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Tagged / Doctoral Supervision

Closing tomorrow: please complete the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2025

PG research

Free lunch voucher & prize draw for all PGRs – please complete the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2025 by midnight Wednesday 30 April! 

Check your email to access your link to complete the survey. 

Postgraduate research students (PGRs) – did you know you can get a FREE lunch voucher if you complete the Advance HE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2025. This is worth £3.95 which covers the cost of a meal from the Savour menu but can be used to purchase any items from Chartwells outlets. Please come to the Doctoral College (DLG08, Talbot Campus) to collect your voucher. If you are based in Lansdowne Campus, you can collect your vouchers from Tina Ikin in BG507.

The voucher can be used at the following outlets on Talbot and Lansdowne Campus:

On completion of the survey, you will also be entered into a free prize draw, with the opportunity to win one of four £50 shopping vouchers. As a thank you for your time, we will be making a £1 donation on your behalf to the student mental health charity, Student Mind.

So far 42% of PGRs at BU have taken part in this survey. If you have not already completed it, we would really appreciate if you could find a few minutes to respond and tell us about your experience this year. The survey helps us improve the student experience at BU and compare ourselves with other institutions across the country.

To do this we would like to know what you think works well and what as a university we could do better.

How do I take part?

All PGRs (including the ones at the end of their journey!) have now received an email containing a unique link which will allow you to access and complete the survey. If you can’t find this email, contact PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk and we’ll help you to get access.

What will I be asked?

The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete. Your response is confidential, and any reporting will be entirely anonymous. The survey is your chance to tell us about your experience as a PGR at BU. It will ask you to share your views on supervision, resources, research community, progress and assessment, skills and professional development and wellbeing.

Why should I take part?

Your feedback is important. The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey is the only national survey of PGRs and so is the only way for us to compare how we are doing with other institutions and to make changes that will improve your experience in the future.

More information

If you would like to know more about the survey, please visit: PRES 2025.

If you would like to know more about the surveys at Bournemouth University, please visit: Your feedback | Bournemouth University.

Please click here to see actions that we have taken based on feedback from previous surveys.

 

We hope you take the opportunity to get involved this year and help us make improvements to your experience.

Best wishes,

The Doctoral College

For any PRES related queries, please email: PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk

Unique PhD processes – why they are important.………..

Centre for Excellence in Learning, PG research, Publishing, REF Subjects, student research, Training, writing

Most people only really think about the processes involved doing a PhD study when they are doing their own unique research project at one specific university. It is often only when talking to other PhD students at a conference or listening to their supervisors reminiscing about doing theirs at a different university and in a different time, that they realise there are important differences in processes between universities, and even across disciplines within universities. This is true both nationally and globally.  These differences can exist at many different stages of the PhD and Bournemouth University academics have written about several of these differences within a national context (1-6).

PhD aspects can differ from the start, e.g. the expected format of a PhD proposal (5) to the very end, e.g. possible outcomes of a viva (4), or whether the PhD includes clinical or practice components to help bridge the gap between academia and practice (2).  Variations across universities also occur in the expected layout and format of the theses (1), or the way supervisors are expected to supervise by different universities (3), or the format or timing of transfer or progress viva(6).

You might ask why this uniqueness of the postgraduate research journey matters? We argue that academics need to celebrate the diversity of the PhD process and of our postgraduate research students and recognise that excellent research can be achieved in different ways. A personalised process can ensure that postgraduate students are successful in achieving their goals.

 

Dr. Orlanda Harvey, Prof. Vanora Hundley, Dr. Vincent Marmion, Dr. Pramod Regmi, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

 

 

 

References:

  1. van Teijlingen E (2007) PhD theses: the pros and cons (letter), Times Higher Education Suppl. Issue 1808 (August 24th): 15.
  2. Way S, Hundley V, van Teijlingen E, Walton G, and Westwood G. (2016) Dr Know. RCM Midwives Spring 64-65.
  3. Regmi, P., Poobalan, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) PhD supervision in Public Health, Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health 20(1):1-4. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/32735/28111
  4. van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, B., Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., Hundley, V., Poudel, K.C. (2022) Reflections on variations in PhD viva regulations: “And the options are….”, Journal of Education and Research 12(2),61-74. https://doi.org/10.51474/jer.v12i2.624
  5. Wasti, S.P. Regmi, P.R., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V. (2022) Writing a PhD Proposal, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 176-183.
  6. van Teijlingen, A., Marmion, V., Harvey, O., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024) PhD Progress and Transfer Vivas at Universities in the United Kingdom, Journal of Education and Research, 14(1): 104-116, https://doi.org/10.51474/jer/16196

 

UKCGE Recognised Research Supervision

Whether you are new to supervision or established in the role, you can apply for national recognition of your doctoral supervision from the UKCGE. Two levels of recognition are available, depending on your level of experience:

  • Recognised Supervisor (full award) — for those who have seen doctoral candidates through final examination and completion
  • Recognised Associate Supervisor – for those who have not seen doctoral candidates through final examination and completion and/​or are involved in research supervision ​‘informally’.

BU currently has over 25 recognised research supervisors and you can be one too! All you need to do is:

For further information, to register your interest or to have discuss an application, please email the Doctoral College (doctoralcollege@bournemouth.ac.uk). The Doctoral College will meet the cost of applications submitted by BU supervisors.

Deadline for applications:

BU Window Closes UKCGE Window Closes Expected Outcome
 14 March 2025 21 March 2025 June 2025
 13 June 2025 20 June 2025 September 2025

Complete applications should be submitted to Dr Fiona Knight (fknight@bournemouth.ac.uk) by the above deadlines.

Upcoming 3C Event – PGR Culture, Community & Cheeseburgers

PG research

Don’t miss out on your chance to book onto our upcoming 3C event!

We hope you have had a restful summer. To welcome you back to the new academic year, the Doctoral College are inviting all PGRs, Supervisors and RDP facilitators to this 3C event!

For this special welcome back 3C event, we are swapping out the usual cake for cheeseburgers! Reconnect with your PGR community whilst enjoying a cheeseburger in the Talbot Campus courtyard, opposite Weymouth House.

Let’s foster collaboration, support and networking!

Click here for further information and to register. 

 

Postgraduate Research Summer Social – 1 WEEK TO GO

PG research

1 WEEK TO GO until to The Doctoral College Postgraduate Research Summer Social! Hosted at the delightful Branksome Dene Room, situated in a stunning location that overlooks the beach with amazing views of the sea to Old Harry Rocks.

We’ve booked this unique location for the exclusive use of PGRs and Supervisors for the afternoon to unwind and catch up with your fellow researchers and academics.

The Doctoral College PGR events at Branksome Dene Room are always a huge success so we hope you can make it.

We are pleased to offer a BBQ style lunch menu including sausages and burgers (vegetarian/vegan options available), a salad bar, teas, coffees and mocktails! You are also welcome to bring your own refreshments to enjoy.

Don’t miss out, book your ticket now!

Ticket: £5

If you have any questions, please do get in touch:

Arabella Moyse [Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator] –

DoctoralCollege@bournemouth.ac.uk

Twitter: @BUDocCollege | #BUDoctoralCollege

Postgraduate Research Summer Social – TICKETS ON SALE

PG research

Tickets are now on sale! The Doctoral College is hosting the Summer Social for the Postgraduate Research community at the delightful Branksome Dene Room. Situated in a stunning location that overlooks the beach, with amazing views of the sea to Old Harry Rocks.

We’ve booked this unique location for the exclusive use of PGRs and Supervisors for the afternoon to unwind and catch up with your fellow researchers and academics.

The Doctoral College PGR events at Branksome Dene Room are always a huge success so we hope you can make it.

We are pleased to offer a BBQ style lunch menu including sausages and burgers (vegetarian/vegan options available), a salad bar, teas, coffees and mocktails! You are also welcome to bring your own refreshments to enjoy.

Booking and event details can be found here.

Ticket: £5

If you have any questions, please do get in touch:

Arabella Moyse [Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator]

DoctoralCollege@bournemouth.ac.uk

Twitter: @BUDocCollege | #BUDoctoralCollege

[NEW] Sector Resource Guide to Online Supervision: A Guide for Research Supervisors

PG research

Guide to Online Supervision

As part of the UK Council for Graduate Education’s continued support for research supervisors during the covid-19 pandemic, they have published a Guide to Online Supervision.

The guide shares the benefits of online supervising, outlines the issues and challenges for supervisors and postgraduate researchers, and suggests strategies and practices for supervisors to consider when working with postgraduate researchers engaged in research at a distance.

Webinar: Effective Practices in Supervising Doctoral Candidates at a Distance 

In case you missed the hugely popular UKCGE webinar [56:10 mins] sharing good practices in remote supervision the recording can be found on their YouTube channel.

We hope these resources prove helpful to you.

Doctoral Supervisors – Free UKCGE Webinar – Friday 1 May, 2pm

Guidance, Info Days, Knowledge Exchange, PG research

Effective Practices in Supervising Doctoral Candidates at a Distance

Online— 2pm Friday 1st May 2020.

As we continue working remotely, UKCGE thought you may appreciate the opportunity to hear from, and put your questions to, experienced research supervisors and an academic developer sharing effective practices in research supervision at a distance.

To that end, they have set up a free-of-charge, 1-hour webinar taking place at 2pm on Friday 1st May 2020.

Register for the Webinar
The webinar will take place online via Zoom. Places are strictly limited – Register your free place here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/

Send them your Questions
If you have any specific questions you would like answering during the webinar, please email them.

If you can’t make it at on the 1st, you can watch the recording of the webinar on YouTube or the UKCGE website.

 

BU Research Supervisors’ good practice recognised in national pilot programme

PG research, Training

Earlier this year, the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) ran a pilot scheme exploring the feasibility of a Research Supervision Recognition Programme to set a benchmark for good-practice in research supervision and to shine a light on this under-appreciated area of academic practice.

BU was one of 13 HEIs invited to participate in the pilot and, to recognise and celebrate good practice in research supervision here at BU, three supervisors from three faculties (FHSS, FM, FST) was asked to take part. Each participant wrote an extended reflective statement on their supervisory experience and practice, focusing on all areas of the role.  All applications were successfully assessed by the UKCGE review panel and participants were commended for the commitment and enthusiasm they demonstrate for the role, and are now able to use the title “UKCGE Recognised Research Supervisor”.

The Doctoral College led the institutional participation in the pilot and Dr Fiona Knight reported to UKCGE that “Bournemouth University is continually identifying mechanisms to improve the experience of our PGRs and recognise that the quality of the supervisory relationship is central to this. We welcome this scheme as a way of encouraging our new and established supervisors to reflect on their practice whilst engaging with continuing professional development.”

UKCGE has now launched the Good Supervisory Practice Framework which acknowledges, for the first time at a national level, the wide-ranging, highly complex and demanding set of roles involved in modern research supervision. The framework is designed to set expectations for all supervisors and sets out the criteria used to define good supervisory practice are based on the substantive body of academic literature. Professor Stan Taylor of Durham University, who was instrumental in developing the criteria, was External Examiner for the former PG Cert Research Degree Supervision at BU. It is UKCGE’s ambition that, ‘in addition to enabling supervisors to demonstrate their ability to colleagues and candidates, the criteria underpinning the programme will create a benchmark that becomes the standard for effective supervisory practice the programme’ (Dr Gill Houston, Chair of the UK Council for Graduate Education).

Recent Advance HE PRES results for BU indicate that the majority of PGRs feel very positive about their supervisory experiences, however, it is acknowledged that supervisors can feel undervalued and overwhelmed by the scale of their task that is often undertaken in addition to many other academic responsibilities.

Roll out of programme 

The Doctoral College plans to formalise BU’s engagement with the programme through its on-going programme of supervisory development activities in a process akin to TeachBU. This will enable individuals to demonstrate that they have met the good supervisory criteria and duly receive recognition. Not only will this provide encouragement for supervisors to engage with continuing professional development but it will also provide a structured process to support the development of high quality research supervision and public evidence of the quality of supervision across BU, whist aligning with a number of BU’s strategic goals that are articulated in BU2025.

Further details will be made available in due course however, if you are interested in learning more, please contact Doctoral College .