Annual Conference 2025

Part 2 of the Symposium will take place at 11:00

Across the sector, efforts to improve doctoral education have accelerated significantly over the last few years. These efforts respond to a myriad of challenges emerging in the doctoral landscape including the need to improve the quality and consistency of PGR experience, the commitment to offer enhanced support for PGR wellbeing, and the responsibility to provide effective training that leads to successful progression and reduced attrition. High-quality doctoral supervision is the key to successfully engaging with these challenges. It comes as no surprise therefore that greater attention is now afforded to the professional development of doctoral supervision/​supervisors, presented by many institutions as key to their ‘’People, Culture, and Environment’ commitments. In this presentation, we reflect on our experience of devising and implementing mandatory doctoral supervision across the university. Three areas will be initially considered. First, our attempt to develop the content of a programme of training that was relevant and challenging, and moved beyond feeling like a ​‘tick box’ type training. Second, in developing and rolling out the programme we committed to co-production with doctoral supervisors, PGRs and professional services colleagues. This was necessary to ensure the programme was relevant and challenging for participants but also acknowledged disciplinary and programme differences in doctoral education, as well as differences in career stages of supervisors and PGRs. Third, we reflect on efforts made to assess and modify the programme as well as build in ​‘top-up’ measures as a way of embedding the training as an effective professional development opportunity. For some, the idea of mandatory doctoral supervisory training is an unnecessary imposition and good supervision is best learned ​‘on the job’ or derives from the ​‘expertise’ of the supervisor. We build on our experience to engage with this resistance and ask what, if any, difference comes from the implementation of doctoral supervision training.

The development and use of generative AI (GenAI) tools is evolving at pace, presenting significant challenges in all areas of higher education, including the postgraduate researcher (PGR) space. However, understanding of the technology itself, and of how to navigate its proliferation and ease of accessibility, together with the implications for its use in an academic setting, is lagging behind. It is therefore critical that institutional policies or positions focus on educating users to make informed and responsible decisions about engaging with GenAI. 

In this presentation, Susanna Broom and Fiona Sutton will discuss their approach to developing an institutional position on the use of GenAI by PGRs at the University of Sussex, from seeking to understand how GenAI tools work to benchmarking policy positions within and beyond the sector, and then taking the document through internal and external consultation and institutional governance approvals.

Susanna and Fiona will reflect on the challenges of developing a position statement in an area where they began with limited knowledge, and of navigating (sometimes strong) views and opinions while understanding evolves at differing rates within and between institutions. They will also speak to the importance of keeping documentation under review in this fast-moving area and the challenges of reviewing and updating documentation in a responsive manner within institutional governance frameworks.

Co-supervision or team supervision is now common practice in many countries and increasingly the need for students to be supervised by at least two co-supervisors has become an institutional expectation. In the 2024 UKCGE Research Supervision survey, 76% of respondents said they ​‘frequently’ or ​‘always’ took part in team supervision (compared to 71% in 2021). Despite this, there is still relatively little written about being a co-supervisor, what to expect and how to make it work effectively. However, from the existing literature, we do know that getting co-supervision right is fundamental to the success of the supervisory arrangement and has implications for supervisor wellbeing and effectiveness. If co-supervision is set up effectively it can provide structured mentorship for more junior supervisors, open up access to a greater variety of knowledge and opportunities for the student and allows for a supportive team structure if things go wrong. On the other hand, when co-supervision is weak or dysfunctional, it can exacerbate the challenges associated with power imbalances, leave the student as the ​‘piggy in the middle’ having to negotiate contradictory feedback and tensions between supervisors and can add to supervisory workload. As such, effective co-supervision forms a crucial part of a healthy research culture.

This roundtable discussion will explore methods and approaches to making co-supervision work effectively. The discussion will start with a short overview and comparison of some ongoing work at the University of Edinburgh and at Edge Hill University on tools to support effective co-supervision. Participants will then be encouraged to share their own experiences and ideas.

This paper presents work which was undertaken at the University of Sheffield to develop a new PGR Wellbeing Strategy (2025–28). To ensure that the work was guided by student lived experience of wellbeing, three PGR facilitators were recruited and trained to conduct focus groups with PGRs across the institution. Through six focus groups, engaging 46 PGRs from across the university, students reported on the specific issues impacting their wellbeing. The same PGR facilitators then analysed the data, producing a final report, which was submitted to the university’s PGR Wellbeing Strategy Group, containing a mix of professional services and academic staff, and PGRs. Importantly, any PGRs who contributed to the strategy — as focus group facilitators, strategy group reps or focus group participants — were paid for their input, at hourly rates, to ensure that students were meaningfully and adequately rewarded for their time and expertise. 

The PGR Wellbeing Strategy contains 4 key themes: Community and Culture, addressing isolation, particularly for international students and those from marginalized groups; Policies and Processes, focusing on how university regulations can contribute to stress; Skills and Support, aiming to enhance awareness of existing resources and expand wellbeing development activities for both PGRs and supervisors; and Equity of Experience, recognizing and addressing the unique barriers faced by specific PGR communities, including international researchers, those from racially minoritized backgrounds, researchers with disabilities, and those with caring responsibilities. 

The PGR Wellbeing Strategy contains objectives under the 4 key themes, aiming to foster a more supportive and equitable environment where all PGRs and the University colleagues who work with them can flourish and thrive.

By outlining the process for creating our Wellbeing Strategy, we hope to share good practice on empowering PGRs to drive change and to offer ideas for implementing significant strategic change with limited resources.

Part 1 of the Symposium took place at 09:35.

At the University of Aberdeen, we are committed to cultivating inclusive, supportive, and diverse research cultures. We believe that PGRs are not just participants in these environments but are essential drivers of change. Their lived experiences, diverse journeys, and unique perspectives offer invaluable insights that strengthen and enrich the entire research community.

To ensure that PGR voices are heard, valued, and influence meaningful change, we are creating platforms that empower PGRs to build and sustain strong communities. These communities provide space for sharing experiences, overcoming isolation, and fostering meaningful connections across disciplines. In doing so, they not only enhance the PGR journey but also lay the foundation for shaping research culture from the ground up.

This session explores the ways we are empowering PGR voices, through communities, to shape and strengthen research cultures:

• Empowering PGR-Led Initiatives and Spaces:

Through the PGR Community Fund, we support student-led initiatives such as the neurodiversity writing network, while providing dedicated physical spaces that promote wellbeing, collaboration, and belonging.

• Co-Creating Inclusive Events and Communities:

Working alongside PGRs, we co-design events that foster discussions and build connections across roles and disciplines. Topics central to the PGR experience, such as the hidden curriculum, imposter syndrome, part-time and distance study, and mental health, are explored, normalising diverse journeys, amplifying marginalised voices and increasing understanding of PGR journeys within the wider research community.

• Embedding PGR Voices in Policy, Processes and Decision-Making:

The PGR community are active contributors to institutional strategy, policy & process development and recruitment panels. Their insights shape key structures and systems, such as progression processes and disability guidance, to evolve in-line with the needs of an increasingly diverse PGR community.

The Brilliant Club is the UK’s largest national university access charity, and our mission is to mobilise the PhD community to support students from less advantaged backgrounds to access university and succeed when they get there. We do this by recruiting and training researchers to become tutors, and placing them in non-selective state schools to deliver our programmes. 

Motivated by the impact they can have on young people and enabled by our commitment to equitable recruitment processes, fair pay and working conditions, our PGR tutor cohorts are consistently more diverse than the wider PGR population nationally. 

We empower our tutors to see themselves as change agents, supporting young people at a pivotal point in their academic journey, and advocating for accessible teaching. The opportunities we offer support PGRs to communicate their research beyond the academy and provide accurate, supportive information and guidance to young people. They act as relatable role models for the next generation, shifting perceptions of PG study and research, as well as developing inclusive teaching practices which they can take back into their institutions. 

As well as the pedagogical training we offer, our tutors undertake public narrative training, allowing them to take a relational approach to building rapport with young people. This narrative building provides the foundation for effective, relational public speaking, and allows our diverse cohort to continue to inspire others by sharing their journey to PGR. 

We also offer internship placements within The Brilliant Club, giving researchers a deeper insight into fair access and outreach, and an opportunity to explore careers in the charity, education and widening participation sector. 

Through working with us, PGRs will develop transferable skills and behaviours which will support them to advocate for inclusivity both in their current institutions and as they go into their future careers.

UCD introduced the RSSDf (in 2020), the first Irish research supervisor support & development framework which represented wide-ranging supports & recognition initiatives for research supervisors. UCD has +/- 900 active supervisors, acting as principal / co-supervisors & examiners on internal & external assessment panels, aligning with the National Framework for Doctoral Education (NFDE). A collective agreement by Irish HEI & funders, the NFDE is a considered, collective approach in broadly defining the Irish structured PhD. Key to the RSSDf, is the inter-institutional collaborative programme with TCD, RCSI & U21 global partners. The framework’s success supported the UCD, UU, QUB & TCD submission to the North-South HEA fund, for development of a national research supervisor CPD hub. Engagement with UKCGE & Stan Taylor’s Development Framework & vast bibliography, has informed many initiatives, resulting in a successful practice partner application for UCD with RSVP. Simultaneously, working with ORPHEUS — Quality in Doctoral Education, resulted in the first European Train the Trainers programme for ten universities in 2024. Participants benchmarked their training provisions, developed existing offerings or designed training supports from scratch. This model is suitable for UCD delivery to Irish partners with national QQI interest & in turn supports the HEA CPD proposal.

Strategic partnerships have brought credibility, trust & a proactive university ethos in a period of significant senior UCD management change. The ​‘float all boats’ approach with evidence based & practice informed career stage specific supports, has assisted in message consistency & minimized siloing, while encouraging recognition of commonalities rather than perceived differences. UCD’s framework for supporting research supervisors currently undergoing its second iteration, underpins the university’s leadership position in the space. This is demonstrated in the university’s faculty development/​promotions framework, where supervisor training is now a criterion. Strategic partnership engagement & sustainability quality assured this significant cultural change over fifteen years. 

In2research is a one-year programme developed by In2scienceUK and UCL, designed to enhance access to research degrees and career opportunities for people from low socioeconomic backgrounds and under-represented groups. The programme includes online workshops, mentoring sessions, in-person away days, and a full-time eight-week summer research placement at a top university, supported by a stipend. Staff participants undertake race and cultural literacy training and support participants through mentoring and/​or hosting the research placement. 

A system-level evaluation plan was developed with The Brilliant Club to assess the programme’s impact on institutional culture, departmental engagement, and inclusive research pathways. The evaluation employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder workshops to capture multi-level outcomes. Key areas of focus included shifting academic attitudes, promoting inclusive behaviours, enhancing cultural and racial literacy among mentors and hosts, and fostering long-term commitments from faculties.

Workshop discussions identified several thematic impact areas: institutional culture, behavioural shifts, expanded professional networks, and increased institutional accountability. Recommendations from the evaluation are structured by short‑, medium‑, and long-term actions across institutional, departmental, and individual levels. Priority actions include increasing departmental buy-in through evidence-based case studies, embedding conversations about postgraduate accessibility in faculty meetings, and developing financial strategies at the faculty level to reduce participation burdens. Communication and visibility of programme outcomes—particularly through written and video case studies—emerged as critical tools for wider engagement.

The evaluation acknowledges key challenges, including departmental reluctance, financial constraints, and the need to move beyond individual success stories toward sustainable, systemic change. The findings intend to support inclusive institutional practices and ensure that programmes like In2research can contribute meaningfully to postgraduate diversity pipelines.

This workshop is led by the new head of a new department. The School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University is creating a new unit to transform leadership and support for postgraduates, early career researchers, and established research-active colleagues across six diverse departments, including Edinburgh Business School, Languages and Psychology.

As well as delivering supervision and training in research methods across social science disciplines, the new department will be defining a vision to build hope, resilience and vision in times of tight financial constraints and international turmoil, including serious threats to research funding, ethics and support. Its pioneering leadership in researcher support is thus timely and necessary.

Workshop participants will be furnished with a series of questions and prompts ranging from international political challenges, to staff support and graduate researcher development, to think through the design and remit of the new department. We will aim to dream big – how would we start from scratch, if institutional structures and norms did not impose certain ways of working? What more could we do, and do better?

Outcomes of the workshop will include:

- the chance to contribute your expertise, experiences (good and bad) and ideas at an early stage of a real project, to improve the workplace for real colleagues and students;

- collective discussion of important challenges facing the whole sector, with the emphasis on inspiring practical solutions to take back to our own institutions;

- networking opportunities with other participants, so we can continue to support one another and UKCGE in this important area;

- a record of ideas developed in the workshop to be shared after the event with all participants.

Contemporary research supervisors manage increasingly diverse workloads amidst increasingly complex institutional and global pressures. Amidst these pressures in flux, it is recognised that supervisory relationships are the most influential factor affecting doctoral students’ completion, achievement, and well-being (Sverdlik et al. 2018) and supervisors play a pivotal role in the development of their students, which often transcends simply academic or professional growth and requires specific approaches to understanding and approaching conversations around well-being with their students (Parker-Hay 2020). 

The relationships that supervisors form with their students are not monodirectional; while the supervisor has the potential to have a profound impact on their supervisees, doctoral students also have the potential to influence, affect, and change their supervisors’ ways of thinking, being, and doing. As Green (2004: 477) notes, doctoral supervisory relationships are both about identity formation and knowledge production, but they are often also ​“not just about coming to know, but coming to be.” While there is increasing literature and focus on the mental health and well-being of postgraduate researchers (see: Metcalfe, Levecque, and Wilson 2018), there remains less on how supervisory relationships affect the mental health and well-being of supervisors or on how supervisors may effectively develop supervisory-specific tools to effectively create boundaries, support their students, and protect their own well-being.

Given this, this workshop intends to bring together anyone interested in research supervision and academic wellbeing. The workshop will include group work in small groups where participants will explore how supervisors determine, draw, and maintain their boundaries whilst maintaining a sufficient ethics of care for their students and protecting their own wellbeing and work together to draft preliminary principals of supervisory boundary work that can be further developed into future tools for supervisors.

Enabling post-graduate researchers to reflect on their programmes of study and provide ways of addressing their academic milestones has long been a part of the professional doctorate degrees at Middlesex University. Originally the Masters and Doctorate in Professional Studies (M/​DProf) programme, and its various pathways, had been formally assessed through a series of modules at Level 7. These units of study provided preparation for many practical elements of the degree and focused post-graduate researcher (PGR) intentions and expectations. Due to changes in the University regulations, the assessed modules that had been a part of the framework programme were discontinued and the existing units of study provided as continued professional development (CPD). This case study presents the use of the SEEC (2021) level descriptors as part of the strategic refresh for these units of study within the Health, Social Care and Education / Science and Technology M/​DProf programme. The refresh set out to apprise critical thinking that considers the volatility experienced by professionals within our ​‘risk society’ (Beck, 1992) and to embed lifelong learning principles for individuals and organisations seen in the Vitae (2025) guidelines. We made use of the SEEC descriptors because they are designed to evaluate post-graduate learning that supports ​“highly abstract and complex learning, work or practice contexts at the forefront of knowledge” (2021, p. 17). The use of the SEEC level descriptors has allowed the programme to create more emphasis on employability within existing practitioner roles, including networking and career progression, that enhances the purposes and impact of the doctoral study being undertaken.

Beck, U. (1992) Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity, London, Sage.

SEEC (2021) Credit Level Descriptors for Higher Education, May 2021, Luton, SEEC.

Vitae (2025) The Vitae Research Developer Framework. Available from: https://vitae.ac.uk/vitae-rese…

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is committed to advancing research through partnerships and has developed effective mechanisms to foster collaboration and support the next generation of skilled measurement scientists. In response to a growing skills gap in metrology and increasing demand from industry, the Postgraduate Institute for Measurement Science (PGI) was established in 2015 as a strategic partnership between NPL, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Surrey. The PGI aims to build a sustainable pipeline of talent that serves the evolving needs of society, industry, and the economy. Over the last 10 years, we have launched the careers of over 330 postgraduate researchers through a diverse range of doctoral programmes, centred around industrial placements at NPL and other partners. Our industrial studentships cover a vast range of science and engineering disciplines, all with metrology as the common theme.

At the heart of the PGI’s approach is a collaborative doctoral model built around flexible co-supervision with industry, academia, and third-parties. This model delivers mutual value by enhancing access to diverse expertise, enabling postgraduate researchers to gain exposure to real-world measurement challenges faced by industry, developing valuable professional networks and transferable skills outside of academia. This approach to doctoral training has been instrumental to nurturing an agile, future-ready workforce. 

In recent years, we have expanded this model through the PhD@Work programme — a strategic initiative to upskill existing NPL scientists and engineers, improve staff retention, and diversify entry routes into doctoral training. This presentation will explore the practicalities, challenges, and successes of implementing PhD@Work, and how it contributes to shaping a culture of lifelong learning within an inclusive and adaptive research environment.

This symposium consists of three papers that each present initial findings from Birmingham City University’s (BCU) participation in That’s Me! Eliminating barriers to postgraduate research study in the West Midlands, a project partnered with the University of Wolverhampton and funded by UKRI and the Office for Students as part of a nationwide programme to Widen participation in postgraduate research – UKRI. That’s Me! aims to explore and address inequalities within the postgraduate research experience, with a specific focus on the ​‘Global Majority’ (Campbell-Stevens, 2021) in the West Midlands, and working with employers (partners including the NHS, West Midlands Combined Authority, Brandauer, and Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce) and local community to create a regional talent pool. At BCU, the research team comprises over 40 doctoral researchers, academics, and professional services staff, organised into Action Research Teams focused on routes in, routes through and routes out. Between 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, That’s Me! carried out a major data collection exercise, comprising of 15 focus groups, five surveys and 45 interviews, engaging around 130 students, 50 academic staff, 12 regional employers and 32 community members.

At this symposium, members from each of our Action these teams will share preliminarily discoveries from this exercise, with Professor KirstenForkert and Sarah Bristol Abbot discussing experiences of the doctoral application process, while Dr Sulayman Bah and Shameela Yusuff Ali reflect on the success of a research assistant scheme aimed at supporting the professional development of Global Majority doctoral researchers. It is expected that these papers will facilitate further discussion around the barriers students face on the doctoral journey, as well as providing valuable peer review feedback on the project’s early findings.