Researcher support and development - Te tautoko rangahau me te whakawhanake

The Research Operations group helps researchers through every stage of their work. The group assist with research systems, policies, legal and financial matters, and helps researchers build the skills they need to become future research leaders. Our 3 teams:

• coordinate submissions to major research funders
• oversee internal research funding and awards
• work with other research management organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.

The Director of Research Operations, Dr Viv Smith, leads the group.

The Research Innovation and Impact (RII) team supports you and your research. They work with individual researchers and academic units to support project and career development and assist with funding proposals.

If you need support with your research project, from developing your initial idea into a full proposal and submission to reporting on the project at its conclusion, the RII team can help. Get help throughout the research proposal development process, including:

• eligibility criteria
• submission
• finding ways to increase the impact of your research.

Connect with government research funding agencies

We work with the main New Zealand government research funding agencies and manage funding opportunities for Massey research staff.

• HRC – the Health Research Council of New Zealand
• MBIE – the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
• RStA – Royal Society Te Apārangi

Research funding for Massey staff (staff login required)

Resources and recognition

Our resources and workshops can help you:

• better understand Massey’s research system
• find funding sources that match your discipline and topic
• manage your research career proactively.

We coordinate the annual research medals and awards process that highlights outstanding and impactful research from Massey’s diverse and talented research community.

The Legal Services team in Research Operations helps with legal agreements. We can give advice, prepare documents, work together with you and review agreements such as:

• research and consultancy agreements
• memoranda of understanding
• subcontracts
• intellectual property agreements
• non-disclosure agreements.

We offer advice on contract and intellectual property law. Our team works with legal teams from other organisations to streamline interactions, agree on contract approaches and formalise relationships with partners, funders and students.

Financial management support

After your research or consultancy contract is signed, we help manage your research and consultancy funding by:

• establishing research accounts
• invoicing
• setting reminders for reporting deadlines or research project milestones.

We close out project accounts when major research funders ask us to. We work with Massey's central Finance group on audits if needed. We also open and support research accounts for internal funding rounds, such as the Massey University Research Fund.

The Research Systems and Reporting team manages Massey's research information and provides strategic reporting and policy advice.

We take care of the university’s research information systems, such as:

• RIMS
• Symplectic Elements
• Expertise

We also support, advise on or manage:

• the planning and implementation of strategy and policy for research and enterprise functions
• Performance-Based Research Funding (PBRF)
• the University Research Committee (URC) and the PBRF Governance Group
• internal research funds and university research awards processes.

We help staff by providing data for:

• external reporting, such as External Research Income (ERI) and reports to TEC
• KPI annual reporting
• informing decisions on strategic research directions.

The Ethics team offers advice and support to staff and student researchers. They help you understand your ethics responsibilities and guide you to conduct research responsibly and ethically.

Associate Professor Nicky Stanley-Clarke, Chair of the Ethics Chairs Committee, leads our Research Ethics team, which coordinates the animal and human ethics committees.

The Ethics Chairs Committee is a sub-committee of the University Research Committee (URC).

Learn more about research ethics at Massey

Exploring great ideas expands our understanding – it’s also what successful companies are built on.

If you would like to develop your research idea into business practice and commercialisation, contact the experienced and knowledgeable Commercialisation team.

Learn more about commercialisation at Massey

The Graduate Research School (GRS) helps our doctoral students with both administrative and learning support, making sure they have a positive experience.

GRS offers learning and development for supervisors, including Supervisor Accreditation, so research supervisors can keep their knowledge and skills current.

If you are thinking about a doctoral degree or scholarship, or if you are a Massey researcher who wants to build your supervision skills, get in touch with the GRS team.

Specific support offered

We offer support for students and their supervisors, including:

• guidance and advice on administrative steps, from applying to final examination
• advice and support for scholarships to help research at every level
• workshops, online courses, and events on key topics like writing, sharing your research, working with supervisors and students, and building your career
• peer mentoring programmes, such as Scholars Massey for undergraduate and postgraduate scholars, and Accelerate for early career researchers
• online writing groups and writing bootcamps
• Strengths@Massey, a programme for doctoral students and their supervisors.

Learn about PhDs and professional doctorates at Massey

Learn about support for supervisors on OneMassey (login required)

Committee support and leadership

GRS leads and supports the University Scholarships Advisory Committee and the Doctoral Research Committee. Both are chaired by Dean Postgraduate Research, Professor Tracy Riley.

These committees guide the direction of doctoral research and scholarships at Massey.