Research Supervisor Training Programme

1. Research Supervisor Training Programme Introduction

2. A brief history of research degrees at UW • From 1976-1992 supervision of research students at Worcester managed through the CNNA • 1st April 1999 Worcester gained accredited status with Coventry University • Accreditation renewed 2006/07 for a 5 year period • October 2008 applied for RDAP • August 2010 awarded RDAP • By May 2014 UW has 158 research degree completions – 126 PhDs, 32 MPhils

3. Research Degrees at UW now • As of May 2014, 111 research degree students: • 36 Full time (24 received or in receipt of UW funded studentship) • 75 Part time (27 UW staff and 1 part time UW studentship bursary) • Currently award: • MRes • MPhil • PhD by Thesis • PhD by Portfolio • Professional Doctorate • Research degrees managed by the Graduate Research School (GRS) • MPhil and PhD by thesis both incorporate the Research Student Training Programme (compulsory and optional elements)

4. Supervision at UW • Supervision in teams of at least 2 often 3 supervisors • Lead supervisor is called Director of Studies (DoS) and is normally a more experienced supervisor • External Supervisors may be used but are not required • All internal supervisors must be on the Register of Approved Supervisors • Team must normally have a combined experience of at least 3 research degree completions (at appropriate level) • But new Supervisory Mentor scheme has been introduced which allows for a less experienced team to be established if supported by an experienced mentor • Team may include Advisors • Team is ideally established at application stage but is only formalised when student’s research proposal is approved (RDB1)

5. Research Training • Student completes a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) at the beginning of each year identifying ongoing and new training and development needs • All students must take RTP401 at the outset of their degree • All students must also take a subject specific research methods module (identified by the supervisory team ideally at interview) unless they can claim APL or APEL for this module • Research students may take RTP402 • These 3 modules together form the PG Cert in Research Methods • Research students may attend sessions from the programme of training and development workshops or external workshops • Relevant sessions normally identified through TNA

6. The GRS Team

7. Research Coordinators

8. Research Degrees Board (RDB) • Chair – Prof. Geoffrey Elliott • Secretary - Graduate Research School Manager • Up to 3 members of staff from each Academic Institute, to reflect the range of disciplines in which research students are based (to be nominated by the Head of Institute and approved annually by the Academic Board) • Director of Research Development • Up to two co-opted members from within or outside the University

9. Some questions for you… • Who are you? • Why do you want to supervise research degrees? • What is your experience of supervision (at UG, PGT or PGR level)? • Is there a substantive difference between research supervision and supervision in other contexts?

10. The rest of the day… • Expectations – yours, the students, the University, etc • The Supervisor’s role - formal requirements and good practice • Regulations – the RDB process • Approaches to Supervision