Transcript Document

Prof David Bogle
Developing Research Degree
Supervisors
Pro-Provost
Doctoral School
University College London
[email protected]
Chair Doctoral Studies Community, League of European
Research Universities (LERU)
Seminar at University of Ljubljana May 20 2014
Developing Research Degree
Supervisors
UCL and the Doctoral School
Supervision – why and how
Examination
Developing a community
Support for staff and students
LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
• More than 4000 Academic staff
in 10 Faculties
• 28,000 strong Student Community
• More than 45% Graduate Students
• 4500 Research students (mostly PhD but also
professional doctorates and MRes)
• 3,134 PhDs and 493 Professional Doctorates
in the past 5 years
• 140+ Nationalities represented among UCL
students
DOCTORAL SCHOOL
• Academic Lead – Pro-Provost of the Doctoral School
• Promoting Doctoral Studies
• Strategy – Standards – Support
• Encourages the Development of a Doctoral Community
STRATEGY
• Developing Research Student Strategy and Policy
– Institutional strategy (part of Research Strategy)
– Reviewing Faculty Strategies
• Liaison with External Bodies:
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RCUK and other funders
UKCGE and other professional bodies
UK Government
European Commission
League of European Research Universities – LERU (chair of
Doctoral Studies Community)
– Other international agencies
– …
STANDARDS
• Chair of Research Degrees Committee
• Regulations, communication, developments
• Quality Assurance – Codes of Practice (national and UCL)
• Standards of Doctoral Supervision and Examining, and
Developing UCL’s Supervisor Community.
• Support for Students and Staff
• Suspension of Regulations
• Chair of Grievance Panels
CODES OF PRACTICE
The Codes of Practice
contain guidelines for good
practice in contrast to
the regulations which give
the minimum framework
and requirements for
completion of degrees
Developing supervisors – why do it?
• Thinking about supervision – not just following
(often) bad experience
• Changes to doctoral training in recent years
– Interdisciplinarity, skills, employability, innovation
• Changes in University regulations
• Expectations of research candidates and
increasing complaints and litigation
• Quality Assurance
Developing supervisors at UCL
• Mandatory Briefing for new supervisors (2 hours)
– Approval to supervise (research active, training)
• Effective Research Student Supervision at UCL (1 day)
• (Sessions for experienced practitioners on specific topics)
• Introduction to Examining Research Doctorates
• Departmental and Faculty Graduate Tutors
BRIEFING SESSION
FOR PROBATIONERS AND
WELCOME
NEW RESEARCH STUDENT
Professor David Bogle, Doctoral School
SUPERVISORS
DOCTORAL SCHOOL SUPPORT
Professor David Bogle, Doctoral School
SUPERVISOR’S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Administrative Processes
David Ashton, Student & Registry Services
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Daniela Bultoc, Doctoral School
RESEARCH STUDENT LOG
David Bogle, Doctoral School
FACTORS FOR SUCCESSFUL SUPERVISION
Good Practice, Recruitment, Management, Planning,
Student-Related Issues
Professor Mike Ewing, Dean of Students (Academic) / Doctoral School
Professor Stephen Hart, SELCS, Arts and Humanities
FURTHER RESEARCH SUPERVISION TRAINING
Professor David Bogle, Doctoral School
Supervisors’ Roles and Responsibilities
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Admission, Enrolment and Registration
Supervision
Upgrade & Completing Research Student (CRS) Status
Examination and Award
Expectations on Supervisors and Sources of Support
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
 Open to all research students
 Mandatory for Research Council
funded students
 Enhancing research, life skills
and employability
 Over 200 courses, 700 events
 Over 12000 registrations in 2012/13
Students book places on wide range of skills courses…
UCL Courses by Topic
 Induction / Research Skills Programmes
 Library / Electronic and Archive Resources
 IT Skills – Taught Workshops
 IT Skills – Online Training
 Statistics / Postgraduate
Mathematical Packages
techniques
Bloomsbury
Skillsand
Network
Courses
 Languages
 Birkbeck
 Writing / Reading / Thesis Preparation
 Institute
of Education
 Presenting
/ Publishing your Research
 London
School
of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine
 Analysis
/ Research
Techniques
 School
of Advanced
Study
 Research
Environment
 School
of Pharmacy and the Management of Innovation
 Entrepreneurship
 School
of Oriental
 Teaching
Skillsand African Studies
 Royal……………………….
Veterinary College
The Log provides a framework for recording
details of:
● the research programme
● scheduled supervisory meetings
● activities concerning the development of
academic and key skills
It also helps the student to assess, plan and
chart progress.
Effective Research Student Supervision at
UCL (whole day, max 16 participants)
Introduce course leader (Prof Jon Wakeford Missenden Centre
for Higher Education and ex Lancaster University - experience
and credibility)
Getting participant expectations
Role of Pro-Provost (initial response to issues)
Key features of the modern doctorate
Whose PhD?
Regulations, Code of Practice and the role of the regulator
(Quality Assurance Agency in UK)
offer of a place is a contract – candidate expectations
Examination, publishing to have peer review
Pressures on supervisors
Complaints processes – and the effort they take
Case studies (PhD diaries http://www.missendencentre.co.uk/links.html
and http://www.ucl.ac.uk/calt/support/phd-supervisors )
Feedback to the institution
Pressures on supervisors
• timely completion, too many students (or too few),
getting funding, sponsor requirements, career
planning and expectations, building
independence, different models of supervision,
supervisor expectations and their ‘fear of failure’,
disciplinary differences and interdisciplinarity…
Approach
• Experience and credibility (academic and former
supervisor)
• Use diaries by PhD candidates, supervisors and
examiners of real past problems
• Confidential discussions (‘Chatham House rules’)
• ‘Training’ versus ‘workshop’, ‘briefing’, or
‘introduction…’
• Keep to time and stick to it
Introduction to Examining Research
Doctorates (half day, c20 people)
• Introduction (10 mins)
• UCL Procedures and Guidelines (10 mins)
• Personal approaches from three experienced
examiners (30 mins)
– Approach, practicalities, issues, potential difficulties
• Discussion (45 mins)
• Guidelines from other institutions (15 mins)
• Group work on case studies (45 mins)
ADVICE
GRADUATE STUDENT
Principal or Subsidiary Supervisor
Student Centre
Departmental Graduate Tutor
Faculty Graduate Tutor
Doctoral School
Expectations, Eligibility, and Appointment
• All Departments are research active and all
academic staff expected to supervise (except
Teaching Fellows)
– New Departments require approval to offer research
programmes)
– Supervisors are appointed by Head of Department
– All PhD candidates must have at least two supervisors
– Permission to supervise can be withdrawn
– Change of supervisor - difficulties
Developing Research Degree
Supervisors
UCL and the Doctoral School
Supervision
Examination
Developing a community
Support for staff and students