Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate School
Text to assist with applications for MRC Industrial CASE studentships – 2015
The following sections of text cover the generic aspects of supervision, student training and support,
and the research environment to assist with completion of sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Case for
Support Form, which must be submitted as an attachment in JeS. Please note that some sections
may require editing as appropriate for your specific application. The relevant section of the
guidance notes for each of these sections is stated. Required information that is project-specific, so
must be provided by the applicant, is highlighted. You may wish to add project-specific detail
relevant to some points that must be addressed even where the generic information could suffice
(e.g. Section 5 “arrangements to support interdisciplinary research training”; Section 6
“opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary team work”).
Please contact Alison Tyson-Capper (Postgraduate Tutor; alison.tyson-capper@ncl.ac.uk ) if you have
specific questions or queries.
3. SUPERVISOR SELECTION (up to 2000 characters)
The Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate School ensures that all students are supervised in
accordance with a formal Code of Practice by supervisory teams led by well-qualified, researchactive and trained supervisors who are designated Fellows of the Graduate School. Elements of
supervisor training are delivered through Supervisor Advice and Support sessions run annually by the
Graduate School. These sessions cover student selection, recruitment, induction, assessment,
examination, personal development planning, and generic and transferable skills training; these
sessions are available on-line for development of non-academic/industry partner supervisors. In
addition, the University's Staff Development Unit provides a workshop in Research Supervision. All
new staff must attend the Higher Education Academy-accredited Postgraduate Certificate in
Academic Practice, which includes assignments on postgraduate student supervision, and are guided
and monitored by an appointed mentor. Supervisory practice is monitored through the staff
Performance and Development Review (PDR) process, which is carried out at research institute level,
and through the annual student progress review procedure. Within the annual student progress
review process, meeting records kept by the student in the research training portfolio are available
for inspection by the progress panel and students are given the opportunity to complete a
confidential form to notify the progress panel of any problems with supervision. The Faculty of
Medical Sciences Graduate School has a written policy for dealing with the rare occasion on which
complaints about supervision are made. As determined appropriate through this formal process,
supervisors may receive additional training and support to fulfil their role, may undergo a period of
performance monitoring in this capacity or may be removed from the register of Fellows of the
Graduate School.
4. MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS (up to 2000 characters)
Clearly show the roles that the academic partner and the collaborating organisation will play to
ensure high quality supervision of the student and the proper monitoring of student progress
throughout the duration of the award.
Provide details of how you will monitor the student and their training needs during the course of the
studentship, including:
 Supervision arrangements, supervisor responsibilities, assessment arrangements, frequency
of supervisor/student contact and the involvement of staff other than the principal
academic and industry non-academic supervisor in the supervisory process (if appropriate)
 How you will manage the partnership to ensure high quality supervision of the student and
the proper monitoring of student progress.

The support systems in place for ensuring quality of supervision for less experienced
supervisors
The supervisory team meets the requirement stated in Newcastle University’s Code of Practice for
Research Degree Programmes that students are supervised by at least two academic staff, one of
whom must be an experienced supervisor (Fellow of the Graduate School) with one potentially being
a less experienced trainee supervisor. As stipulated in the Code, formal meetings between the
student and lead supervisor(s) must take place at least ten times per annum, with all members of
the supervisory team being present (by video conference if necessary) for at least 3 of these
meetings.
All students will undergo a formal progress review after 8 months. At this time a panel comprising
two independent members of academic staff will consider reports prepared independently by the
student and supervisors, a 7,500 word dissertation prepared by the student, a PowerPoint research
presentation given by the student and a record detailing the student’s attendance of planned skills
development sessions. The panel’s report will be scrutinised by the Head of Institute, then the Dean
of Postgraduate Studies and will be provided to the student and supervisory team. Progress to the
second year is contingent on a satisfactory outcome of this exercise. Further reviews will be carried
out annually to ensure timely project completion and thesis submission.
Students manage their acquisition of research, transferable and employability skills through the
Research Training Portfolio (RTP), which includes a Personal Development Plan (PDP) that maps to
all areas of proficiency specified in the Researcher Development Statement. Progress panels inspect
the RTP and must respond to a specific question to indicate if the student has completed research
training required. If necessary, a programme of training to fill any identified training gaps will be
agreed.
5. PROPOSED TRAINING AND SUPPORT (Up to 4000 characters)
The application should be completed by both partners and detail comprehensively the following:
 Highlight specific infrastructure and capabilities that enable both partners to provide indepth specialist training in advanced skills and methodologies
 Summarise the specific advanced research skills, methodologies and technologies
in which training will be provided to the student. Highlight how they address strategic UK
skills gaps.
 Clearly state the duration of the proposed project and explain why this duration is
the most appropriate for the project. Provide a clear project plan of how the project will be
managed, including how the student’s time will be split between the academic and nonacademic partner’s research training environment.
 Summarise the key features of generic and transferable skills training in line with the
“Researcher Development Statement” developed by Vitae (i.e. providing students
with the skills needed for the transition to employment whether in academia, industry
or other sectors) to be provided while the student is based at both partners.
 Give details of the procedures and criteria used in the selection, recruitment and
retention of an exceptional student to undertake the project.
Clearly much of this section should be project and partner specific. I suggest the normal expectation
is to appoint a 4-year PhD studentship although well qualified (Master’s level or equivalent) would
be eligible for 3-year registration.
Suggestions for the last 2 bullet points are below:
Training in generic and employability skills is primarily through a Graduate School training
programme, run by a Postgraduate Skills Development Coordinator (lecturer level post), and
developed and revised annually based on information from stakeholders and course evaluation
surveys. The programme maps to the RDS and consists of over 70 individual events, enhanced by
supported participation in external events (e.g. Vitae workshops, Biotechnology YES competition,
INSIGHTS public lecture competition). Induction training is compulsory and covers research
governance and organisation (Domain C of the RDS) and personal effectiveness (Domain B of the
RDS). Training in engagement, influence and impact (Domain D of the RDS) is through training
sessions and supported participation in external activities. The programme includes specific training
sessions on presentation and communication, team-working and time-management and also
supports participation in activities that develop these skills further (e.g. the House of Commons' SET
for Britain poster competition in addition to supported activities noted above). Students receive
Graduate School support to organise and participate in the North East Postgraduate Research
Student Conference, which develops all of these three areas.
Recruitment will be supported by the Faculty, which aims to recruit the very best students by highprofile advertising using a variety of media. Candidates will be selected competitively (CV and two
academic references) for interview by at least two trained selectors, including the lead supervisor.
Induction training is provided by the Graduate School as detailed above, and is augmented by an
institute-specific induction programme to introduce students to local rules, policies, practices and
structures, introduce key members of staff and provide subject-specific academic training and/or
context.
6. RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT (Up to 2000 characters)
Give details of the academic and non-academic research environments, including:
 Integration of existing cohorts of students
 Interactions with other researchers
 Opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary team work
 Current infrastructure, expertise, facilities and technologies available in the
department/group to provide in-depth specialist training in advanced skills and
methodologies.
Explain how these will be of benefit to the student and their research training, and the collaboration.
The student will benefit from training within a Graduate School (Faculty of Medical Sciences) of
approximately 500 postgraduate research students with diverse backgrounds, including a cohort of
MRC-funded students. Research activities and associated specialist facilities within the Faculty
provide excellent opportunities for PhD student training within key research skill areas. The Faculty
fosters a multidisciplinary training culture, notably through projects involving application of
modelling and mathematical approaches to biological research, including research on ageing (e.g.
MRC-funded Centre for Ageing and Vitality - CAV) and through strategic BBSRC studentship awards
in the area of Systems Approaches to Biological Research. Other collaborations are at the interface
of molecular (BBSRC) and social (ESRC) sciences. Established, strong collaborative links between
researchers in these diverse areas provide ready opportunities for students to participate in
interdisciplinary research, most commonly through our mandatory requirement for and robust
operation of supervisory teams, rather than single supervisors, which also allows for and encourages
cross-faculty supervision. Students have many and diverse opportunities for interactions with other
researchers at all levels from postgraduate student researchers to the most senior academics. As
examples, postgraduate students in the Faculty organise the highly-successful and well-established
North East Postgraduate Conference. The conference includes student participation from other HEIs
in the region and students invite high-profile external speakers. The Graduate School supports the
assembly and project development of teams for the Biotechnology YES competition, and encourages
interdisciplinary team work through this mechanism.