News and blog

The UK Council for Graduate Education welcomes the short pause in REF2029 as an opportunity to simplify and streamline the process, reduce burden, and ensure alignment with government objectives.

From July 3^rd to 4^th 2025, we held our Annual Conference at the Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow. The theme was ​‘Transitions and Transformations in Postgraduate Education’ and we welcomed delegates from across the world to present on a range of topics from REF 2029 to managing institutional change. 

On June 19^th 2025, Dr Anna Bull and Dr Kelly Prince (of The 1752 Group and the University of York) ran a webinar on their new toolkit: ​“Addressing harassment and sexual misconduct experienced by postgraduate researchers”. Along with several guest speakers, they examined the new requirements from the Office for Students (known as Condition E6) along with examples of best practice from the sector. 

On June 12^th, we welcomed Dr Zoe Stephenson from the University of Birmingham, who presented findings from research which she and Dr Amy Jackson (University of Birmingham) have conducted about viva experiences within UK universities.

On June 6th 2025, UKCGE held a webinar discussion with the Doctoral Deans & Directors’ (DDD) Network, led by the co-Chairs, Nigel Eady (Director of Research Talent at King’s College London) and Jane Wellens (Head of the Graduate School and Associate Professor of Graduate Education at University of Staffordshire). The session addressed issues surrounding the Trusted Research campaign, including examining export control.

On May 15^th 2025, we held an online discussion around Disability Adjustments and the Viva, which was chaired by Susanna Broom (Co-Chair, UKCGE PEP Network and Head of the Sussex Researcher School).

The Professional Doctorates Survey, which was run jointly by UKCGE and University Alliance, has now closed and we wish to thank all participants for their time. We can reveal some initial findings ahead of the full survey report, which will be published in autumn 2025.

On May 1^st 2025, the Co-Chairs of our Research Supervisors’ Network, Dr Nicola Palmer and Professor Craig Martin, held an event where they invited Dr Florence Phua (Associate Professor at the School of the Built Environment, University of Reading) to explore the role of supervisors’ supportiveness, rather than their academic ability, as a key driver of PhD student satisfaction. 

On May 1st 2025, the Co-Chairs of our Postgraduate Education Practitioners’ Network, Susanna Broom and Kerri Gardiner, held a Network Clinic looking at the specific issues and unique challenges which face those working within postgraduate research. Their report on the event is below.

The UK Council for Graduate Education’s UK Research Supervision Survey (UKRSS) went out to institutions nation-wide in Summer 2024, garnering 5,174 responses. Administered online between June 3 and July 16, 2024 and funded by Research SuperVision Project (RSVP) and Research England, the survey received valid responses from individuals involved in the supervision of doctoral candidates across 141 UK institutions.