CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) Program 
Project Expression of Interest (EOI) Process 

This table is for formatting purposes only. There is no header row. 



Contents 
1 CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) Program: EOI process ............................................................... 4 
2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 
3 About the CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) program ..................................................................... 5 
4 Grant amount and grant period ................................................................................................ 5 
4.1 Grant amount .................................................................................................................. 5 
4.2 Grant period .................................................................................................................... 6 
5 Eligibility criteria ........................................................................................................................ 6 
5.1 Who is eligible? ............................................................................................................... 6 
5.2 What qualifications or skills are required from the supervisory team? ........................... 7 
6 What the grant money can be used for.................................................................................... 7 
6.1 Grant requirements ......................................................................................................... 7 
6.2 Eligible locations ............................................................................................................. 8 
6.3 Eligible expenditure ......................................................................................................... 8 
7 The assessment criteria ............................................................................................................ 8 
8 How to apply ............................................................................................................................... 9 
8.1 Attachments to the Expression of Interest application .................................................. 10 
8.2 Timing of grant opportunity processes .......................................................................... 10 
8.3 Questions during the application process ..................................................................... 11 
9 The grant selection process ................................................................................................... 11 
9.1 Who will assess Expression of Interest applications? .................................................. 11 
9.2 Who will approve grants? .............................................................................................. 11 
9.3 Notification of Expression of Interest outcomes ............................................................ 11 
9.4 Announcement of grants ............................................................................................... 11 
10 Successful grant applications ................................................................................................ 12 
10.1 The Collaboration Agreement ....................................................................................... 12 
10.2 How we pay the grant ................................................................................................... 12 
11 Student recruitment and ongoing eligibility ......................................................................... 12 
11.1 Maintaining student eligibility ........................................................................................ 14 
12 How we monitor your grant activity ....................................................................................... 14 
12.1 Keeping us informed ..................................................................................................... 14 
12.2 Reporting ....................................................................................................................... 14 
12.3 Audited financial acquittal report ................................................................................... 14 
12.4 Grant agreement variations .......................................................................................... 15 
12.5 Evaluation ..................................................................................................................... 15 
13 Probity ....................................................................................................................................... 15 
13.1 Enquiries and feedback ................................................................................................ 15 
13.2 Conflict of interest ......................................................................................................... 15 
13.3 Privacy .......................................................................................................................... 16 
13.4 Confidential Information ................................................................................................ 16 
13.5 Freedom of information ................................................................................................. 17 
Appendix A. Industry Engagement Component ......................................................................... 18 
Eligible Activities ................................................................................................................................ 18 
Duration ............................................................................................................................................ 18 
Location and Supervision .................................................................................................................... 18 
Costs .................................................................................................................................................. 18 
Publication ......................................................................................................................................... 18 
Planning and reporting ....................................................................................................................... 18 
Eligibility under Government Research Training Program Internship guidelines ..................................... 18 

1 CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) Program: EOI process 

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Industry PhD 
(iPhD) Program is designed to achieve Australian Government objectives 

against Outcome 1: Innovative scientific and technology solutions to national challenges and 
opportunities to benefit industry, the environment and the community, through scientific research 
and capability development, services and advice. The CSIRO works with stakeholders to plan and 
design the Program according to the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2024 (CGRPs). 

 

The grant opportunity opens 

We publish the grant guidelines on www.csiro.au/iphd 

 

You complete and submit an Expression of Interest 

You complete the EOI and any required attachments. Submissions must address all eligibility and 
assessment criteria to be considered for a grant. 

 

We assess all Expression of Interest applications 

We assess the EOI against eligibility criteria and notify you if you are not eligible. We assess your 
eligible EOI against the assessment criteria and compare it to other applications. 

 

We make grant recommendations 

We provide advice to the decision maker on the merits of each EOI. 

 

Grant decisions are made 

The decision maker decides which EOIs are successful. 

 

We notify you of the outcome 

We advise you of the outcome of your EOI. 

 

We enter into a Collaboration Agreement with the involved parties 

We will enter into a Collaboration Agreement with you if you have been successful. The Program 
uses a specifically developed three-way Collaboration Agreement between CSIRO, an Australian 
university and an industry partner. 

 

Student recruitment and onboarding 

The university will advertise the iPhD project and enrol a suitable student into the position. 

 

Delivery of grant 

You undertake the grant activity as set out in the Collaboration Agreement. We manage the grant 
by working with you, monitoring your progress and making payments. 

 

Evaluation 

We evaluate your specific grant activity and the CSIRO Industry PhD Program as a whole. We 
base this on information you provide to us and that we collect from various sources. 


2 Introduction 

These guidelines contain information for the CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) Program’s project 
Expression of Interest (EOI) process. You must read these guidelines before filling out an EOI. 

This document sets out: 

• the purpose of the Program 
• the eligibility and assessment criteria 
• how Expression of Interest are considered and selected 
• how you are notified and receive grant payments 
• how you will be monitored and evaluated 
• responsibilities and expectations in relation to the opportunity. 


3 About the CSIRO Industry PhD (iPhD) program 

CSIRO’s Industry PhD (iPhD) Program brings together an industry partner, a university and CSIRO 
to co-develop a four-year industry-focused PhD project. The CSIRO Industry iPhD Program (the 
Program) will commence 450 projects from 2022-23 to 2032-33. The Program was announced in 
February 2022 as part of the University Research Commercialisation (URC) Action Plan. 

The objectives of the Program are to: 

• develop the next generation of researchers with the skills to work in and with industry 
• increase collaboration between the research and industry sectors. 


4 Grant amount and grant period 

4.1 Grant amount 

The Program can fund approximately 50 grants each year. In 2025, EOIs will be in two phases: 

• the primary phase will open on 3rd February and close on the 11th April 
• the secondary phase will open on the 28th April and close on the 22nd August. 


Approximately two thirds of available grants will be approved in the primary phase to allow the 
project to be advertised at a time when more students are searching for PhD opportunities. 

Funding each year consists of three components: 

• student scholarship as per the rates listed below which comprises of: 
• CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship provided by the Government 
• Industry top-up provided by the industry partner 



• Project Expense and Development package provided by the Government for research 
operating costs and the student’s research skill development 
• Student career and professional development training funded by the Government and delivered 
by iPhD program staff alongside the student's PhD. 


For student 
commencing in 2026 

Total 
scholarship 

CSIRO Industry 
PhD 
Scholarship 

Industry 

top-up 

Project Expense 
and Development 
package 

1st year of project 

$48,071 

$36,071 

$12,000 

$13,000 

2nd year of project 

$49,513 

$37,153 

$12,360 

$13,390 

3rd year of project 

$50,998 

$38,267 

$12,731 

$13,792 

4th year of project 

$52,528 

$39,415 

$13,113 

$14,205 




• The annual CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship payment is indexed at 3% and is documented in 
the Collaboration Agreement. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research 
Organisation will advise recipients of any additional indexation to be applied to the Grant. 
• As part of the student career and professional development training program, students must 
attend Launch Camp which may require the student to travel interstate. CSIRO will reimburse 
the student (through the university or CSIRO Research Unit) up to an additional $1,500 to fund 
travel, accommodation and ancillary expenses for this event. 


4.2 Grant period 

The Collaboration Agreement allows a maximum grant period of five years to accommodate for a 
four-year PhD scholarship. Further extensions may be approved where the parties to the 
Collaboration Agreement agree in writing. 

5 Eligibility criteria 

We cannot consider your EOI if all collaborating parties do not satisfy all the eligibility criteria. 

5.1 Who is eligible? 

An EOI for the CSIRO Industry PhD Program must include an Australian university, an industry 
partner and CSIRO. All parties must satisfy the below eligibility requirements. 

Industry Partners must: 

• have a registered ABN or ACN 
• have a substantial presence in Australia (e.g. research, development, primary production, or 
manufacturing facilities) 
• fund an Industry PhD top-up for a total of $50,204 over four years 
• provide a suitable staff member to join the PhD student supervisory panel for up to four years 
• be a Research End User 
• guide the student to undertake a minimum 60-day Industry Engagement component (see 
Appendix A. Industry Engagement Component) 
• provide access to facilities and infrastructure required to undertake the project 
• be a legal entity with the capacity to enter into a legally binding agreement or contract 
• be registered for the purposes of GST 
• have an account with an Australian financial institution. 


Regarding the Industry top-up: 

• there is a preference for funding to be provided directly from the industry partner. However, 
subject to approval by CSIRO and the University, funding can be from an alternative source, 
such as a Rural Development Corporation, Industry Association or Cooperative Research 
Centre. A separate funding agreement between the funding source and the University will be 
required 
• arrangements for projects with more than one eligible industry partner providing funding and 
support to the student will only be approved if discussed with the iPhD program office, 
supported by the CSIRO Delegate and suitable project arrangements can be determined in the 
contract negotiation stage. This arrangement will require all industry partners participating in 
the project to agree to the terms of the Collaboration Agreement. The involvement of multiple 
industry partners requires a tailored EOI form that must be obtained by contacting the iPhD 
program office 
• CSIRO and/or the University cannot fund the Industry top-up. 



 

CSIRO Research Units must: 

• provide and fund a suitably experienced researcher to be part of the PhD student supervisory 
panel for up to four years 
• provide access to required facilities and infrastructure 


Universities must: 

• allocate a suitably experienced researcher to supervise the PhD student for up to four years 
• advertise, recruit, and enrol the PhD student with support from iPhD program staff 
• provide access to required facilities and infrastructure 
• provide a domestic fee off-set for the PhD student 
• monitor and assess the student in accordance with the university’s Higher Degree by Research 
policies 
• pay the student their scholarship from the commencement of their project as per the 
Collaboration Agreement. 


The iPhD program cannot be used to fund an initiative that the organisation is already funded to 
deliver (for example, CRC scholarships previously funded or agreed). 

5.2 What qualifications or skills are required from the 
supervisory team? 

The supervisory team consists of university, industry and CSIRO supervisors. There must be a 
minimum of one supervisor from each party. All parties are required to jointly supervise the student. 
Supervisors should have complementary, relevant disciplinary knowledge, and availability 
discussed and agreed upon before EOI submission to ensure the student can be properly 
supported throughout their PhD. 

• The Primary Supervisor, allocated from the university, is responsible for monitoring and 
assessing the PhD student progress in accordance with the university’s PhD academic 
requirements. The university supervisor must be eligible to act as a Primary Supervisor under 
the relevant university’s policy. 
• Industry and CSIRO supervisors may need to meet supervisory requirements of the 
participating university. The time commitment for the industry and CSIRO supervisors will 
depend on the project, university policy and student location and can vary during the PhD, as 
the PhD students may need more (or less) time in different phases of their research. 


6 What the grant money can be used for 

6.1 Grant requirements 

 

The grant opportunity facilitates co-supervision of an industry-focused PhD by an Australian 
University, industry partner and CSIRO. Industry PhD research projects must: 

• align with government and CSIRO priorities (See Section 7: The assessment criteria) 
• address an industry-relevant issue while complying with university PhD requirements 
• be up to four years duration, if completed on a full-time basis. Project duration may be subject 
to university policy 
• include at least three calendar months (60 workdays) of project related activities under the 
guidance of the industry partner. This part of the PhD is referred to as the Industry 
Engagement component. See Appendix A. Industry Engagement Component for further 
information. 



6.2 Eligible locations 

The student must be primarily based in Australia as per the locations listed in the Collaboration 
Agreement. If the student is required to travel internationally, conduct remote field work and/or 
access remote locations, further details, including how it will be funded, may be required prior to 
the finalisation of the Collaboration Agreement due to the additional cost and complexity. 

6.3 Eligible expenditure 

Eligible expenditure under the Program is in two categories: 

• CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship 
• Project Expense and Development Package 


The CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship may only be used to fund the scholarship of a domestic PhD 
student undertaking a Project approved under the Program. 

The Project Expense and Development package can fund the following expenses: laboratory 
consumables, fieldwork and travel costs associated with the project including the three-month 
Industry Engagement. Professional development activities for the student, such as conferences 
and research training workshops are also eligible expenses. 

The Project Expense and Development package cannot be used to fund items unrelated to the 
project such as supervisory costs, professional association membership fees, wages or 
retrospective costs. 

If your Expression of Interest is successful, we may ask you to provide further information on the 
costs outlined in your application. 

7 The assessment criteria 

You must address all the following assessment criteria in your Expression of Interest. Criteria have 
equal weighting. 

The Expression of Interest form includes text limits. There is a maximum of 200 words for each 
section pertaining to the assessment criteria. 

Criterion 1 - Industry Experience Provided to the Student (20%) 

The project must provide the student with an experience relevant to undertaking research in or with 
industry. This may be demonstrated by documenting how the project will: 

• provide the student with experience in and exposure to the commercialisation and/or 
translation of research in industry 
• facilitate education and training opportunities for the student, which focus on developing 
industry relevant research skills 
• provide networking opportunities and potential employment prospects in industry for the 
student. 


Criterion 2 - Project Impact (20%) 

Demonstrate the key objectives and predicted impact of the project. This may be demonstrated by: 

• a description of the large-scale problem or opportunity the project is seeking to address 
evidencing the “need” for the project 
• identification of what project impact and success will look like, particularly in relation to 
improving the productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability of Australia’s economy. 


Criterion 3 - Alignment to Government and CSIRO Strategic Priorities (20%) 


Demonstrate alignment of the project with Government and CSIRO Strategic priorities. This may be 
demonstrated by showing how the project aligns to: 

• Government programs such as the National Reconstruction Fund, or Trailblazer Universities 
Program 
• Government priorities such as Small to Medium Enterprises and private industry support, 
regional development, First Nations Australians, Critical Technologies, Australia’s National 
Science and Research Priorities 
• CSIRO strategic priorities such as the research being conducted by our Research Units. 


Criterion 4 - Research Industry Collaboration (20%) 

Projects should increase collaboration by strengthening or creating new working relationships 
between industry and the research sector. This may be demonstrated by documenting how the 
project will: 

• strengthen an existing relationship and support long-term collaboration between the applicants 
• develop new significant relationships with strong potential for ongoing collaboration 
• build capacity and capability in industry and research sectors. 


Criterion 5 - Project Feasibility and Resources (20%) 

Applicants are to provide details on key project activities and the role of the supervisor team in 
delivering the project. Applicants should also note any additional resources being provided to 
ensure the successful conduct of the project. This may be demonstrated by documenting: 

• the role of the supervisors in the project including student supervision and support 
• available infrastructure and facilities to be used during the Industry Engagement component 
and how the student will be supported in this time, particularly if the location of the industry 
partner is different to the location of the rest of their project 
• viability of project activities and outputs 
• any additional resource commitment (cash or in-kind) towards the project 
• any additional funding towards the student scholarship. 


8 How to apply 

Before applying, you must read and understand these guidelines and the Expression of Interest 
form. 

To apply you must: 

• complete the online Expression of Interest form available on www.csiro.au/iphd collaboratively. 
All parties must agree on all sections of the form, provide all the information requested and 
address all eligibility criteria and assessment criteria 
• include all necessary attachments. 
• submit the Expression of Interest to iphd@csiro.au by the close date of the relevant application 
phase. 


You are responsible for ensuring that your Expression of Interest is complete and accurate. Giving 
false or misleading information is a serious offence under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). We 
will investigate any false or misleading information and may exclude your Expression of Interest 
from further consideration. 

If you find an error in your Expression of Interest after submitting it, you should contact us 
immediately by emailing iphd@csiro.au . We do not have to accept any additional information, or 
requests from you to correct your Expression of Interest after the closing time. 


If we find an error or information that is missing, we may ask for clarification or additional 
information from you that will not change the nature of your Expression of Interest. 

You should keep a copy of your Expression of Interest and any supporting documents. We will 
acknowledge that we have received your Expression of Interest within three working days. 

8.1 Attachments to the Expression of Interest 
application 

All Expression of Interests require high-level approval from CSIRO, the university and the industry 
partner prior to submission. Specifically, the CSIRO supervisor must seek support from their 
Research Director; the university supervisor must seek support from their Graduate Research 
School or equivalent university delegate responsible for approving PhD projects and the industry 
partner must provide approval to participate. 

We require you to submit the following documents with the Expression of Interest form: 

• a letter from the relevant CSIRO Research Program Director 
• a letter from the relevant University’s Graduate Research School (or equivalent) 
• a letter from the industry partner’s board, CEO or equivalent. 


We highly recommend that you use the sample letter templates provided on www.csiro.au/iphd. 
Alternatively attach email evidence of approval. You should only attach requested documents, and 
we may not consider information in attachments not requested. 

8.2 Timing of grant opportunity processes 

The EOI must be submitted between the published opening and closing dates for each Expression 
of Interest application phase. We may accept applications up to one week after the closing date. 
Late applicants must notify the iPhD program team in writing via iPhD@csiro.au prior to the EOI 
application phase closing date and receive approval from the iPhD Program Manager. If approved, 
the applicant must submit their application by the approved extension date. 

If you are successful, we expect you will be able to commence your project from late 2025 to early 
2026.This timeframe assumes efficient review and minimal changes to the Collaboration 
Agreement and timely student recruitment. 

 

Activity 

Approximate timeframe 

EOI assessment and notification to successful and 
unsuccessful applicants 

3 weeks 

Collaboration Agreement negotiation, final execution and 
award of grant 

12 weeks 

Project advertising, student recruitment and enrolment 

Dependent on student interest 

CSIRO Student onboarding (Government background check 
and execution of Industry PhD Student Agreement) 

4-8 weeks 

Earliest start date of project after closing of EOI phase 

6 months 



 


8.3 Questions during the application process 

If you have any questions during the Expression of Interest period, contact iphd@csiro.au. 

The iPhD program staff will respond to emailed questions within three working days. 

9 The grant selection process 

We will review your Expression of Interest against the eligibility criteria. If eligible, it is then 
assessed against the assessment criteria (see Section 7: The assessment criteria) and ranked 
against other applications. 

We will then provide recommendations to the relevant CSIRO delegate on preferred projects. 

9.1 Who will assess Expression of Interest 
applications? 

iPhD program staff will assess each eligible EOI. If required, iPhD program staff may consult with 
other relevant CSIRO staff to inform the assessment process. 

iPhD program staff may seek additional information about you, your EOI, project partners, related 
entities, associated entities and related personnel from third party sources, including other 
Commonwealth entities. They may do this from within the Commonwealth, even if the sources are 
not nominated by you as referees. iPhD program staff may also consider information about you or 
your Expression of Interest that is available through the normal course of business. 

iPhD program staff will make recommendations to the relevant CSIRO delegate on which 
Expression of Interest applications to approve for a grant. 

9.2 Who will approve grants? 

The relevant CSIRO delegate decides which grants to approve considering the recommendations 
from iPhD program staff and the availability of grant funds for the purposes of the program. 

The CSIRO Research delegate’s decision is final in all matters, including: 

• the approval of the grant 
• the grant funding amount to be awarded 


There is no appeal mechanism for decisions made by the CSIRO delegate. 

9.3 Notification of Expression of Interest outcomes 

We will advise you of the outcome of your Expression of Interest via email within three weeks 
following the closing date of the Expression of Interest phase. If you are successful, we will advise 
you of any specific conditions attached to the grant. 

If you are unsuccessful, we will give you an opportunity to discuss the outcome. 

You can submit a new Expression of Interest for the same grant in any future grant opportunities 
under the iPhD Program. You should include new or more information to address any weaknesses 
that may have prevented your previous Expression of Interest from being successful. 

9.4 Announcement of grants 

All successful grant outcomes will be reported to the Government. The Government may publish 
successful recipients and project details. Only information taken from “The project details for 
advertising section” on the Expression of Interest form will be published. 


10 Successful grant applications 

10.1 The Collaboration Agreement 

A Collaboration Agreement is established between CSIRO, the university and industry partner for 
each project. The PhD student is also required to sign an Industry PhD Student Agreement (with 
CSIRO and the university), which aligns to the terms and conditions of the Collaboration 
Agreement. The Collaboration Agreement highlights privacy, confidentiality, insurance, funding 
arrangements, project duration, intellectual property (IP) and other legal and operational aspects of 
the program. 

Any specific IP considerations should be identified during the scoping of the project, and any new IP 
created during the project (other than copyright in the student’s thesis, which the student retains) will 
be owned and licensed through the Collaboration Agreement in accordance with CSIRO’s IP 
Principles and the Australian Government’s Higher Education Research Commercialisation (HERC) 
Intellectual Property Framework. For further detail around our IP options, please contact 
iPhD@csiro.au. 

We must execute a Collaboration Agreement between the three collaborating parties before we 
can make any payments. We are not responsible for any expenditure until a Collaboration 
Agreement is executed. You must not start any project activities until a Collaboration Agreement is 
executed. The Commonwealth may recover grant funds if there is a breach of the Collaboration 
Agreement. 

We undertake regular reviews of the Collaboration Agreement and Industry PhD Student 
Agreement to make improvements in accordance with the purpose, requirements and obligations of 
the iPhD program. We may consider feedback on standard terms if deemed appropriate. If you 
wish to provide general feedback on the Collaboration Agreement or Student Agreement, please 
email iPhD@csiro.au. 

Email of Agreement 

If your Expression of Interest is successful, we will send you an email advising that your Expression 
of Interest will progress to the Collaboration Agreement drafting stage. 

The iPhD contract manager will work with relevant CSIRO staff to create a draft Collaboration 
Agreement specific to each project, based on the initial Expression of Interest paperwork. After the 
draft contract has been issued, you will be able to review and provide feedback. 

10.2 How we pay the grant 

The Collaboration Agreement will state the: 

• maximum grant amount to be paid 
• any financial contributions contributing parties must make. 


We will make payments according to the Collaboration Agreement. Indexation is a component of 
the grant payment, and the Collaboration Agreement will outline how and when indexation will be 
paid. 

11 Student recruitment and ongoing eligibility 

Student recruitment can only commence once a Collaboration Agreement is executed between the 
industry partner, the university and CSIRO. 

 

 

 


Project advertising 

The university is responsible for advertising projects, however iPhD program staff will assist. All 
projects are advertised on the university and CSIRO scholarship websites. Students must submit 
expressions of interest for iPhD projects through the university. 

Student eligibility 

Students must be eligible under the universities PhD admission criteria in addition to meeting the 
eligibility requirements of the CSIRO Industry PhD Program. The university undertakes student 
eligibility checking against university PhD admission criteria. 

To be eligible for a CSIRO Industry iPhD scholarship, students must: 

• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or Australian permanent resident 
• meet university PhD admission and English language requirements 
• not have previously completed a PhD 
• not be in receipt of another primary scholarship 
• be able to commence the program in the year of the offer 
• enrol as a full-time PhD student. The Program is not designed for part-time arrangements and 
are strongly discouraged. However, part-time may potentially be considered only if approved by 
the supervisory team and in accordance with university policy. Part-time scholarships are 
taxable. 
• be located at the agreed project location(s) and, if required, comply with the university’s 
external enrolment procedures. 


Student selection 

Eligible students are identified by the university and provided to the supervisory panel. The 
supervisor panel will shortlist, interview, and nominate the most suitable student to formally apply 
for the scholarship. iPhD program staff can assist in the interview process if desired by the 
supervisory panel. Selections are based on: 

• experience relevant to the field of research 
• research experience and academic excellence 
• suitability for the project 
• motivation for undertaking an industry-led PhD project. 


Student enrolment and signing of Student Agreement 

The university initiates student enrolment and admission processes. Once complete, a CSIRO 
Industry PhD Student Agreement is issued between CSIRO, the university, and the student. The 
Student Agreement must be signed by the student, their university and CSIRO within six months 
from the commencement of the student’s candidature. The agreement aligns with the terms and 
conditions of the Collaboration Agreement and covers IP arrangements, publications rights and other 
legal aspects. To support a students’ development, project publications are encouraged, but some 
conditions may be imposed to protect project IP and confidential information of the parties involved. 
For further details, please contact iphd@csiro.au . 

Payment of scholarship to the student 

The university must pay the student their entire scholarship (CSIRO Industry PhD Scholarship and 
Industry top-up) from the commencement of the student’s candidature regardless of whether the 
CSIRO Student Agreement has been finalised. 

Student onboarding 

The successful student will undergo onboarding to CSIRO, which will include mandatory 
government background checks, access to CSIRO infrastructure and appropriate sites required for 
their project and an orientation session conducted by iPhD program staff. 


11.1 Maintaining student eligibility 

To maintain eligibility to receive the CSIRO Industry PhD scholarship, students must: 

• sign the CSIRO Industry PhD Student Agreement within six months of enrolment 
• maintain satisfactory progress in all PhD academic requirements of the university (Confirmation 
of Candidature, Research Progress Reviews, etc.) 
• participate in the career and professional development training delivered by iPhD program staff. 
The training program includes approximately 20 days full-time equivalent of training over four 
years (comprising both mandatory and recommended courses). Course delivery is mostly online. 
• undertake an Industry Engagement component with the industry partner (Appendix A. Industry 
Engagement Component ) 
• seek approval for personal leave longer than that outlined in the Commonwealth Scholarships 
Guidelines (Research) 2017 from the host university, CSIRO and the industry partner 
• Adhere to the Industry PhD Program’s Scholarship Terms and Conditions available on 
www.csiro.au/iphd 


To monitor eligibility status and support students, iPhD program staff will: 

• deliver structured support and check-ins throughout candidature 
• facilitate optional networking events with peers and relevant professional stakeholders. 
• provide project support tools such as guides to assist with project management and supervisor 
communication and individual learning roadmaps to plan training and development 
opportunities tailored to mutually negotiated learning priorities. 


12 How we monitor your grant activity 

12.1 Keeping us informed 

You should let us know if anything is likely to affect your project or organisation. We need to know 
of any key changes to your organisation or its business activities, particularly if they affect your 
ability to complete your grant. 

You must also inform us of any changes to your: 

• name 
• addresses 
• nominated contact details 
• bank account details. 


If you become aware of a breach of terms and conditions under the Collaboration Agreement, you 
must contact us immediately. 

12.2 Reporting 

Specific planning and reporting requirements may be required in accordance with the participating 
university’s policies. The university is responsible for ensuring that any additional agreements for 
the Industry Engagement component are consistent with the Collaboration Agreement. 

12.3 Audited financial acquittal report 

The Project Expense and Development Package funds are an auditable scholarship benefit and 
must be spent, and proper records kept, in accordance with the travel and purchasing policies of 
the organisation managing them on behalf of the project. 

The initial Project Expense and Development payment will be transferred upon student enrolment 
to the organisation where the student will be primarily located. To receive the subsequent annual 


funding, an Annual Statement of Expenditure (ASE) must be submitted to the iPhD Program no 
later than 28 February, acquitting incurred costs between 1 January to 31 December. 

12.4 Grant agreement variations 

We recognise that unexpected events may affect your progress. In these circumstances, you can 
request a variation to your Collaboration Agreement. You can request a variation by emailing 
iphd@csiro.au. You should not assume that a variation request will be successful. We will consider 
your request based on provisions in the Collaboration Agreement and the likely impact on 
achieving outcomes. 

12.5 Evaluation 

To assess the effectiveness of the iPhD Program in achieving its objectives and intended outcomes 
and to support its ongoing improvement, iPhD students and their supervisory team will be expected 
to participate in program evaluation activities, including interviews and surveys. These activities will 
be conducted at various stages throughout the four-year PhD allowing for ongoing reflection and 
learning. iPhD program staff will report results to internal and external stakeholders. 

13 Probity 

The Australian Government will make sure that the grant opportunity process is fair, is conducted 
according to the published grant opportunity guidelines, incorporates appropriate safeguards 
against fraud and corruption, unlawful activities and other inappropriate conduct and is consistent 
with the CGRPs. 

These guidelines may be changed from time-to-time by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial 
Research Organisation (CSIRO). When this happens, the revised guidelines will be published on 
www.csiro.au/iPhD. 

13.1 Enquiries and feedback 

Any questions about grant decisions should be sent to iphd@csiro.au. If you do not agree with the 
way iPhD program staff have dealt with the grant decision, please contact CSIRO Complaints. 

If you do not agree with the way the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research 
Organisation (CSIRO) has handled your complaint, you may complain to the Commonwealth 
Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will not usually consider a complaint unless the matter has first 
been raised directly with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 
(CSIRO). 

The Commonwealth Ombudsman can be contacted on: 

 Phone (Toll free): 1300 362 072 
Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au 
Website: www.ombudsman.gov.au 

13.2 Conflict of interest 

Any conflicts of interest, or perceived conflicts of interest can affect the performance of the grant 
opportunity or program. There may be a conflict of interest, or perceived conflict of interest, if 
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) staff, any member of a 
committee or advisor and/or you or any of your personnel, including sub-contractors: 

• have a professional, commercial or personal relationship with a party who can influence the 
Expression of Interest application selection process, such as an Australian Government officer 



• have a relationship with or interest in, an organisation, which is likely to interfere with or restrict 
the applicants from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently or 
• have a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain 
because the organisation receives a grant under the grant program/ grant opportunity. 


You will be asked to declare, as part of your Expression of Interest, any perceived or existing 
conflicts of interests. If you later identify an actual, apparent, or perceived conflict of interest, you 
must inform the iPhD program staff via email immediately. 

Conflicts of interest for Australian Government staff will be handled as set out in the Australian 
Public Service Code of Conduct (Section 13(7) of the Public Service Act 1999). Committee 
members and other officials including the decision maker must also declare any conflicts of 
interest. We publish our conflict of interest policy on the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial 
Research Organisation (CSIRO) Code of Conduct webpage. 

13.3 Privacy 

Your personal information is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) and CSIRO will 
handle your personal information in accordance with this Act. 

Your personal information including your name, contact details (e.g., work phone number, work 
email address), and employment details (e.g., university/organisation, role, disciplinary area, 
expertise, qualifications) is being collected for the purposes of: 

• assessing the Expression of Interest application for the CSIRO Industry PhD Program (iPhD) 
• administering and managing the iPhD Program 
• conducting reporting and analysis (internally to CSIRO and externally to Federal Government) 
• evaluating the iPhD Program. 


CSIRO may disclose your personal information to the parties that you list on the EOI (CSIRO, 
University, Industry) for the above purpose. 

CSIRO uses the third-party platform Microsoft Office 365 to facilitate the iPhD Program. Microsoft 
Office 365 data servers are based in Australia. For further information about how Microsoft Office 
365 handles personal information, please refer to Microsoft's privacy policy available at Microsoft's 
privacy policy. 

For further information on how CSIRO handles your personal information and our access, 
correction and complaints process please read our privacy policy available on our website at 
https://www.csiro.au/en/Privacy or contact us at privacy@csiro.au. 

If you do not provide your personal information, your Expression of Interest may not be able to be 
assessed. By completing the CSIRO Industry PhD Program Expression of Interest application, you 
agree to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in the ways described 
above. 

13.4 Confidential Information 

Other than information available in the public domain, you agree not to disclose to any person, 
other than us, any confidential information relating to the grant Expression of Interest and/or 
Collaboration Agreement, without our prior written approval. The obligation will not be breached 
where you are required by law, Parliament or a stock exchange to disclose the relevant information 
or where the relevant information is publicly available (other than through breach of a confidentiality 
or non-disclosure obligation). We may at any time, require you to arrange for you; or your 
employees, agents or subcontractors to give a written undertaking relating to nondisclosure of our 
confidential information in a form we consider acceptable. 


We will keep any information in connection with the Collaboration Agreement confidential to the 
extent that it meets all the three conditions below: 

1. you clearly identify the information as confidential and explain why we should treat it as 
confidential 
2. the information is commercially sensitive 
3. revealing the information would cause unreasonable harm to you or someone else. 


We will not be in breach of any confidentiality agreement if the information is disclosed to: 

• the iPhD program staff and other Commonwealth employees and contractors to help us manage 
the Program effectively, including for an integrity purpose 
• employees and contractors of our department so we can research, assess, monitor and analyse 
our programs and activities 
• employees and contractors of other Commonwealth agencies for any purposes, including 
government administration, research or service delivery 
• other Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government agencies in program reports and 
consultations 
• the Auditor-General, Ombudsman, Privacy Commissioner or National Anti-Corruption 
Commissioner, or staff of their agencies 
• the responsible Minister or Parliamentary Secretary, or 
• a House or a Committee of the Australian Parliament. 


The Collaboration Agreement may also include any specific confidentially requirements about 
special categories of information collected, created or held under the Collaboration Agreement. 

13.5 Freedom of information 

All documents in the possession of the Australian Government, including those about this grant 
opportunity, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). 

The purpose of the FOI Act is to give members of the public rights of access to information held by 
the Australian Government and its entities. Under the FOI Act, members of the public can seek 
access to documents held by the Australian Government. This right of access is limited only by the 
exceptions and exemptions necessary to protect essential public interests and private and 
business affairs of persons in respect of whom the information relates. 

All Freedom of Information requests must be referred to the Freedom of Information Coordinator in 
writing. 

By mail: Freedom of Information Coordinator 

CSIRO 

PO Box 255 

Dickson ACT 2602 

By email: FOI@csiro.au


Appendix A. Industry Engagement Component 

Eligible Activities 

Activities should contribute to the development, research, and outcomes of the PhD project, and be 
related to the student’s research. Potential activities may include: undertaking research translation 
activities, understanding the research needs of the industry partner and/or the broader industry, 
and/ or testing research assumptions and innovations in an industry setting with end-users. 

Duration 

The minimum duration of the Industry Engagement is three calendar months (60 full-time 
equivalent workdays). Industry Engagement should ideally be completed part-time or in short 
blocks strategically placed throughout the PhD to encourage ongoing engagement between the 
industry partner and the student. 

Location and Supervision 

The primary location of the Industry Engagement is expected to be the premises of the industry 
partner. At the discretion and with the agreement of the supervisory team, alternate locations (e.g., 
at a CSIRO site, remote attendance, or at the university) may be possible if there are travel 
limitations or if the project requires access to specific facilities and equipment. The industry partner 
must ensure suitable supervision of all activities at their sites. All industry supervisors must meet 
university specified requirements and may be required to register on the university’s system. 

Costs 

If the student is required to live away from the primary location of the project during Industry 
Engagement, the Project Expense and Development package may be used to fund travel and living 
expenses associated with the Industry Engagement within reason. The student should not incur 
additional living expenses during the Industry Engagement component. If the Industry Engagement 
is likely to include international travel, field work and/or access to remote locations, further details, 
including how it will be funded, will be required prior to the finalisation of the Collaboration 
Agreement due to the additional cost and complexity. 

Publication 

Research output from the Industry Engagement component may be included in the thesis subject 
to satisfying arrangements contained in the Collaboration Agreement. 

Planning and reporting 

Specific planning and reporting requirements may be required in accordance with the university’s 
policies. The university is responsible for ensuring that any additional agreements for the Industry 
Engagement are consistent with the Collaboration Agreement. 

Eligibility under Government Research Training Program Internship guidelines 

It is intended that the Industry Engagement will support the student to undertake their Industry PhD 
project and will also meet the requirements for the additional weighting under RTP guidelines. 
Further information is available about what constitutes an eligible internship is available on the 
Australian’s Government’s Department of Education website.