Research students at ISSR are passionate about making positive change.
Undertaking a Higher Degree by Research at ISSR will empower you to work on research that matters in the real-world and develop professional and personal skills for a successful career in academia, government, or industry.
The University of Queensland (UQ) offers a range of scholarships for HDR students to give you the financial support you need so you can focus on your research. Find the scholarship that’s right for you and make sure you check scholarship round application deadlines and outcome dates before applying as well as checking the UQ Scholarships page for more information.
ISSR Alumni
HDR enquiries
To get in touch with our HDR liason officer please contact:
issr.hdr@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56068
“There were two core aspects of the PhD experience that I think were unique to ISSR. First was the cohort experience. I sometimes hear people describe doing a PhD as an isolating experience. At ISSR we had a strong sense of a PhD student cohort, which made it an enjoyable place to show up to work and was an important source of support. Second was the Long Pocket campus. It is a beautiful and quiet campus, which again made it a very enjoyable place to work – it’s like showing up to your own personal writing retreat every day.”
Dr Ella Kuskoff, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland
“My PhD studies at ISSR have had a significant impact on my career path. The PhD strengthened my data analysis, research, and writing skills—key competencies in my current role.
Additionally, I greatly appreciate the industrial placement arranged by ISSR and my supervisory team, which provided valuable transferable skills and helped me launch my career.”
Dr Yongbo Liu, Department of Health, Queensland Government
ISSR HDR students
“I have really enjoyed my first year as a PhD student at ISSR. I have heard from friends of mine that the first year of a PhD can be quite isolating, but this hasn’t been my experience. In my first year I feel as though I have made new friends, engaged in the institute and had a lot of support from others.
Academically, I feel like I have grown a lot this year. I have developed new research skills, deepened my understanding of my topic, and had the chance to start initiatives like the ISSR HDR Writing club. I have also had access to both formal and informal mentoring at the institute, which has been incredibly valuable.”
Alysha Gray, HDR student
“My PhD is an evaluation of a youth justice service helping young people re-enter the community from detention, and ISSR specialises in commissioned evaluation research. From this perspective, ISSR seemed like the ideal place for me to complete my PhD and I think my PhD aligns with a lot of the work completed here. Being around people who are familiar with the evaluation process (even if they work in different topic areas) and who have industry experience means there are a lot of different people I can go to for advice. Being able to draw on my supervisory team for their extensive industry experience outside of academia is also of huge benefit to me.”
Tayla Barber, HDR Student