The Australian Council of Graduate Research (ACGR) National HDR Researcher Development Framework (National HDR RDF) was developed to describe the knowledge, behaviours and attributes of successful researchers and to enable the development of associated professional development resources.

The RDF was developed by the ACGR.

The ACGR provides access to the RDF and the National HDR RDF Materials. The National HDR RDF was developed with the Australian and New Zealand higher education sectors and is available to ACGR members strictly for non-commercial use within these conditions of use.

The aims of these terms and conditions are to:

  • ensure all users benefit from the collaborative and rigorous approach to development by protecting the integrity of the National HDR RDF in totality and associated National HDR RDF Materials
  • ensure that the National HDR RDF and the National HDR RDF Materials remain consistent and transferable so that researchers can use them throughout their development
  • support the implementation of the National HDR RDF through a process which enables the National HDR RDF to be adapted with ACGR permission to meet specific requirements
  • protect the National HDR RDF and the National HDR RDF Materials from inappropriate use.

The National HDR Researcher Development Framework and the National HDR Researcher Development Materials

The National HDR RDF is available for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-NC-ND). This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for non-commercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.

The domains, descriptors, the National HDR RDF graphics and the National HDR RDF Materials may be copied and reproduced, in any medium strictly for non-commercial training and development purposes within the Australian and New Zealand higher education sectors, provided that in all cases:

  1. the original source is acknowledged as the ‘ACGR National HDR Researcher Development Framework’
  2. the following copyright statement is retained on the National HDR RDF and all the National HDR RDF Materials ‘Copyright © 2026 Australian Council of Graduate Research Inc. This work is openly licenced via CC BY-NC-ND 4.0’
  3. where possible, the DOI link is provided

The National HDR RDF and the National HDR RDF Materials may only be modified, adapted, translated or have derivative works created from for commercial use, upon the purchase of an appropriate RDF licence. For these purposes please email exec@acgr.edu.au

Other Uses

If the National HDR RDF, and the National HDR RDF Materials are required for any purpose outside the permission contained in these terms including but not limited to (a) distribution or communication to the public (b) any commercial use, including use for-profit, for commercial advantage or for cost-recovery (c) use outside of the higher education sector in a manner not set out above, please contact exec@acgr.edu.au or write to the following address:

ACGR Level 1, 93 George Street Parramatta, NSW, 2150

Intellectual Property Rights

All rights in the National HDR RDF, National HDR RDF graphics and the National HDR RDF Materials shall remain with the ACGR and, save as expressly set out in these terms or as permitted in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (or equivalent provisions under the laws of copyright in force in other countries), are reserved. The copyright and any other intellectual property rights in any adaptations or resulting from any use of the National HDR RDF and the National HDR RDF Materials shall belong to and shall be assigned (by way of present assignment of future rights) to ACGR.

Disclaimer

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the National HDR RDF, and the National HDR RDF Materials are accurate and complete, the ACGR is not responsible for any errors or omissions, factual or otherwise, and does not accept any liability arising out of any reliance placed on the information contained within these materials.

Variation

The ACGR may revise these conditions of use from time to time. Revised conditions of use will apply to the use of the National HDR RDF and the National HDR RDF Materials from the date of the publication of the revised conditions of use on our website. Please check this page regularly to ensure you are familiar with the current version.