At RMIT, all educators share a common goal: to help students succeed in their studies.
Let's explore the different roles that educational staff may play in your degree.
Academics
Academics at a university can include tutors, lecturers, professors, or deans. Some focus solely on research, while others combine teaching and research. Typically, academics are not involved in Vocational Education (VE).
Program coordinators / Program managers
Program coordinators are responsible for the overall quality of a degree program or certificate program.
Their main responsibilities include:
being the first point of contact for course advice
developing short and long-term goals for the program
scheduling courses, teaching teams and timetabling of the program
working closely with course coordinators to organise off-campus programs such as internships, placements, study tours, etc.
managing program resources such as budgets, facilities, and types of equipment.
Course coordinators
Course coordinators are responsible for designing, planning and delivering a particular course within a degree/certificate program. You can contact them if you have queries about learning materials, timetables, assessment dates, etc.
Course coordinators also:
work with the program manager and the department head to prepare course objectives
lead the course team, recruitment, training and management of the tutors for the particular course
organise guest lectures or industry expert seminars.
Lecturers / VE teachers
Lecturers facilitate the learning process, and assess and mentor students according to the course curriculum. They are content experts in a specific discipline. Often your course coordinator and/or program coordinator will also be one of the lecturers delivering the course.
VE educators are usually referred to as teachers. They deliver learning materials in a classroom/lecture theatre (face-to-face) or online (via Teams or Collaborate Ultra). When you have difficulties understanding course materials, you can always contact your teacher and ask for further explanation.
The main responsibilities of lecturers and VE teachers include:
delivery of quality education and training to the students
engaging students in the learning process
training for technical skills associated with the course, such as laboratory skills, computer skills, etc.
assessment preparation and marking.
Guest lecturers and industry professionals
Most university-level courses offer lectures or seminars from guest lecturers or industry professionals, experts in their fields, as work-integrated learning. They share insights and experiences from their career as well as current knowledge in the industry or profession. These seminars provide an opportunity to ask questions about the industry or profession you will enter after your studies, as well as a networking platform. Image by Jacob Lund on Adobe Stock.
Tutors
Tutors usually deliver tutorial sessions, workshops and lectorials with or without a lecturer. They help you understand tutorial questions, complex concepts from the course material and provide feedback on your learning. Most importantly, they are approachable during the class/session. Most tutors in undergraduate and postgraduate courses are current PhD students.
Librarians
Librarians are information professionals who support learning, teaching and research. They are experts in information literacy, which is the ability to identify and evaluate reliable sources of information. They're available to support students via online and on-campus consultations, as well as delivering workshops and classes.
Librarians can guide you to the best resources for your assignments. They can also assist you in developing research skills such as evaluating the reliability of information sources, which is extremely valuable for your assignments.
Academic skills advisors / Learning advisors
Academic skills advisors (Melbourne) and Learning advisors (Vietnam) provide valuable advice and support across a range of subject areas and academic skills. This includes writing, assignment planning and structure, English language, presentation skills and more. Some are specialists in subject areas including science and maths. They are available for online on-campus consultations with studrnts, as well as delivering in-class workshops.
Laboratory demonstrators / Technicians
Laboratory demonstrators play a vital role in the delivery of practical-based classes. They teach and assist you with laboratory skills. They are available to answer student questions during the class, provide clear explanations that combining theory and the practical aspect and provide feedback on your laboratory skills and laboratory-based written work. In VE, laboratory demonstrators are called technicians.
Placement supervisors
A placement supervisor is a professional who works in a specific field and is assigned by the organisation to guide, teach, and support students during their placement. They are usually willing to share knowledge, provide close guidance to develop professional practice skills and create a supportive environment to work.
HDR supervisors
Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students have completed an undergraduate degree and are continuing their studies through completing a postgraduate study. This may include a Master's by research or PhD (Doctor of Philosophy).
The HDR supervisory team guides, mentors, and supports students throughout the HDR candidature. These teams comprise a primary supervisor, co-supervisors and associate supervisors.
Primary supervisors:
are mainly responsible for the student's candidature
are responsible for the student's ongoing progress
arrange milestone panels and prepare the student for the milestone review
ensure the student has access to the required resources to complete the study.
are the main point of contact for students.
Associate supervisors provide support with a particular area of the research.
