Graduate School Career Development Framework

2018 Parliamentary Library summer research scholarships

The Parliamentary Library offers two summer research scholarships for postgraduate students each year. Scholars work alongside specialist researchers in the Parliamentary Library in Canberra for a period of six weeks to produce a report on a topic of relevance to the Library’s research program.

Recipients of the Parliamentary Library Summer Research Scholarship:

  • are based in the Parliamentary Library for a period of six weeks
  • present a short work-in-progress seminar and
  • produce a research report of 5,000–8,000 words (see below for topics).

Summer Research Scholars also participate in a number of activities during the scholarship period, including:

  • an induction program where scholars learn about the role of the Parliamentary Library, its place in the parliamentary environment, and the purpose and style of its research publications
  • research section meetings as appropriate and other Library activities
  • functions with summer research scholars from the National Library of Australia and the Australian War Memorial and
  • a guided tour of Parliament House.

In 2018, the Library is seeking applications from students who have an interest in and knowledge of the following topics or a related area:

Politics and public administration
  • electoral reform
  • current issues in public administration
Environment and resources
  • climate change and greenhouse gas reduction policies—mitigation and adaptation
  • water management—domestic, industrial, agricultural, commercial
Foreign affairs, defence and security
  • the future utility of the ANZUS alliance—risks, benefits, possible alternatives
  • implications for Australia and its region of the UN Agenda 2030/Sustainable Development Goals
Social policy
  • building an evidence base through an international review of recent reforms in school education
  • reviewing the literature around disability employment programs to assess what works and what does not
Law
  • examination of the operation of section 44 of the Constitution in light of recent cases/developments
  • source taxation and the practical implementation of the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project recommendations
Statistics and mapping
  • export creation using trade data—creation of export markets, comparing growth in established/new industries
  • analysis of negative gearing and capital gains tax data
Economics
  • models of fiscal equalisation and interjurisdictional transfers
  • becoming trade exposed: the impact of LNG export markets on domestic retail electricity prices

Duration

The scholarship period is six weeks. Scholars are based in the Parliamentary Library in Canberra from Monday 8 January until Friday 16 February 2018. Scholars submit their research report on or before Friday 27 April 2018. The scholarship cannot be undertaken at an alternative time.

Financial support

Upon successful completion of the scholarship, an honorarium of $1,800 is awarded.

You may apply for a Candidate Development Award to offset expenses. Please note that the CDA is awarded on merit, therefore cannot be guaranteed.

Holders of UQ-administered scholarships will also be credited with 15 points towards the Career Development Scholarship Extension.