Call for EOIs to produce International Student Experience Report

Call for expressions of interest (EOI) – fixed term contract to produce International Student Experience Report

1. Background

The Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) is commissioning an independent report to analyse the lived experiences of international students at the University of Sydney. The report will inform institutional policy and advocacy aimed at improving educational, social, and professional outcomes for international students at the University of Sydney.

2. Project scope

The contractor will deliver a rigorous, evidence‑based report that examines, but is not limited to, the following dimensions:

• employment outcomes and graduate employability (priority focus)
• sense of belonging and engagement on campus – social, cultural, access to food and facilities
• safety, wellbeing, and experience of student support services
• navigation of administrative systems, including academic appeals, special consideration, student complaints
• securing accommodation and experience of living in student accommodation or private rental market.

3. Required expertise

Expressions of interest are invited from academics, professional researchers, or consultants who can demonstrate experience and capacity in:

• international education, higher‑education policy, or graduate employability research;
• mixed‑methods or participatory research involving student communities, and in collaboration with student organisations;
• completion of a project within budget and timeline.

4. Budget and contract

Total budget: up to AUD $40,000 – inclusive of professional fees, GST, associated research costs and any and all other or incidental costs.

Contract type: fixed‑term contractor agreement with milestone‑based payments to be negotiated with the successful applicant.

Note that preliminary data from some student interviews may be used by the project to inform or contribute to the final project.

5. Timeline and deliverables

6. Support and collaboration

The successful contractor will work closely with SUPRA’s Education Officer and Director of Publications, with access to student networks for consultation, limited administrative support, and relevant institutional data where available. The SUPRA Council will support data collection efforts as negotiated.

The final report and all data collected will remain the property of SUPRA. Where appropriate and as negotiated, data may be used for academic and research purposes in accordance with SUPRA’s policies.

7. Application requirements

Applicants should submit one PDF (max. 10 MB) containing:

• CV
• Proposal outlining the research approach, timeline, and indicative budget breakdown. The proposal should address the dimensions listed in the project scope.
• Examples of previous relevant work.

8. Submission and key dates

EOI closing date: 5pm AEST, Monday 18 August 2025
Email submissions to: education@supra.usyd.edu.au with subject line ‘EOI – International Student Experience Report’
Contact for enquiries: Weihong Liang at education@supra.usyd.edu.au