PhD supervision

I am quite happy that finally the institute where I study does something regarding student supervision. I did not really care about supervision actually, from the very beginning of my Ph.D candidature. My principal supervisor resigned before I did my confirmation examination. I was like in the middle of nowhere. It was terrible situation because I came to this institute to learn from this person expertise. I could not blame the resigned supervisor. If I were in his position I might do the same as he did. What made me skeptical about supervision was that the institute was powerless and could not help me to continue supervision with the resigned supervisor. Other students and I were encouraged to choose someone from the institute as our formal supervisors; where actually has very limited resources.

After three years of my study, it seems that these formal supervisors were too kind to me; they never want to disturb my enjoyable study. I did two fieldworks in Indonesia and an archive research in the Netherlands, and went from a conference to a conference (from East to West, North to South). Last year I wrote only one very rough chapter that I was not satisfied at all. However, my supervisors neither gave complaints nor comments on what I wrote and I did. I think my supervisors are too kind and see me with too high standard so I did not really need ‘help.’ Or they just want to let me being supervised informally with my resigned supervisor, who is my shadow supervisor. This shadow supervisor is very helpful: reading my chapters, reports and essays; giving comments, references, and suggestion too. The only problem is he is too far away. I always break my promise to send him a revised chapter or even a progress email every month.

I know this is certainly unusual and bad direction. But I did not want to make a pressure on my recent supervisors too. I am doing my own project research, not them. So, I feel I get a freedom to do what I want to do. What a positive thinking! After three years I would say that I enjoyed of having not enough supervision.

Now, the institute wanted to encourage these supervisors to be more helpful. I welcome. Its good deed, why not supporting it? In fact, I do need help that urge me to write my thesis chapters. I am looking forward to have a different way to enjoying my phd.

By this curhat I just one to give advice. For those of you want to take PhD studies, please choose the right supervisor. If you get the wrong one, keep cool and enjoy it! :)

Studi Filantropi di Australia

Kajian filantropi bisa ditemukan di tiga lembaga: universitas (lembaga pendidikan), lembaga penelitian, dan lembaga advokasi. Tentu kategorinya bisa tumpang tindih, misalnya ada lembaga penelitian yang attached ke universitas. Untuk studi filantropi (mengambil gelar degree) yang cukup baik adalah yang berbasis di universitas. Riset center biasanya tidak menawarkan studi tapi cukup leading dalam riset mengenai filantropi. Lembaga advokasi arahnya memberikan training untuk community development.

Di Australia belum banyak universitas yang menawarkan studi filantropi. Dibawah ini saya list program studi dan pusat riset filantropi yang cukup baik.

1. Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, Queensland University of Technology, di Brisbane.
   
   Di sini ditawarkan Graduate Certificate in Philanthropy and Non Profit Studies dan Master in Philanthropy and Non Profit studies. Center ini ada di bawah School of Accountancy di Fakultas Business, Queensland University of Technology. Walaupun ada di fakultas Bisnis, center ini membuka peluang untuk semua bidang disiplin. Ini linknya: http://www.bus.qut.edu.au/research/cpns/
   
   
2. Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthorpy and Social Investment yang ada di Swinburn University di Melbourne.
   
   Center ini menawarkan kursus, graduate certificate dan program Master degree. Selain itu, membuka konsultasi dan melakukan penelitian mengenai filantropi dan social investment. http://www.sisr.net/philanthropy/
   
   
3. Centre for Australian Community Organisations and Management (CACOM), the University of Technology (UTS), Sydney. http://www.business.uts.edu.au/cacom/index.html
   
   CACOM ini pusat penelitian dan tidak membuka program degree. Namun di UTS ada program degree dan kursus untuk bidang filantropi yang dimotori oleh orang-orang CACOM. Program degree dan kursus dalam bidang Community Management (Non for Profit). UTS juga menawarkan tiga beberapa studi untuk bidang Community Management, yaitu program Master of Management in Community Management, Graduate Diploma in Community Management and Graduate Certificate in Community Management. http://www.gsb.uts.edu.au/community/index.html
   
   
4. Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA)
   
   FIA menawarkan training and development dalam bidang fundraising, termasuk juga studi diploma. · Diploma dalam bidang Fundraising Management. · Skills Training Courses - 1, 2 & 3 · Mentoring Program · Special Interest Groups tentang bequest development & direct marketing. http://www.fia.org.au/Template.cfm?section=Professional_Development
   
   
5. The Centre for Citizenship and Human Rights (CCHR).
   
   Ini riset center dan tidak menawarkan program studi. Proyek penelitiannya cukup kuat dan diantaranya mengenai "civil society, Islam, dan politik ekonomi di Indonesia." http://www.deakin.edu.au/arts/cchr/research.php
   

Kelihatannya baru itu yang saya lihat mengenai kajian filantropi di Australia. Jumlahnya belum banyak dan bobotnya belum sebanding dengan pusat-pusat kajian fiantropi yang sudah cukup tua di Amerika. Namun ke depan, program studi filantropi akan semakin berkembang karena selain praktek volunteering sudah cukup kuat dalam masyarakat, pemerintah Australia memberi support untuk pengembangan filantropi.

Amel