Quality Enhancement Review of research degree programmes

The purpose of the Quality Enhancement Review (QER) is to provide a formal opportunity to reflect and report on research degree provision, both across the university and within each Faculty, with the aim of assuring and enhancing quality.  It is anticipated that the QER will take place every three years.

The QER aims to:

• Consider provision in the context of selected national and international developments in doctoral education

• Consider effectiveness and efficiency of selected aspects of the management of research degree provision at Faculty and Research Unit level, such as:
  • Selection and advertisement of projects
  • Selection, recruitment and admission of postgraduate researchers
  • Training and development of postgraduate researchers
  • Monitoring of postgraduate researcher progress, interim assessments and final examination
• Identify, highlight, and disseminate best practice in the management process for research degrees across the university.

• Report formally to Doctoral College Board and the Research and Innovation Committee.

Our Faculty panels generally comprise:

• Representation from the Faculty under review – maximum of eight to include the ADRI, with at least one each of RDs, PGTs and PhD researchers (as considered appropriate by the Faculty)
• Invited external reviewer – Head of Doctoral College or equivalent
• PVC Research and Impact and PVC Student Experience (Co-Chairs)
• Director of Research and Impact
• Head of Quality Enhancement (Academic Office)
• Dean of Doctoral College
• Heads of Doctoral College
• Doctoral College Managers
• Doctoral Development Manager
• Faculty under review – maximum of eight to include the ADRI, with at least one each of RDs, PGTs and postgraduate researchers (as considered appropriate by the Faculty)

To facilitate discussions at the QER Panel, a questionnaire will be developed in advance of each Panel, based on wider strategic considerations as well as recommendations from the PhD Researcher Forum, the Postgraduate Tutor Forum and Doctoral College Executive.

Generally, the questionnaire will invite faculties to consider research degree provision within each Faculty, both at the strategic and at the day to day management level with the aim of identifying areas for improvement and sharing best practice.

The written responses to the questionnaire will form the basis of discussion at the Panel and should  be signed off by ADRIs in advance. Each Faculty will decide how the written responses will be compiled and it is expected that this will be a collaborative effort, involving collation of material from each Research Director in relation to their own subject areas.

Once each of the Faculty Panel meetings have taken place, a combined report will be produced by the Doctoral College, sharing best practice and identifying actions for improvement.

The action list will be presented at Doctoral College Board as a Standing Item and will be reviewed at each meeting and updated as actions are completed.