Prof David Bogle Developing Research Degree Supervisors ProProvost

Prof David Bogle Developing Research Degree Supervisors Pro-Provost Doctoral School University College London gradschoolhead@ucl. ac. uk 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 Ph. D but also professional doctorates and MRes) • 3, 134 Ph. Ds 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: – – – 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 NEW RESEARCH STUDENT SUPERVISORS WELCOME Professor David Bogle, Doctoral School 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 • • • 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

Doctoral School Research Student Log 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 Ph. D? 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 (Ph. D 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 Ph. D 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, c 20 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 Ph. D 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