2 October 2019
By email:
[FYI request #11134 email]
Dear Mr Schep,
Please find the following answer to your Official Information Act request of 4 September 2019
regarding information about postgraduate student desk space.
1. The exact measurements in metres of both desk space and office space that PhD students at
the University of Otago are entitled to.
2. The exact measurements in metres of both desk space and office space that Masters by
thesis students at the University of Otago are entitled to.
3. Where this information can be found on the University of Otago website for public viewing in
future.
The Resources for Graduate Research Candidates – Guidelines (which can be foun
d here) provides
guidance on appropriate resources for Doctoral and Masters’ thesis candidates. These guidelines do
not specify an exact size of desk or office space but require Departments, Schools, and Faculties
provide “an appropriately equipped working and quiet study/writing space, including storage” for
graduate research candidates.
Guidance in the Space Al ocation Guidelines (which can be found
here) recommends that
postgraduate study space in a shared office environment is 4.5m² per person. However, because
most graduate research candidates have study space embedded in their departments, the nature
and size of this quiet study/writing space varies from department to department and building to
building.
The Space Allocation Guidelines are currently under review and will be updated once that process is
complete.
Yours sincerely,
Claire Gallop
Manager, Policy and Compliance, Office of the Registrar