Expressions of interest are invited for a Masters scholarship opportunity (one scholarship only on offer)
EOIs close on the 18th April, 2025. Please note that the closing date is provided as a guide only. This opportunity may close earlier if the position is filled. EOI will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
What you’ll receive
- You will receive an annual stipend paid fortnightly, indexed annually to support living costs. The duration will be for 1.5 years inclusive of a 6-month extension and subject to satisfactory progress. From 1 July 2025, the annual stipend rate is $30,000.00 (AUD) full-time rate, tax exempt.
- Domestic students receive a Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset funded by the Australian Government.
- International students receive a QUT Tuition Fee Sponsorship.
Eligibility
To apply for this scholarship, you must meet the entry requirements for a Masters of Philosophy at QUT, including any English language requirements for international students.
The essential criteria for the scholarship include:
- not be in receipt of another living allowance scholarship to undertake the research degree
- enrol as a full-time, internal (on campus) student
- commence prior to September 2025.
- Ideally, interested persons should have research experience working in Solomon Islands.
Interested persons should send an expression of interest (EOI) to Associate Professor Danielle Watson danielle.watson@qut.edu.au with the words EOI Masters Scholarship in the subject of the email. The EOI should include:
- A personal statement outlining your suitability for the project (your experience working in Solomon Islands; research experience and skills; date of availability to commence studies);
- A Curriculum vitae (including education, employment history, research experience and two references); and
- Copies of your academic transcripts.
Please note only shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a full application to QUT.
Project Description: Advancing Human Security in the Solomon Islands
Human security is a growing priority in the South Pacific, where small island developing states (SIDS) face complex security challenges shaped by climate change, economic vulnerabilities, gender-based violence, and transnational crime. While global frameworks emphasise protecting individuals from environmental and socio-economic threats, they often fail to capture local security perceptions, indigenous resilience mechanisms, and the interplay between state and community-driven security approaches. Pacific Island nations have long relied on traditional governance, kinship networks, and customary law, yet these mechanisms remain underrepresented in global security discourse.
This project seeks to redefine human security in the Pacific by focusing on community-centred security models and the integration of state and non-state approaches. It will explore:
- How Pacific communities conceptualise security in relation to climate adaptation, economic stability, gender rights, and law enforcement.
- The role of traditional governance and indigenous knowledge systems in maintaining stability and resolving conflict.
- The challenges and opportunities in aligning local security frameworks with national and regional policies.
- The effectiveness of multi-stakeholder collaboration, including government agencies, law enforcement, civil society, and regional security partners.
By critically examining these issues, the project will strengthen human security governance in the Pacific, inform culturally responsive policies, and enhance regional cooperation. We are interested in supervising an HDR project that investigates how human security is defined and implemented in a South Pacific small island state, with a focus on localised, inclusive, and community-led approaches.
While there is some flexibility in the specifics of the MPhil project to be undertaken, it is intended that the successful candidate would focus on Solomon Islands.
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