Travel / Research Scholarship

The Aim of the Scholarship is to provide an opportunity each year for a person(s) employed in facilities management with an institution that is a member of TEFMA to undertake a study tour of other Australasian institutions to improve their knowledge of contemporary facilities management practices.

Applications should clearly reference the criteria provided.  Words provided are a prompt only, to assist those completing an application, but are not intended to be exhaustive.  

Applicants should propose a study tour research program, to visit selected Australasian institutions relevant to their area of professional practice.  

A.    Professional development

Applicants should describe how their proposed study tour would assist them to broaden their knowledge of a particular aspect of tertiary facilities management, if they were successful in winning the Research Scholarship.

Applications should include reference to institutions proposed to be visited; why they have been selected, and what the applicant hopes to learn as a result of the tour. 

Applicants should include evidence of their own developing professionalism, and the potential for them to increase the positive impact they can make in property and/or facilities management in their institution as a result of this study tour.

Applications should clearly demonstrate how the scholarship will professionally benefit both themselves and their Institution. 

B.     Interpersonal skills development

Applications should demonstrate that the applicant is developing leadership skills in a current role, and should provide examples of:

• A workplace task or situation where you were required to show strong leadership, recognised as such by your peers and/or supervisor.   Describe the attributes you needed to perform this role successfully.
• A time when you were required to show strong relationship management in a work situation, either with your peers or with your customers.  Describe the attributes you needed to perform this role successfully.

Applications should demonstrate that the applicant is developing representation skills in a current role, and should provide an example of:

• A situation where you were required to represent your Department or Institution at a senior level, either within or outside the organisation.   Describe the attributes you needed to perform this role successfully.

C.    TEFMA Participation

Applications should demonstrate that the applicant has a continuing interest in TEFMA and appreciates the value of participating in TEFMA activities. 

Applicants should demonstrate their knowledge of the mission and workings of TEFMA by referencing some or all of the following:

• Active participation you may have had with TEFMA in the past.
• Recent understanding you have developed about the activities of TEFMA.
• Ways in which you would be interested in contributing to TEFMA in the future.  
• Suggestions with respect to future activities that TEFMA could undertake to expand its work in the higher education property and facilities management sector.

• Only one nomination per institution is permitted each year for each scholarship.
• Scholarships will normally be granted to an individual only once.
• Candidates must be an employee of an Institutional Member of TEFMA.
• If the candidate is not already a member of TEFMA, then the host Institutional member is to arrange for the candidate to become a member of TEFMA.
• Candidates must be operating at a first line supervisory position or above. 
• Scholarship applicants may be required to undertake an interview.

Invitations to apply for the Scholarship will be circulated to all members. The invitation shall clearly indicate the closing date for receipt of applications and the address to which they are to be forwarded. Reminders should also be promulgated.

The Scholarship is awarded to an eligible candidate after consideration of the responses to the Selection Criteria on the Selection Criteria form.

Selection of the successful applicant/s will be determined by the TEFMA Board following receipt of a recommendation from a Panel established to review the applications.

The Review Panel shall be made up of the following members:

• Chair, Education Committee
• Member, Education Committee
• A Past President of TEFMA

More than one Scholarship can be awarded in any calendar year.

Download the Information Pack and / or Application Form through the Releated Resources Link below

The Scholarship has a value of up to A$5,000 inc. GST towards the cost of the study tour. The successful applicant will need support from their institution for both the time to undertake the study tour, and the contribution to any costs in excess of the scholarship amount. Where the total cost of the study tour is less than A$5,000, the scholarship will be the actual costs incurred.

The successful applicant will be required to produce a written report within 4 weeks of completing the study tour, giving an outline of the information obtained and how the new knowledge will be applied to the applicant's work. The report will be published in the TEFMA newsletter.

A successful applicant is to make all necessary travel/visit arrangements. The successful applicant's institution pays for all travel costs and those other costs associated with the visit programme. The institution then forwards a copy of the claim/appropriate invoices to the TEFMA Treasurer for reimbursement of the TEFMA (Scholarship) contribution.