QAA Quality Code of Higher Education Mapping Chapter B11: Research degrees Quality Code Document: Chapter B11: Research degrees Expectation Research degrees are awarded in a research environment that provides secure academic standards for doing research and learning about research approaches, methods, procedures and protocols. This environment offers students quality of opportunities and the support they need to achieve successful academic, personal and professional outcomes from their research degrees. UCS response UCS does not have the authority to award its own research degrees. However, students are able to enrol with UCS for research degrees awarded by the two Universities, registering for an award of either the University of Essex or the University of East Anglia. This provision is offered in partnership with the Universities, both embedding students in the growing research environment at UCS and providing them with support from research expertise from the University at which they are registered. Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 1. Higher education providers that are research degree awarding bodies have regulations for The regulations of the institution at which the student is registered apply. Attendance of Graduate School staff research degrees that are clear and readily at meetings of available to research students and staff, These are accessible to students and staff and referenced within Graduate School including examiners. Where appropriate, the Postgraduate Research Degrees Handbook, presented as Directors at University regulations are supplemented by similarly hard copy to students at the induction and annual re-induction of Essex used to accessible, subject-specific guidance at the events, posted within the student area of MyUCS and are readily ensure that updates level of the faculty, school, department, available on the websites of the relevant institution and at their to their Codes of research centre or research institute. induction programmes Practice and Regulations are incorporated into our practice Attendance of Graduate School staff at meetings of Postgraduate Policy Group at UEA used to Page QM-B11-1
ensure that updates to their Codes of Practice and Regulations are incorporated into our practice The handbooks are being revised for October 2014 in light of institutional restructuring at UCS and changes to the research degree regulations at UEA and the University of Essex Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Self Evaluation Document (31st May 2011) and Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Conditions Document (28th July 2011) Postgraduate Research Degrees MPhil and PhD; Handbook for University of East Anglia registered students Postgraduate Research Degrees MPhul and PhD; Handbook for University of Essex registered students https://my.ucs.ac.uk/students/my-course/research- Students/Policy-Documents.aspx Page QM-B11-2
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 2. Higher education providers develop, implement and keep under review codes of The Code of Practice for postgraduate research degrees at which the student is registered apply. The handbooks are being revised for October 2014 in practice for research degrees, which are widely light of institutional applicable and help enable the higher education These are accessible to students and staff and referenced within restructuring at UCS and provider meet the Expectation of this Chapter. the Postgraduate Research Degrees Handbook, presented as changes to the Codes of The codes are readily available to all students hard copy to students at our induction and annual re-induction Practice at UEA and the and staff involved in research degrees, and events, posted within the student area of MyUCS and are readily University of Essex written in clear language understood by all available on the websites of the relevant institution and at their users. induction programmes Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Self Evaluation Document (31 st May 2011) and Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Conditions Document (28 th July 2011) Postgraduate Research Degrees MPhil and PhD; Handbook for University of East Anglia registered students Postgraduate Research Degrees MPhul and PhD; Handbook for University of Essex registered students https://my.ucs.ac.uk/students/my-course/research- Students/Policy-Documents.aspx 3. Higher education providers monitor their research degree provision against internal and external indicators and targets that reflect the context in which research degrees are being offered. The Research and Enterprise Committee monitors the research degree provision at UCS through the Postgraduate Research Subcommittee (formerly the Postgraduate Research Sub-Group). This Subcommittee has representation from both the University of Essex and the University of Anglia. The Graduate School has produced an annual RIME report since establishment which produces an action plan to improve and enhance PGR provision Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Terms of Reference of the PGR Subcommittee Graduate School SARE report 2011/2012 Graduate School RIME report 2012/2013 Page QM-B11-3
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 4. Higher education providers accept research students only into an environment that provides support for doing and learning about research, and where excellent research, recognised by the relevant subject community, is occurring. The development of the research environment and culture has been an institutional priority for UCS since 2010 with significant progress having been made towards increasing the number of academic staff contributing to research and the volume, prestige and value of research bids and grants. The establishment of the following has enabled UCS to provide research students with the necessary support for doing and learning about research - A Graduate School and Research Development Programme - A centrally funded postgraduate research bursary scheme - A Research and Enterprise Office and regular monitoring of our rising research income against targets - The appointment of substantive Professors - Appointment of over 40 visiting Professors - Appointment of over 25 Senior Visiting Fellows - The UCS Academy to advance our national/international profile - Staff/Student Research Colloquia and Seminar Series - Development of Research Institutes, Units and Centres UCS is making an application for the HR Excellence in Research award from the European Commission for October 2014. A Concordat Task and Finish Group is currently developing an action plan to demonstrate achieved and planned activities in the implementation of the Concordat to support the career development of researchers Research students are also additionally supported by the vibrant research cultures within the academic departments they are registered with at the partner Universities. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Self Evaluation Document (31 st May 2011) and Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Conditions Document (28 th July 2011) Research at UCS brochure Research Development Programme (2013/14) CVs of approved primary and secondary supervisors CVs of secondary supervisors at UEA and University of Essex Research, Institutes, Units and Centres Guidance Concordat task and finish group report to Research and Enterprise Committee (for June 2014) Page QM-B11-4
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 5. Higher education providers' admissions procedures for research degrees are clear, consistently applied and demonstrate equality of opportunity. The admission procedures for UCS postgraduate research students are managed by the Graduate School. Guidance for the admission of postgraduate research degree students is published on the website for all applicants and staff to access. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Graduate Research Process 1 - Enquiry to Registration Guidance on Admission to a Postgraduate Research Degree 6. Only appropriately qualified and prepared applicants are admitted to research degree programmes. Admissions decisions involve at least two members of the higher education provider's staff who have received training and guidance for the selection and admission of research degree students. The decision-making process enables the higher education provider to assure itself that balanced and independent admissions decisions have been made in accordance with its admissions policy. The Research and Enterprise Committee approves only appropriately qualified and prepared applicants to the research degree programmes. The minimum admissions requirements to a postgraduate research degree are those set out in the University of Essex Higher Degree Regulations and Section 1 of the UEA Code of Practice. The process for the admission of postgraduate research degree students is set out within the initial postgraduate research degree proposal: Self Evaluation Document (31 st May 2011) and administered by the Graduate School. Admissions decisions involve at least two members of staff who receive guidance on the recruitment and selection of research students from the Graduate School. All selected research degree students are interviewed. The admission of each research degree student is approved by the University of Essex and the University of East Anglia via the recommendation of the Postgraduate Research Subcommittee to the Research and Enterprise Committee. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: The Graduate Research Process 1 Enquiry to Registration Guidance on Admission to a Postgraduate Research Degree Postgraduate Research Interview Guidance Postgraduate Research Interview Checklist The process for admission is under revision in collaboration with the partnership offices at UEA and the University of East Anglia. Page QM-B11-5
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 7. Higher education providers define and communicate clearly the responsibilities and entitlements of students undertaking research degree programmes. The responsibilities and entitlements of research students are set out within the regulations and codes of practice of the institution in which they are registered in. This is supplemented by documentation and workshops provided by the Graduate School to research students throughout their degree. All research students are additionally provided with a USB stick at induction with all relevant documentation included. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Sample Offer Letter Postgraduate Research Student handbook 8. Research students are provided with sufficient information to enable them to begin their studies with an understanding of the environment in which they will be working. Induction Programme Sample workshop descriptions from Researcher Development programmes The Graduate School provides new research students with detailed information to enable them to being their students at an initial induction event which is supplemented by induction events at the relevant partner University. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Research Student Welcome event sample programme (October 2013) Page QM-B11-6
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 9. Higher education providers appoint supervisors with the appropriate skills and subject knowledge to support and encourage research students, and to monitor their progress effectively. The Research and Enterprise Committee approves applications for individual Primary and Secondary Supervisors on the recommendation of the PGR Subcommittee (with representation from the partner Universities). Primary supervisors are required to have supervised at least one research student to successful completion and secondary supervisors must be demonstrably research active. The supervisory team for each individual research student is approved by the Research and Enterprise Committee on the recommendation of the PGR Subcommittee to ensure that the supervisory team has appropriate expertise and experience to support a particular research student and research project. All supervisors are required to attend the supervisor development workshops at the University of Essex and/or the University of East Anglia. Details of these events are circulated to supervisors on appointment and via the Graduate School newsletter Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Approved list of primary and secondary supervisors Graduate School newsletter Example programme of the supervisor development workshops at the University of Essex and/or the University of East Anglia 10. Each research student has a supervisory team containing a main supervisor who is the clearly identified point of contact. All research students have a supervisory team with a clearly identified and approved Primary Supervisor from UCS, Secondary Supervisor from UEA or the University of Essex and/or a further Secondary Supervisor from UCS. This is clearly identified within admissions guidance, the offer letter and postgraduate research student handbooks Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Guidance on Admissions Example offer letter Postgraduate Research Degrees MPhil and PhD; Handbook for University of East Anglia registered students Postgraduate Research Degrees MPhil and PhD; Handbook for University of Essex registered students Page QM-B11-7
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 11. Higher education providers ensure that the responsibilities of research student supervisors are readily available and clearly communicated to supervisors and students. The responsibilities of research student supervisors are primarily detailed within the Code of Practice of the awarding institution. These are available to supervisors on MyUCS and provided within the supervisor training workshops Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Link to MyUCS Sample supervisor training workshop A Guide for Supervisors is currently being developed by the Graduate School and will be available as hard copy and posted on MyUCS 12. Higher education providers ensure that individual supervisors have sufficient time to carry out their responsibilities effectively. Heads of Department monitor workloads of individual supervisors to ensure the quality of supervision is not put at risk as a result of inadequate supervisory resource. Individual supervisors are able to supervise a maximum of five research students. This was specified within the initial approval of the PGR programme Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Self Evaluation Document (31 st May 2011) and Postgraduate Research Degree Proposal: Conditions Document (28 th July 2011) 13. Higher education providers put in place clearly defined mechanisms for monitoring and supporting research student progress, including formal and explicit reviews of progress at different stages. Research students, supervisors and other relevant staff are made aware of progress monitoring mechanisms, including the importance of keeping appropriate records of the outcomes of meetings and related activities. The mechanisms for monitoring and supporting research student progress are those of the awarding institution with support provided by the Graduate School. The progress of individual research students is monitored by the Research and Enterprise Committee via the Postgraduate Research Subcommittee. Progression milestones are introduced by the Graduate School at induction and supported by additional workshops within the Researcher Development Programme. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Supervisory meeting record forms Formal Review of Progress Forms Sample outline of Supervisory board workshop. Sample outline of Transfer from MPhil to PhD workshop A draft workload allocation policy is under consideration and review by HR A guidance booklet on the Transfer from MPhil to PhD process is under development. Page QM-B11-8
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 14. Research students have appropriate opportunities for developing research, personal and professional skills. Each research student's development needs are identified and agreed jointly by the student and appropriate staff at the start of the degree; these are regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate. The relevance and importance of the development of research and personal development skills is introduced at induction and re-enforced at a number of stages throughout the research degree within supervisory meetings, progression reviews and the activities of the Researcher Development Programme. The appropriate opportunities for research, personal and professional skills development are provided partially by the UCS Researcher Development Programme. Additionally UCS research students have access, at no cost, to the researcher development/ppd delivery of the awarding institution within which they are registered. Research students are provided with access to five online research skills development modules that UCS has purchased from Epigeum. The Researcher Development programme is being revised for 2014/2015 to include full day events addressing each of the Domains of the Researcher Development Framework in response to part-time student feedback. A pilot has been run with the Engagement, Influence and Impact day in April 2014. The Graduate School is working with the Library to develop further online research skills development modules for implementation in 2014/2015. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Researcher Development Programme 2013/2014 Research Skills development programme 2011/2012 LearnUCS link - Engagement, Impact and Influence programme Page QM-B11-9
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 15. Higher education providers put in place mechanisms to collect, review and respond as appropriate to evaluations from those concerned with research degrees, including individual research students and groups of research students or their representatives. Evaluations are considered openly and constructively and the results are communicated appropriately. There are a range of feedback mechanisms available to research students including - PGR Representation on the UCS Student Experience Committee - The annual Research Student Experience Focus Group - Evaluation forms used for feedback on research skills training sessions and other events facilitated by the Graduate School - Encouragement of informal feedback to the Graduate School An assessment of the PGR Student Experience was conducted in May 2013 and reported to the Joint Academic Committee (JAC) which included the development of an action plan for implementation and review. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Assessment of the PGR Student Experience (May 2013) UCS will utilise the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) provided by the HEA once there are sufficient numbers of PGR students to enable the anonymity of their response. Until then the Graduate School will hold an annual focus group to receive feedback on the student experience. 16. Higher education providers that are research degree awarding bodies use criteria for assessing research degrees that enable them to define their academic standards and the achievements of their graduates. The criteria used to assess research degrees are clear and readily available to research students, staff and examiners. The criteria used for the assessment of individual research students are those of the institution at which they are registered. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Graduate Research Process 4: Submission and Examination to Award The Graduate School is developing supplementary guidance to staff and student on the examination arrangements. 2014/2015 is the first academic year in which a PGR completion is possible. Page QM-B11-10
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 17. Research degree final assessment procedures are clear and are operated rigorously, fairly and consistently. They include input from an external examiner and are carried out to a reasonable timescale. Assessment procedures are communicated clearly to research students, supervisors and examiners. The research degree final assessment procedures are specified by the awarding institutions and communicated to students and staff via the relevant Postgraduate Research Degrees handbook. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Graduate Research Process 4: Submission and Examination to Award Postgraduate Research Degrees: Handbook for University of East Anglia registered students (1 st October 2013) Postgraduate Research Degrees: Handbook for University of Essex registered students (1 st October 2013) Sample skills training programme for students on thesis and viva preparation at the partner Universities Research Skills Development Programme 2011/2012 The Graduate School is developing supplementary guidance to staff and students on the preparation and submission of the final thesis and the oral examination for October 2014. The Graduate School is developing guidance to internal and external examiners for the assessment of postgraduate research degrees for October 2014. Page QM-B11-11
Indicators How UCS addresses the Indicator On-going enhancement and improvement activities 18. Higher education providers put in place and promote independent and formal procedures for dealing with complaints and appeals that are fair, clear to all concerned, robust, and applied consistently. The acceptable grounds for complaints and appeals are clearly defined. Every effort is made to ensure that any issues raised by students are dealt with at the earliest possible stage. If it is not possible to resolve a complaint informally then the student should use the UCS Complaints procedure. The existence of the UCS Complaints procedure is referenced within the Postgraduate Research Degrees handbooks. Appeals related to an academic decision should use the appeal process relevant to the partner University making the award. The Graduate School will map the process for appeals and provide published guidance for postgraduate research students within the next version of the Postgraduate Research Degrees Handbooks. Further Internal Documentary Evidence: Postgraduate Research Degrees: Handbook for University of East Anglia registered students (1st October 2013) Postgraduate Research Degrees: Handbook for University of Essex registered students (1st October 2013) Monitoring and Review Responsibility for the monitoring of this mapping lies with the Research and Enterprise Committee reporting to Academic Board. Page QM-B11-12