Code of Practice for Quality Assurance for Research Programmes of Study
Approved by BRE on 9 June 2005 and including all revisions up to 8 November 2011.
Annex E: Annual Monitoring
1. School Graduate Studies Committees are responsible for annual monitoring of programmes and determining action to be taken as a consequence. Faculty Graduate Studies Committees are responsible for reporting on annual monitoring of programmes to Faculty Boards. The Faculty Boards are responsible for reporting on the annual monitoring of research programmes to the Graduate School Board. This section of the Code of Practice sets out detailed requirements in relation to such annual monitoring.
1.1. The School Graduate Studies Committee should receive and consider, normally at its first meeting of the academic year, a report on each research programme or, where appropriate, each group of cognate research programmes. Any such reports which are considered to be unsatisfactory should be referred back for revision. The report should be no more than 3 sides of A4. Such reports should normally be prepared by the Director of Graduate Studies with responsibility for research programmes of study and should include:
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Number of research students covered by the report (and breakdown into year groups)
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Report on the induction, probation, end of year, submission and continuation year reviews which have taken place during the last academic year. This should include statistics and a commentary on completion rates within the school.
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A commentary on the School’s consideration of student feedback (obtained via annual reports, progression reviews, postgraduate student representatives, staff-student liaison committees and the postgraduate research student survey) and an indication of actions already taken and planned as a result of this feedback.
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Information about the standard of learning resources for postgraduate researchers
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A commentary on the quality of the research environment available to postgraduate researchers within the School.
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A report on the adequacy of research skills training for postgraduate research students within the School.
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A report on the School’s consideration of any feedback obtained from external examiners (if appropriate)
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A commentary on any developments or enhancements made to the programme over the last year.
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Comments from supervisory staff on the availability and appropriateness of staff training opportunities, including (where appropriate) the identification of areas shortfall in the University’s provision in this area.
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Statistical data on applications and admissions to the programme(s) with a commentary on whether or not this indicates that the programme(s) are able to recruit satisfactorily.
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Any matters raised with respect to disabled access to the curriculum (care should be taken not to identify individual students).
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Any proposed changes to the programme(s) and any implications for resources and staff development of such changes.
The Director of Graduate Studies should ensure that, if available, both recommendations for improvement and positive feedback on aspects of good practice (received from either students or external examiners) are highlighted in the report.
Following approval of the report by the School Graduate Studies Committee, the report should be submitted to the Faculty for consideration.
1.2. The Faculty Graduate Studies Committee should be responsible for preparing an overview Annual Monitoring Report for the Faculty Board. Such reports should include:
1.2.1 A summary report on the quality of resources, environment and research skills training available to postgraduate research students across the Faculty. This should take account of any matters raised in relation to ensuring disabled access.
1.2.2 A summary report and statistics relating to induction, probation, end of year, submission and continuation year reviews which have taken place across the Faculty during the last academic year. This should include a commentary on completion rates across the Faculty.
1.2.3 A summary report on the response to postgraduate research student feedback across the Faculty (i.e. student feedback obtained via annual reports, progression reviews, postgraduate student representatives, staff-student liaison committees and the postgraduate research student survey).
1.2.4 Any recommendations for consideration either by the Faculty Board or at institutional level.
1.3. This report to be passed to Faculty Board for consideration.
1.3.1 Where the Faculty Board approves an Annual Monitoring Report, the Graduate Studies Committee should be so informed by the Faculties Support Officer.
1.3.2 Where the Faculty Board does not feel able to approve an Annual Monitoring Report, the Graduate Studies Committee should be informed by the Faculties Support Officer of the reasons for this and asked to submit a revised report by a specified date.
1.4. The Faculty Board should report to the Graduate School Board:
1.4.1 on whether the Annual Report has been received and considered and on whether or not it is considered to be satisfactory;
1.4.2 in the case of reports which the Faculty Board considers to be unsatisfactory: the action taken by the Faculty Board;
1.4.3 examples of good practice which the Faculty Board considers to be worthy of dissemination;
1.4.4 A brief summary report and statistics relating to the conduct of progression reviews across the Faculty. This should have particular reference to PhD students in their continuation year and action being taken by the Faculty and Schools to ensure early submission.
1.4.5 Any recommendations for consideration at institutional level.