BU Research Blog

As a PhD supervisor, I feel there is an obvious need to use a range of strategies to enable PhD students to develop their skills. While regular meetings with a supervisor go some way towards this goal, we should not underestimate the positive impact of Probationary Review that provides PhD/MRes students (and supervisors) with an independent assessment of how well they are progressing with their research study and plan, and highlighting any potential areas for development at an early stage so they can be addressed. Having been involved in a few Probationary Review panels in the past, I would like to share some of my experience as a PG supervisor at the Department of Psychology.

Probationary Review is a quite stressful event from a student’s perspective, especially for international students with previous experience in educational systems outside the UK. No matter what we do to demystify the probationary review process, they are worried and stressed, defeating the whole purpose of the review. And in this situation, the atmosphere created by the Probationary Review panel is crucial in establishing an effective and productive reviewing process. Professor Changhong Liu, who has been leading the Probationary review Faculty Panel for several years, knows the secrets of how to turn this process into a professionally specific learning environment that benefits both the students and supervisors.

One of these “secrets” is encouraging an open dialogue at the start of the review. The students do not feel that they have been put on the spot and evaluated. This approach fosters a feeling that Probationary Review provides positive opportunities, and the “fear factor” associated with being reviewed is greatly reduced because the students become more comfortable with the review process.

The second “secret” is that Chang is always interested in “whole-person” development – beyond and outside of the study skill-set, focusing, therefore, on helping the ‘whole-person’ to grow and attain fulfillment. On reflection, this is an excellent approach to encourage the students to think about factors relating to emotional maturity, self-esteem, relationships, self-awareness, understanding others, commitment, enthusiasm, and resourcefulness. In my personal experience, students’ natural talents and passions often contain significant overlaps with the attributes, behaviours, and maturity required for successfully completing their PhD.

The third “secret” is a genuine interest in students’ work. After their Probationary Review, some students commented that Chang knows their work in great details (this is a good learning point for me as a supervisor!). Obviously, a good knowledge of student work is necessary for the overall evaluation of their progress. Still, the most considerable advantages accrue when the details (e.g., objectives, rationale, working hypotheses, methodological approaches) help the students realise their potential. Gemma Lovett, a current PhD student at the Department of Psychology, said, “The advantages of a fresh perspective on our research are often overlooked. I found my probationary review extremely beneficial, it was a great opportunity to utilise the vast depth in knowledge and experience from other professionals at Bournemouth University. Chang offered many valuable insights and constructive criticisms, which consequently helped me to think differently about my research and inspired many improvements”.