The regulations in this section cover enhanced academic support for postgraduate research (PGR) students who have been identified as requiring additional assistance because of concerns with their progress.
12.1. Enhanced academic support must be put in place if significant concerns on a PGR student’s progress are identified during any stage of the student’s period of study. Enhanced academic support must be tailored to the individual student’s needs.
12.2. The School PGR Director is responsible for the enhanced academic support process. If the School PGR Director has a conflict of interest (for example, they are a supervisor of the PGR student under consideration), another senior member of academic staff in the school must be nominated to perform their role.
12.3. If a PGR student is concerned with their progress, they should initially discuss this with their supervisors.
12.4. Significant concerns on a PGR student’s progress can be raised by any of the following role holders:
12.4.1. A supervisor,
12.4.2. An annual progress monitoring reviewer,
12.4.3. A PGR programme director,
12.4.4. The School PGR Director, or
12.4.5. Exceptionally, by another academic.
12.5. The School PGR Director, in consultation with the supervisors, must consider whether any concerns raised on a PGR student’s progress are significant and require enhanced academic support.
12.6. When evaluating any concerns raised, the School PGR Director must ask the PGR student whether there are any exceptional circumstances that are impacting on their progress. If there are exceptional circumstances, the student can, for example, request a suspension or request a change in their mode of attendance where this is appropriate.
12.7. After consulting with the supervisors and discussing any exceptional circumstances with the PGR student, the School PGR Director must decide whether the student requires enhanced academic support.
12.8. If a PGR student is required to receive enhanced academic support, the School PGR Director must inform the PGR student and the supervisors in writing. The School PGR Director must also separately inform the Faculty PGR Director.
12.9. If a PGR student with enhanced academic support teaches and is subject to the policy on postgraduate research students who teach, the School PGR Director must check that the requirement in that policy to review the student’s teaching load is undertaken.
12.10. The School PGR Director must ensure that:
12.10.1. The PGR student is informed of any progress decisions in person where feasible. If an in-person meeting is not possible, decisions can be communicated in an online meeting or via the student’s University email address.
12.10.2. The PGR student is aware that the unsatisfactory progress procedure is a potential outcome if progress is not back on track at the end of enhanced academic support.
12.10.3. The PGR student is invited to sign off on any work plans related to enhanced academic support.
12.10.4. A written note of all formal and informal meetings with the PGR student covering their progress and enhanced academic support is produced and made available to all participants. The School Office must also hold a copy.
12.11. The enhanced academic support process must proceed as planned even if a PGR student does not acknowledge a progress decision, does not sign off on any action plans, or fails to agree any written meeting notes.
12.12. Once enhanced academic support has started, the supervisors and the PGR student must meet as soon as possible to draw up an action plan (‘Plan 1’) that must include:
12.12.1. Activities and outputs expected from the student to get them back on track.
12.12.2. The planned frequency and duration of supervisory meetings.
12.12.3. Details on any other support that will be made available.
12.12.4. How progress will be assessed at the end of enhanced academic support.
12.13. The PGR student must complete the expected activities and outputs in Plan 1 within three months (pro-rata equivalent for part-time students) from the start of the action plan.
12.14. At the end of the time permitted for Plan 1, the main supervisor and the School PGR Director must decide if the PGR student’s progress is satisfactory.
12.15. If the main supervisor and the School PGR Director are unable to reach agreement, the School PGR Director must refer the case to the Head of School (or nominee) for a decision.
12.16. If the PGR student’s progress is satisfactory, the School PGR Director must confirm this decision in writing to the student and the supervisors. The School PGR Director must separately inform the Faculty PGR Director.
12.17. With the PGR student’s progress back on track, enhanced academic support ends with the student returning to normal study.
12.18. If the PGR student’s progress is unsatisfactory, the School PGR Director must confirm this decision in writing to the student and the supervisors, including confirmation that the unsatisfactory progress procedure will start.
12.19. As the PGR’s student’s progress remains below the required standard, the School PGR Director must contact the Faculty PGR Director to initiate the unsatisfactory progress procedure.
