervisor's agreement must be obtained before leave is taken.

b. The Scholarship recipient may take up to 10 working days sick leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued over the tenure of the Scholarship. Students with family responsibilities, caring for sick children or relatives, or experiencing domestic violence, may convert up to five days of their annual sick leave entitlement to carer’s leave on presentation of medical certificate(s). Students taking sick leave must inform their supervisor as soon as practicable.

7. Research Overseas

a. Scholarship recipients commencing in Australia may not normally conduct research overseas within the first six months of award.

b. Scholarship recipients commencing in Australia may conduct up to 12 months of their research outside Australia. Approval must be sought from the student's lead supervisor,

Head of School and the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) and will only be granted if the research is essential for completion of the degree. All periods of overseas research are cumulative and will be counted towards a student's candidature. Students must remain enrolled full-time at the University and receive approval to count time away.

c. Scholarship recipients are normally expected to commence their degree in Australia. However, Scholarship recipients who are not able to travel to Australia to start their degree, may commence their studies overseas only if they have applied for their student visa and with the approval of their lead supervisor and Associate Dean (Research Education).

8. Suspension

a. The Scholarship recipient cannot suspend their award within their first six months of study, unless a legislative provision applies.

b. The Scholarship recipient may apply for up to 12 months suspension of the Scholarship for any reason during the tenure of the Scholarship. Periods of Scholarship suspension are cumulative and failure to resume study after suspension will result in the award being terminated. Approval to suspend must be given by HDRAC and the Associate Dean (Research Education). Periods of study towards the degree during suspension of the Scholarship will be deducted from the maximum tenure of the Scholarship.

9. Changes in Enrolment

a. The Scholarship recipient must notify HDRAC and their supervisor promptly of any planned changes to their enrolment including but not limited to: attendance pattern, suspension, leave of absence, withdrawal, course transfer, and candidature upgrade or downgrade. If the award holder does not provide notice of the changes identified above, the University may require repayment of any overpaid stipend and tuition fees.

10. 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 has not been obtained to hold the Scholarship on a part-time basis,
IV. upon the recipient having completed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy,
V. if the recipient receives an alternative primary stipend scholarship. In such circumstances this Scholarship will be terminated in favour of the alternative stipend scholarship where it is of higher value,
VI. if the recipient does not resume study at the end of a period of approved leave, or
VII. 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.

11. 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 (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 Code of Conduct for Students and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the Scholarship.

b. 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.

12. Confidentiality

a. For the purpose of this clause 12, confidential information is all reports, information or data that are exchanged between Vonwiller Foundation and the University of Sydney for the purpose of this agreement, on or after the date, relating to the operations, business, research and technology of the disclosing party excluding information which is:
I. Publicly available or subsequently becomes publicly available other than in a breach of this agreement,
II. lawfully known to the other party on a non-confidential basis before being disclosed by the party that owned the confidential information, or
III. rightly acquired from a third party who is not in a breach of an agreement to keep such information confidential.

b. The successful recipient is required to keep all disclosed by the Vonwiller Foundation or the University of Sydney confidential and ensure it is not disclosed to a third party, as appropriate, or as required by law.

13. Other Requirements

a. The successful recipients will be names or referred as ‘Vonwiller PhD Fellows’ (or Similar).

b. The successful recipients agree not to make any public statement about the funding terms without a prior written consent from Vonwiller Foundation except as required to do so by law.