PGR Governance
Is there a central body responsible for PGRs such as a central doctoral college / graduate school
etc?
At the University of Bristol, the Bristol Doctoral College (BDC) is the central body responsible for
PGRs. The key aims of the BDC are to:
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Provide a hub of information and guidance for all postgraduate students working towards a
doctoral degree, for staff in academic schools and faculties, and for professional service
divisions
Coordinate a central skills training and researcher development programme to support
postgraduates in maximising their potential and succeeding in their chosen careers
Drive the development of the University’s PGR processes and data management systems
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Who are the key Academics with responsibility for PG Researchers at your institution (i.e. with
responsibility for academic oversight, strategic responsibility for PGRs etc?
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Professor Judith Squires, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Students
Professor Sally Heslop, Director of the Bristol Doctoral College and Academic Director of
Graduate Studies
The Faculty Graduate Education Directors
Graduate School Directors (please note that the position of Graduate School Director has
different connotations and different remits across the University); Directors of CDTs & DTCs
Professor Guy Orpen, as Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise is responsible for the
research outputs of PG Researchers.
In her two roles as Director of the BDC and Academic Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Heslop
is the key academic with responsibility for PG Researchers.
The main responsibilities of the BDC Director are to:
1. Provide expert advice to the senior team on the development of PGR recruitment, PGR funding,
PGR skills training and doctoral training partnerships.
2. Lead the BDC and develop it into an entity that drives the development of PG research potential
and a strong doctoral community, working very closely with the Deans and the Faculty GEDs.
3. Report to the BDC Board, the University Research Committee and the University Education
Committee (via UGSC), thus acting as a bridge between the research and education communities.
4. Negotiate the BDC budget and deliver the BDC objectives, including the efficiency savings and
performance enhancement that will be included in the annual operating plans.
5. Represent the University at external meetings on PGR development and training.
The main responsibilities of the Academic Director of Graduate Studies are to:
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1. Provide expert advice to the senior team on the development and management of all aspects of
PG education, including the PG student experience.
2. Take a leading role in developing the University’s longer-term Educational Strategy and the
medium-term University-wide educational policies.
3. Lead strategic PG development projects.
4. Be the academic lead on all aspects of PG quality assurance and quality enhancement and the PG
student experience. This includes chairing the University Graduate Studies Committee and the
Research Degrees Exam Board, overseeing the annual review and updates of the relevant Codes
of Practice and Regulations, overseeing effective delivery of PG programmes, overseeing PG
student surveys and overseeing all matters relating to PG appeals and complaints.
5. Deputise for the PVC (Education & Students) as required
6. Represent the University at external meetings concerned with PG education.
How does responsibility for PG Researchers sit within the remit of the Pro Vice Chancellor for
Research and Pro Vice Chancellor for Education (or the equivalent senior officers) respectively?
The PVC for Research takes responsibility for the research produced by PGRs, and chairs the
University Research Committee and the BDC Steering Group. The PVC for Education has
responsibility for postgraduate education across the University, the student experience, quality
assurance, quality enhancement and PGR policy, and chairs the University Education Committee.
What academic boards, committees, etc. take the lead on PGR issues (e.g. PGR governance,
management, etc.)?
The University Graduate Studies Committee is a formal sub-committee of the University Education
Committee. It’s main purposes are to:
1. Develop and maintain the strategic framework for postgraduate education across the University.
2. Monitor and assure the quality and standards of postgraduate education across the University.
It is chaired by the Academic Director of Graduate Studies, and membership includes the Faculty
Graduate Education Directors, the Academic Registrar, Director of the ESU, representative for the
Faculty Education Managers and two pgrad student representatives.
Full terms of reference and membership can be found at:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/groups/graddeans/ugscmembership.html
The BDC Board is a sub-committee of the University Planning and Resources Committee (UPARC),
composed of Pro Vice Chancellor Research (ex officio), Pro Vice Chancellor Education (ex officio), Pro
Vice Chancellor International (ex officio), Registrar (ex officio), BDC Director (ex officio) with the
following terms of reference:
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To support the BDC Director in their leadership of the Doctoral College.
To oversee the operation of the Bristol Doctoral College and monitor it against agreed key
performance indicators.
To provide a link between the BDC and UPARC.
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The BDC Steering Group reports to the BDC Board, is chaired by the BDC Director, and membership
includes three academic representatives, three PGR students, the Director of Research, Enterprise
and Development, the Academic Registrar, and one External Member (e.g. VITAE)
Its main purposes are to:
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Facilitate the implementation and operation of the Bristol Doctoral College.
Provide a bridge to existing university postgraduate research structures.
Identify and promote innovation and excellence in postgraduate research and training
across the University and externally.
Guide the development of more coordinated and consistent PGR provision across the
University.
Build partnerships internally and externally around doctoral training.
Who are the key members of professional services with responsibility for PG Researchers at your
institution?
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Deputy Registrar
Academic Registrar;
Manager of the Bristol Doctoral College;
Faculty Graduate School Managers & CDT / DTP Managers
There are no formal reporting lines between central and local professional services with PGR
responsibilities, but there extensive communication lines with the BDC taking responsibility for
ensuring that these communication lines operate effectively.
Which professional services units/departments take the lead on PGR issues (e.g. skills
development, data collection, partnership agreements)
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Skills development: BDC, although the Faculties take responsibility for discipline specific
skills development
Data Collection: BDC & Academic Registry;
Partnership agreements: BDC, RED & Secretary’s Office
Which division / team supports the process of bidding for doctoral training entities?
The Research Development team in Research and Enterprise Development.
Who are the key gateways to decision making on PGR matters in your institution?
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In her dual role as Director of the Bristol Doctoral College and Academic Director of
Graduate Studies Sally Heslop is the key gateway to decision making
In terms of signing off doctoral training entities, the Finance Director, Andy Neild is
responsible for signing off CDTs, and Senior Academic Officers sign off on DTPs.
Whose approval will be required to progress specific GW4 PGR initiatives?
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The Pro Vice Chancellor for Research Guy Orpen sponsors the workstream and will formally approve
specific initiatives. Sally Heslop will approve the University of Bristol’s involvement in specific
initiatives.
Programme Approval Process
The University of Bristol has a process to ensure that any new or revised units or programmes are
academically appropriate and sound, and that sufficient resource can and will be made available for
their successful delivery. To quality assure this, all proposals to introduce or change units or
programmes must be formally approved before being implemented. The Education Support Unit
(ESU) facilitates and supports this process on behalf of the University but does not itself approve
proposals. It manages the Online Approval Tool (OAT) but does not produce or maintain data on
programmes and units - this is the responsibility of individual Schools. The OAT is used for editing
existing, or creating new, units and programmes, and for tracking proposals through the approval
process.
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Programme and unit approval process handbook
Approval Process diagram and workflow
PGR Skills Development
Governance
The BDC Director has strategic oversight of PGR Skills Development. PGR skills development is
managed centrally by the Bristol Doctoral College. Skills training has historically been administered
through several central divisions / departments (including the Centre for Public Engagement, IT
Services, Library Services, Careers, Research and Enterprise Development, and Staff Development),
as well as locally at faculty level. The BDC was established to oversee the development of PGR skills
training by identifying and promoting innovation and excellence in PGR research training and
enabling the development of more consistent and better PGR researcher skills training across the
University.
As PGR Skills Development and Communications Officer, Sophie Benoit takes the lead for PGR Skills
Development, under the BDC Manager, and is supported by the BDC Skills Working Group. The BDC
Skills Working Group reports to the BDC Steering Group. Its terms of Reference are:
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To provide input and support to PGR skills development activities to maximise benefits and
ensure integrated provision across all programmes;
To develop and monitor processes for the assessment of the training needs of PGRs, and the
participation of students and staff in skills training events;
To provide recommendations to and feedback on the PGR Skills Development Framework,
including an annual review of the PGR Skills Development Framework, developing and changing
the provision as necessary;
To support and facilitate the development of the BDC PGR e-Portfolio tool;
To provide recommendations on the BDC web-presence, ensuring that it continues to meet the
needs of its core audiences and is used to increase the visibility of training courses and other
related resources;
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To ensure that the principles and requirements of various quality frameworks are met (e.g. the
QAA code of practice for the provision of research degrees and the Concordat to Support the
Career Development of Researchers and the National Vitae Researcher Development
Framework).
Membership includes representatives of Careers, Enterprise Education, the Centre for Public
Engagement, Academic Staff Development, Library Services and IT Services.
Systems
The University of Bristol uses “On Course” as the central online booking system for PGR skills
modules, courses etc.
From October 2014, Postgraduate researchers can access comprehensive information on Bristol’s
Skills Training and Researcher Development programme via the BDC e-portfolio tool (currently under
development with Simitive). The e-portfolio tool will also provide a facility for students to plan and
record their own skills training and development objectives. A name has been selected, in
consultation with students and staff, for the tool – STAR – Skills Training and Review tool.
The BDC E-Portfolio System will be a student-driven, flexible, online training space, specifically
tailored to meet the needs of - and help to foster – a UoB Post-Graduate Researcher (PGR)
community. The E-Portfolio System will offer a unique personal online space bespoke to each PGR. It
will:
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Provide a link to generate a public-facing profile for the PGR that can be displayed on school,
department, faculty or BDC webpages.
Act as a link to a repository of digital items combined with a means of presenting selected
items to others.
Provide tools to support the processes involved such as authoring, editing and presenting
material for different purposes and audiences.
Allow the capturing of and reflecting on learning, including setting targets and engaging in
student/supervisor dialogue.
Reflect each PGR student’s unique journey.
Training Provision
In consultation with the Skills Working Group, the Bristol Doctoral College will drive the
development of an integrated and enriched experience through a comprehensive Skills Training and
Researcher Development programme for all postgraduate researchers.
The programme will provide Bristol’s postgraduate researchers with access to a range of tools and
knowledge to maximise their potential and wellbeing via a combination of generic ‘core’ training,
alongside local or ‘discipline-specific’ provision and activities.
The core skills training and researcher development programme will be provided primarily through
existing channels and University services, via a range of methods including face-to-face and filmed
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seminars; discussion sessions; hands-on workshops; short courses; residential events; self-help
guides and online tutorials. Training will be delivered by internal staff members and external
facilitators / practitioners as required.
This programme is intended to supplement the skills training offered at faculty / school level –
enhancing and supporting existing local practices. Faculties, schools and doctoral training entities
will continue to manage local PGR training packages, but may choose to assimilate elements of the
core training programme to free up resource for training and activities with a discipline-specific
focus.
The Bristol Doctoral College provides a centralised overview of the core skills training and researcher
development provision available across the University, directing postgraduate researchers to the
most relevant information on local University services / faculty websites.
The development of a Skills Training and Researcher Development programme is based on two
reviews of training provision at the University of Bristol. The BDC conducted an assessment of the
University’s skills training provision in conjunction with the Skills Working Group, which resulted in
the PGR Skills Framework, ratified by the BDC Project Board in July 2013. Since then the BDC has
audited skills training provision from all centralised services. This training has been categorized
under Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework. The BDC is working with the central services to
consolidate and confirm a centralised skills programme. This programme will be integrated into the
e-Portfolio tool (Star), along with faculty-specific training. Star Phase 1
Additional information
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Supervisor training is provided for all new supervisors, through the “Introduction to PhD
Supervision” course, which is optional
The drafting of partnership agreements relating to doctoral training entities is coordinated
by the BDC via a PGR Contracts Working Group
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