The regulations in this section cover where a postgraduate research (PGR) student’s academic progress remains below the required standard for a sustained period and a registration review panel is required.
14.1. A registration review panel forms part of the unsatisfactory progress procedure.
14.2. A PGR student whose progress remains below the required standard after they have ended the continued concern stage must be considered by a registration review panel.
14.3. The Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (PGR) is responsible for registration review panels. If the Associate Pro Vice (PGR) has a conflict of interest (for example, they are a supervisor of the student under consideration), another senior member of academic staff must be nominated to perform the role.
14.4. The Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (PGR) must chair the panel and must appoint two other senior academic staff as members. The panel must fulfil the following criteria:
14.4.1. They have had no previous involvement in the PGR student’s progress, including the enhanced academic support or the unsatisfactory progress procedure.
14.4.2. They are independent of the PGR student and the supervisors.
14.4.3. Normally, at least one of the panel members is from the same school as the PGR student.
14.5. The Faculty Head of Student Administration is responsible for the administration of the panel, and they or a nominee normally attend the panel’s meetings and the hearing.
14.6. The University Secretary’s Office provides a clerk for the panel to make a formal record of the proceedings and to provide advice on procedural matters.
14.7. The School PGR Director is responsible for ensure that the school provides the following information to the PGR student and to the panel at least 14 days before the hearing.
14.7.1. A covering paper setting out basic information on the case, such as the PGR student’s name, their school, the supervisors’ names, start date, final submission deadline, the project title, and details on any suspensions.
14.7.2. All documents relating to the application and admission of the PGR student, including any contracts or agreements with any funder or sponsor.
14.7.3. All meeting notes and letters associated with the PGR student’s progress.
14.7.4. Annual progress monitoring reports.
14.7.5. A summary from the school on the main points of the case, including the significant areas of concern, actions taken in response to the PGR student’s progress, and evidence of any exceptional circumstance or external causes.
14.8. Once the PGR student has received the information from the school, they must be invited by the panel to respond in writing and to provide any supporting documents at least seven days before the hearing.
14.9. The panel can invite the main supervisor to provide a brief statement in writing.
14.10. The Faculty Head of Student Administration (or nominee) is responsible for circulating the PGR student’s response and the statement from the main supervisor to the panel and the school.
14.11. The panel will hold a hearing at which the PGR student and representatives from the school, normally including the main supervisor, are entitled to attend.
14.12. The PGR student can be accompanied to the hearing by an adviser, friend, or representative. The adviser, friend, or representative can confer with the student, but they cannot ask or answer questions on behalf of the student during the hearing.
14.13. The hearing and other meetings of the panel are not routinely recorded, but this can be agreed at the discretion of the chair of the panel.
14.14. The panel must consider:
14.14.1. Whether the PGR student can attain the required academic standard within the maximum period of study specified in regulation.
14.14.2. How much of the PGR student’s completed work is at a satisfactory standard. This is particularly relevant if the panel is considering whether to make a recommendation to change the student’s registration to another degree.
14.14.3. Whether there are any relevant exceptional circumstances or external causes.
14.15. The order of the hearing must be defined by the panel but will usually be conducted as follows:
14.15.1. Representatives from the school present their submissions.
14.15.2. The PGR student presents their response.
14.15.3. The panel asks any questions of the school representatives and the student.
14.15.4. The school representatives and the student ask any questions to each other.
14.15.5. The school representatives and the student are offered an opportunity to sum up or make any closing remarks, with the student being given the last word.
14.16. Following the hearing, the panel will decide on a recommendation. The decision of the panel will be that of the majority of its members.
14.17. The panel can make any of the following recommendations:
14.17.1. The PGR student’s registration is terminated.
14.17.2. The PGR student’s registration is changed to an alternative degree.
14.17.3. The PGR student’s registration is unchanged, but the student is required to return to the continued concern stage for a further period.
14.17.4. The PGR student’s registration is unchanged, and the unsatisfactory progress procedure ends with the student returning to normal study.
14.18. The panel can also make other recommendations on any matter it considers relevant.
14.19. The panel must submit a report, including its recommendation/s, to the Dean and the Faculty PGR Director within two weeks of the hearing.
14.20. The Dean must decide on the outcome based on the panel’s report and recommendation/s within one week of receiving the report.
14.21. The Dean must write to the PGR student, the supervisors, and the School PGR Director of the decision. The panel’s report must be included in the letter.
14.22. The School PGR Director must ensure that the school files the decision letter and the panel’s report in the student’s file.
14.23. A PGR student can appeal against the decision of the Dean in relation to a recommendation from a registration review panel. Further information on appeals is covered in the assessment regulations.
