Purposes and benefits

The confirmation process is designed to identify at an early stage any major problems that may hinder timely completion of a satisfactory research project and thesis.

While it will feel like you are the one being assessed in this regard, a HDR degree is always a joint venture between candidate, supervisor(s) and a School or Faculty. The confirmation process is thus designed to enable the candidate and the School to evaluate:

• The scope and merit of the project
• The progress of the research program
• The appropriateness of the methods and techniques being employed
• The capacity of the candidate to undertake the research at this time, including any development needs
• The department's ability to adequately resource and supervise the project

Many students find the confirmation process to be affirming, if not enjoyable. They feel more confident about their project, and their abilities to complete that project, after presenting and defending it to a panel of experts.

Certainly, you can be confident after confirmation that you have a viable project, with no glaring gaps or omissions.

Completing confirmation is also an achievement and milestone. Your project will now be focussed and defined, and you will have a written blueprint for the work to be done over the next two to two-and-a-half years.

• Confirmation is a very important milestone. It achieves three things:
  • It reviews the candidate's progress
  • It evaluates the research plans that have been developed
  • It allows the student to receive some constructive feedback

I think the best thing about the confirmation process was the feeling of accomplishment after one year. So you can then take a break... congratulate yourself, relax and feel that sense of accomplishment you might not feel again for two years.