www'nottingham'ac'uk

1
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Evaluation of Postgraduate Research Student
Training and Management Practices
Learning Set Members R Boukhanouf, Built
Environment R Delahay, Medical and surgical
Sciences M Gillott, Built Environment A
Grabowska, Medical and surgical Sciences T
Hickling, Molecular Sciences I Kerr, Biomedical
Sciences R Newport, Psychology D Scott,
Biosciences
Learning Set Advisor K. Exley
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
2
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Project Structure

• Review of current PhD training practices across 6
  schools/department in UoN

• Design of questionnaire and interview questions

• Analysis of questionnaire and interview results

• Conclusions and discussion

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
3
I. Review PhD Supervision and Training
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
4
PhD Training What does it Achieve?
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
PhDs do not prepare people adequately for
careers in business

• PhDs do not prepare people adequately for
  careers in academia

Roberts report SET for Success
5
Organisations/Reports Concern This
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• HEFCE Fundamental Review of Research Policy and
  funding, 1999.
• RCUK Quinquennial Review Concordat, 2001
• Roberts Review SET for Success, 2002.
• HEFCE Improving Standards in Post-graduate Degree
  Programmes, 2003.
• QAA Code of Practice for Assurance of Academic
  Quality and Standard in Postgraduate Research
  Programmes, 2004.

6
The PhD Process The Institution
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Roberts Review goals
• PhDs more attractive to the student
• Graduates more attractive to employers
• PhD to be regarded as longer-term that 3 years
• Additional funding provided
• Transferable skills training
• QAA/HEFCE
• Propose a bipartite system of PhD training
  requirements
• Prescriptive
• Recommended

7
The PhD Process The Individual
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• At least two weeks dedicated training a year in
  transferable skills
• Research management
• Personal effectiveness
• Communication skills
• Networking and team-working
• Career Management
• Student to have some level of control i.e.
  tailored training

8
Prescriptive Elements example
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Supervisory Arrangements
• Mandatory training
• Supervisory team (2 research active academics, at
  least one with previous experience)
• No more than 6 students per supervisor
• Regular, structured, recorded meetings

9
Recommendations Example
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Student supervisor to identify and review
  training needs
• Record of personal research and transferable
  skills progress
• Institutional reviews of training
• Attendance at talks/conferences
• Participation in teaching and demonstration

10
Does University of Nottingham already have
compliance?
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Constructed a table corresponding to the
  HEFCE/QAA recommendations
• Compliance within Schools checked with graduate
  tutor
• University graduate research supervision handbook
• 13 prescriptive and 15 recommended elements

11
Areas of non-compliance in 2 or more Schools
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Mandatory training for new supervisors
• (PGCHE used by most Schools!)
• Supervisory team of 2
• Main supervisor to have previous supervision
  experience
• lt6 students per supervisor

12
Recommendations for non-compliant Schools
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Roberts Review. 600K per annum at UoN for
  training, for people on RCUK funding, pro rata on
  number of RCUK students. 10 million p.a.
  nationwide.
• Undermining status of universities that arent
  meeting training criteria by giving them no
  studentships

13
Compliance in TransferableSkills Training?
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• Prescriptive and recommended elements had full
  compliance in all 6 Schools and the University
  Regulations.
• Experience with own students suggested this might
  not be so

14
II. Questionnaire and Interview
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
15
Questionnaire Structure
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Short 21 questions
Simple fool proof
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
16
II. Questionnaire Design and Layout
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• The questionnaire was designed to gauge views
  and experiences of PhD students based on HFCE
  guidelines across 6 schools. The questionnaire
  is
• Web Based
• Multi choice answers
• Results returned in graphical and statistical
  format

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
17
Questionnaire content
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004

• The questions were set up to cover three main
  areas
• Identifying the student (School, year of study,
  and status)
• Supervision requirements (e.g, No of supervisors,
  No. of meeting per year, who provide supervision,
  etc.)
• Training and transferable skills received

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
18
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
The Questionnaire request
Dear Postgraduate students, As part of a research
project being undertaken by a diverse group of
new lecturers in the University, we are collating
information on the training that post-graduates
research students receive. There are likely to be
nationally set goals for this in the future and
it would be pertinent at this stage to see how
students perceive their training and
supervision. To enable this, we have compiled a
short questionnaire that can be accessed at
http//128.243.112.153/PGCHESurvey/index.php By
completing this anonymous questionnaire you will
be helping us immensely with our research
project. In combination with other aspects of our
project we plan to make the results available
later in the year. Many thanks for your help The
Grabowska Learning Set
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
19
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Online feedback results
The questionnaire was posted to students and kept
live for one week. The response rate for the
duration of the time was 32. A sample of the
feedback results is given in the link
below. Online feedback of results
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
20
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Interview
The aim of the face-to-face interview is to
investigate the attitude of students to
transferable skills training. The interview
will expand on the questions asked in the
questionnaire.
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
21
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
30-minute interviews were undertaken with a
sample of PhD students.
Who generally provides your scientific/technical
mentoring?
How many supervisors do you have?
Have you attended any training courses?
  ? Yes. How many?   ? No. Why not?
When you started your PhD, which
transferable skills did you feel that you most
needed?   ? General research skills (library, how
to conduct investigation, etc.) ? Time and
Project management ? IT and communication
skills ? Teamworking ? Presentation ? Technical
writing ? Other, please state
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
22
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
III. Questionnaire Results
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
23
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
III. Online Questionnaire Results

• Population surveyed
• 148 PhD students across six schools
• Highest level response from 1st year students (43
  )
• Representation of students classified as Home (61
  ), EU and OS (39 )
• Results analysed in three key areas

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
24
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Results Supervisory arrangements
Number of Supervisors
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
25
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Somewhere in an undisclosed location.
Students identities have been concealed
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
26
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Results Formal supervisions
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
27
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Results Supervisors role in training
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
28
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Somewhere in an undisclosed location.
Students identities have been concealed
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
29
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Somewhere in an undisclosed location.
Students identities have been concealed
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
30
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Results Source of PG training
88 of students received the Graduate School
Guide to Courses
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
31
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Results Usefulness of training
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
32
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
IV Conclusions and Discussion
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
33
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Project Summary

• Reviewed Ph.D. Supervision and Training
  guidelines
• Identified prescriptive and recommended elements
• Initial assessment of HEFCE compliance in 6
  schools
• Schools claimed to comply in transferable skills
  training
• Investigated alleged compliance with Ph.D. survey

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
34
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Project Summary

• Web-survey targeted all Post grad students in 6
  schools
• Questions chosen to identify supervisory and
  training compliance
• Followed up with in-depth interviews
• Results suggested non-compliance for both
  supervision and transferable skills training
• Examine failures and recommendations in more
  detail

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
35
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Supervisory arrangements

• 2 supervisors - mandatory HEFCE requirement
• Many schools do not meet this condition

• Recommendations
• Confirm 2 supervisors in offer letter
• Mandatory meeting with both supervisors within
  1st weeks of new PG starting

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
36
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Formal meetings

• Too many students (40) do not think they
• have 10meetings/year

• Recommendations
• Formal record keeping should solve any problems
• Possibly have a card that both parties sign (fill
  the card and get 1 meeting free!)
• Onus should be on the supervisor to fulfil this
  requirement.

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
37
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Discussion of Transferable skills

• Most students receive training information from
  the Graduate School, but only 24 of students
  currently discuss Transferable Skills with their
  Supervisors

• Recommendations
• Have Graduate school courses as part of 1st
  meeting agenda
• Make Transferable Skills training a mandatory
  discussion point during each of the 10 formal
  yearly supervisory meetings
• Highlight value of Transferable Skills to career
  prospects

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
38
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Implementation of Transferable Skills

• Most students are encouraged to present or write
  up data
• Yet almost half of students feel they do not have
  the opportunity to use newly acquired skills

• Recommendations
• Supervisors should make it clear that these
  (writing and presenting) are transferable skills
• clarify what other Transferable Skills might be
• discuss with PGs to identify other Transferable
  Skills that could be put into practice

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
39
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Usefulness of Transferable Skills Training

• Over one third of students did not perceive their
  transferable skills training as being useful

• Recommendations
• Tailor courses to postgraduates existing skills
• Make training more advanced - especially for 1st
  years
• Make required skills level more transparent
• Graduate School survey perceived usefulness of
  courses
• Closer Graduate School liaison with industry

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
40
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Recommendations summary

• Confirm 2 supervisors in offer letter

• Mandatory first meeting with both supervisors

• Written record of formal meeting arrangements

• Transferable skills discussion both mandatory
  and recorded

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
41
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Recommendations summary

• Confirm 2 supervisors in offer letter
• Mandatory first meeting with both supervisors
• Written record of formal meeting arrangements
• Transferable skills discussion both mandatory and
  recorded

• Broadening of transferable skills implemented

• Tailored courses with regular feedback

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
42
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
Future Action

• All schools would have failed at least one aspect
  of the proposed HEFCE guidelines for Ph.D.
  supervision and transferable skills training
• Conclusions of group project will be passed on by
  individual group members to individual schools
• Providing information on postgraduate
  satisfaction will allow institutions to respond
  to their students needs
• May identify Nottingham University a centre of
  excellence for postgraduate training

www.nottingham.ac.uk/
43
Fifth Learning and Teaching Conference,
University of Nottingham 13th and 14th September
2004
THE END Thank you for your time
The learning set members
www.nottingham.ac.uk/