GRADUATE SCHOOL FORUM Research students: growth and experience Themes – 1.Effective ways of enhancing the research student experience 2.The scale and nature of complaints by research students 3.Meeting the University’s strategic target of a 50% increase in the number of PGR students by 2014

Theme 1 Effective ways of enhancing the research student experience

Sources of student feedback  LUSU surveys  Postgraduate Research Experience Survey [PRES]  National survey, online, voluntary 2008 Survey  208 Lancaster students, 17.8% response rate Benchmarking  Lancaster vs sector and 95-Group Results not published (n o league tables)  Aim = inform enhancement  No exit surveys

PRES results2008: Satisfaction  Overall: 60% [sector = 60%] 1.Supervision: 64% [62%] 2.Opportunities to develop a range of research skills: 48% [55%] 3.Opportunities to develop a range of transferable skills: 42% [49%] 4.Access to appropriate facilities: 42% [47%] 5.Research environment: 44% [48%] 6.Guidance on institutional standards: 34% [36%]

Relatively low Lancaster scores  Skills development Confident about managing research project: -5%  Learning resources Appropriate financial support: -6%  Intellectual climate Good department research seminar: -5%

 Career/personal development planning Encouraged to think about range of career opportunities: -4% Encouraged to reflect on professional development needs: -8% Encouraged to reflect on career development needs: -8%  Selection, admission, induction Understand responsibilities as research degree student: -5%

 Awareness of skills training opportunities Adequate opportunities for me to further develop my research skills: -5% Adequate opportunities for me to further develop my transferable skills: -12%

Follow-up  Faculty & department patterns Low response rates  University-level Skills training – RTP Career development  PRES 2009 Open mid-March to end May Need much higher response rate Dept/supervisor support

Theme 2 The scale and nature of complaints by research students Andrew Okey (Student Registry)

Theme 3 Meeting the University’s strategic target of a 50% increase in the number of PGR students by 2014

First year research students Lancaster market share: 0.95% in 2002/03 / 1.04% in 2006/07 +20%+18.5%

Why grow PGR numbers? 1.Research-intensive HEI a.Critical mass, infrastructure b.Funding, numbers not capped 2.REF metric a.reputation, future funding 3.Concentration of research funding a.Research Councils – EPSRC, AHRC, ESRC b.Wellings Report to Denham – threshold (HEFCE fund PGR in c30 Universities)

Strategic Planning: Ambition 1 : 10 : 100 Five key targets: 1.Increase high citation staff by 50% 2.Offshore international programme, increase international numbers by 50% 3.Sustain financial strategy and surplus at 5% 4.Outstanding teaching & learning environment (top 10) 5.PGR volume up by 50%

% PGR, Lancaster = 26 th

Quantity vs Quality  Submission rates KPI – Lancaster and sector  Proxy for quality of supervision and research environment  Efficiency – supervisor time etc  Reputation, attractiveness & recruitment Research Council thresholds & sanctions REF metric Student experience

Reaching the 50% target? 1.Funding a.Faculty funding: already advertised b.RCs & other external sources c.UMAG – 27 additional PhD studentships i.FST 10; SHM 3; FASS 8; LUMS 6 ii.4 year funding, RC stipend, £1.5K/year research support 2.Other initiatives? a.Discuss in faculty groups, report back

PGR applications cycle