Mental Health and Wellbeing of Part Time and Distance Learning Postgraduate Researchers

Workshop Description

PTDL researchers tend to struggle more with isolation, discrimination and balancing multiple responsibilities during their studies, all factors which have negative implications for individuals’ wellbeing. 

However, there is limited research and/​or evaluations of interventions targeted at part time and distance learning students. The lack of focus on this group of students is problematic given the significant and growing numbers of PTDL PGRs. 24% of all PGRs in the UK are studying part-time (HESA, 2021) and in some institutions this number is significantly higher. Furthermore, the PTDL population includes higher proportions of Black and Asian students, those from minoritised ethnic communities, alongside those who are self-funding, who might be excluded from the academic pipeline. 

There is a need for a more targeted focus on the prevalence, risk factors and effectiveness of interventions for this group of students to develop policy and process at institutional and sector level. 

The workshop, funded by a grant from the University of Portsmouth, explores what we currently know about the mental health challenges faced by part-time and distance postgraduate researchers across the UK. We will look at:

• Case-studies of successful institutional policies and practices to support part-time and at distance PGRs – what do we know about what works, and why?
• What are effective practices in research supervision which address the issues faced by part-time and at distance PGRs?
• What are the gaps in supporting part-time and at distance PGRs, and what can we do about them?

Who should attend?

Thanks to funding from the University of Portsmouth, attendance at this workshop is free-of-charge. It will be of interest to:

• Research supervisors involved with part-time and at distance PGRs
• Professional services staff and researcher developers who are involved in supporting the wellbeing of postgraduate researchers
• Mental health researchers with an interest in postgraduate education
• Senior leaders in higher education who are involved in the institutional policies to support PGRs

What will the workshop outcomes be?

Workshop participants will:

• Understand of the specific mental health and wellbeing challenges faced by support part-time and at distance PGRs
• Explore successful strategies for ​‘what works’ to support part-time and at distance PGRs
• Learn how effective research supervision can better support part-time and at distance PGRs