Since the last Postgraduate, significant progress has been made among the Working Groups. The Postgraduate Funding Group released its initial assessment report and has confirmed a programme for their workshop on 21^st January 2015. The Postgraduate Student Experience Working Group has confirmed three projects areas for investigation: PGT Identity and Expectations, The Final Stage in the PGR Life Cycle and PDP and Career Planning. The preliminary projects plans will be in place by mid-December for action in early 2015. The Diversity and Sustainability of Organisational Structures for Doctoral Provision Working Group will be releasing a survey in early 2015 considering the diverse structures and funding models across institutions supporting postgraduate students.

This month, the under the spotlight feature is progress from the Quality and Reputation of the UK Doctorate Working Group.

During their September meeting, four thematic areas were identified which would form the basis of research which would later be compiled into a composite report:

Doctoral Assessment

• What does a Doctorate look like?
• What is Doctoral Training? 
• Why do a Doctorate? 

The Working Group has produced a short survey aimed at Doctoral Students to better understand the wide range of key contributors to career and personal motivation choices across the disciplines and awards and varying entry levels. It is therefore hoped that colleagues will be willing to forward this on to as many students as possible to enable the Working Group to draw conclusions from as wide a sample as possible. The survey can be completed anonymously however any student who wishes to state their name will be entered into a prize draw to win one of three £20 Book Vouchers. The survey can be accessed by clicking here.

The other three areas of research will be undertaken in Spring 2015 with the initial findings of this research anticipated to be released in Autumn 2015.

Further information on all of the Working Groups can be found on the UKCGE website by clicking here.

Share the survey to your communities using #phdmotivator

link: https://pgr.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/doctoral-reasons