We are pleased to see high levels of satisfaction amongst our postgraduate research students, as reported in the latest Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2023.

The PRES is a national survey of postgraduate research students conducted by institutions across the UK and globally. The results are used both departmentally and institutionally, to identify areas for celebration and where more work needs to be done to improve the student experience.

This year, the overall satisfaction amongst postgraduate research students in the Law School was 75%, with top scores in:

• Supervision (88%)
• Resources (86%)
• Professional development (86%)
• Research skills (80%)

We were particularly delighted to see 96% of students reporting that their supervisor/s had the skills and subject knowledge to support their research. 92% also stated their supervisor/s provided feedback which helped them to direct research activities.

Whilst celebrating these achievements, we also acknowledge areas where improvements are needed. In the coming year, we will be focusing on how we can better integrate the PGR community into the Law School’s research culture, strengthen the sense of community within the PGR cohort, and continue to improve the forms of academic and welfare support we offer to our students.

Director of Postgraduate Research Studies, Dr Daniel Matthews stated:

"The PRES survey results confirm that the PGR experience within the Law School is generally very positive. But we’re keen to improve this further still. To this end, a range of initiatives are being rolled out that aim to enhance the research and community experience for PGRs. The School is keen to hear from PGR students about what more might be done in this space. Feedback can be submitted directly to me or through PGR representatives on the SSLC".

Further information about PRES can be found here.