This Update #3 from our team here at\nthe Graduate Research School provides further information about matters\nrelevant to research students resulting from the COVID-19 New Zealand\ngovernment Alert Level 4 (\u201clockdown\u201d). We intend to continue to deliver further\nupdates on a weekly basis (or more frequently when important information\nbecomes available).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New Zealand COVID-19 Alert Levels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n New Zealand\u2019s COVID-19 Alert Level 4\nremains in place until at least 23 April 2020. It is possible that this will be\nextended beyond this date, and we should all prepare for this potential\nextension in our planning. Under Alert Level 4 all AUT campuses and facilities are closed<\/strong> and no person is able to\naccess university facilities without explicit and special permission. All of\nour electronic access cards have been disabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If and when Alert Level 4 is lifted,\nit is likely we will step back to Alert Level 3. This will continue to restrict\nmovements and require an extension of social distancing protocols. This will\ncontinue to constrain some graduate research student\u2019s abilities to progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find the latest information\non COVID-19 from New Zealand\u2019s COVID-19 information website<\/a> and via the Ministry of\nHealth website<\/a>. AUT maintains\nup-to-date information on our COVID-19 update page<\/a>, and\ndoctoral candidates can also access the AUTi COVID-19<\/a>\nintranet page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mental Health and Wellbeing Advice and Support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When people spend extended periods in\nisolation, and in combination with uncertainty, it provides challenges for\npeople\u2019s mental health and wellbeing. This can be exacerbated by other factors\nand some graduate students may find they are struggling. There are a range of\nsupport services and advice available including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Financial Hardship and Support Options<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A number of graduate research\nstudents are facing financial challenges. AUT has some support available (via application<\/a>). For more specific advice and information of potential sources of\nfinancial support please email: studenthub@aut.ac.nz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n International Students and Visas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Immigration New Zealand has advised<\/a> that all international students who have a student or interim visa with an expiry date of 2 April to 9 July 2020 inclusive, and who are in New Zealand on 2 April 2020, will have their visas automatically extended to 25 September 2020. Confirmation of extensions will be emailed to all visa holders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Current student visa holders who are not in New\nZealand are not currently permitted to enter New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For new students who have been issued a student\nvisa and who are not in New Zealand, and have deferred their studies until\nlater in the year or 2021, your current student visa will remain valid. If you\nare in this situation please notify us at: grs@aut.ac.nz<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AUT Doctoral Scholarship Recipients<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Current holders of doctoral\nscholarships (AUT Doctoral Scholarship and Vice-Chancellor\u2019s Doctoral\nScholarships) are still being paid their scholarship stipends over this Alert\nLevel 4 period. If, due to COVID-19, a doctoral scholarship recipient has had\ntheir ability to progress their research compromised for a period of more than\nfour weeks, they may apply for an extension to their scholarship at the end of\ntheir scholarship tenure. These extensions will be considered on a case-by-case\nbasis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Disruptions to a Student\u2019s Ability to Progress<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many research students have been\nable to work with their supervisors to adjust their plans and continue to\nprogress. For those students who are disrupted and unable to progress, an\napplication for an extension to current timelines and milestones may be needed.\nBecause we are unsure about the duration of the disruption at this point,\nstudents are encouraged to delay\ncompleting and submitting an application for an extension until the length and\nimplications of the disruption are known<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When research students are able to\nreturn to progressing with their work they should (with their supervisors\u2019\nadvice) consider the potential need for an extension and, if warranted, apply\nat this time. Extensions can be granted\nretrospectively<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research Student\u2019s Tuition Fees<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because the implications of the\nCOVID-19 disruption are not yet able to be quantified and because they are\nlikely to be different for each research student, no decisions have been made\nwith regard to changes to tuition fees (such as fee waivers). Currently\nenrolled students are still liable for tuition fee payments as per the invoices\nreceived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In-Person Data Gathering Involving Human Participants Temporarily Halted<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The AUT Human Ethics Committee have\nmade the decision to require all\nresearchers (including postgraduate research candidates) to halt all data\ngathering which involves being near to people.<\/strong> This means any research\ntechniques planned such as interviews, focus-groups, observations, and surveys\nwhich involve being in close proximity with people must be halted and deferred\nuntil further notice. Gathering and analysing data remotely, or using secondary\ndata (such as from databases), may continue; provided these activities are\nalready approved under a formal AUTEC approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doctoral PGR9 Presentations and Oral Exams<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Doctoral students approaching the\nPGR9 should be aware that the PGR9 oral\npresentation may be either deferred or held online <\/strong>(e.g. via Zoom). These\npresentations and PGR9 reviews are organised by faculties, so contact your\nfaculty postgraduate office for information on your presentation. Deferrals\nwill be approved when needed, with no penalties in regard to your candidature\ntimelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For doctoral candidates with an oral\nexamination scheduled during April, we will have been in communication with\nyou, your examiners, convenor and supervisors. We have developed protocols for online examinations via Zoom and your\nexamination will proceed<\/strong> (unless there is an approved request to defer)\nusing these remote examination protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online resources and learning opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The GRS is providing more learning\nresources and other information specifically for research students on our Thesislink\npage<\/a> and via the AUT Student Digital Workspace<\/a>. You may like to bookmark these pages and visit them regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We are also providing a number of\nonline seminars and workshops, including those offered by Academic Consulting\nwho have offered a number of helpful webinars<\/a>. In\naddition, they are offering online drop-in sessions \u2013 the times for these\nwill be arranged on a week by week basis, and the timeslots will be published\non their Facebook\npage<\/a> each Friday afternoon. The drop-ins are for any researchers\n(including students) who have a quick question \u2013 NVivo, SPSS, data analysis,\nwriting or productivity questions are all welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finding a way forward and staying positive<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you to all research students\nand supervisors who are being flexible, patient and supportive during these\nchallenging times. We will need to continue to work together and to adapt and\nfind ways to continue with our research and graduate research degree\naspirations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n