Welcome to Postgrad 2023

2023 marks an historic moment for postgraduate students at UQ. The first PhD President was elected to the UQ Union in at least 30 years, and six of its top fifteen elected officers are postgraduate students. In addition, the Association of Postgraduate Students (APS), the peak representative body for postgraduate students at UQ, will receive more than double its funding compared to what it received in 2022. Overall, these milestones represent an unprecedented shift in UQ postgraduate representation.

As the cost of living continues to rise at an unrelenting pace, we acknowledge the extraordinary pressures that Postgrad students are facing as they undertake their studies and research. Earlier this year, we saw the first substantial increase in HDR stipends in many years. Indeed, throughout 2022, the APS has been lobbying the University and the Federal Government to increase HDR stipends. Rest assured, APS and the UQ Union will continue to ensure HDR student interests are represented to the University and all levels of government.

As a student at UQ, you are already members of the APS and the UQ Union. Services and events by APS and the UQ Union are provided as part of the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) that you pay every research quarter. We encourage you to keep up to date with us on Instagram and Facebook to make the most of your University experience. Should you wish to contact us, please email us at postgrad@uqu.com.au.

Whether this is your first year or your last, we wish you all the best for your studies and research endeavours in 2023.