In February of 2022, we convened the first of what will be a series of focus groups with our PGR community. These focused on issues surrounding supervision, careers, and research culture.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Supervision

Most attendees had several supervisors which was perceived as beneficial, yet also came with challenges around managing multiple supervisory relationships at once. The quality of the supervision seemed to be influenced both by the individuals themselves, their attitude towards others, and their wider work commitments. Participants were generally aware of what to do in the event of problems with their supervisors.

Research Culture

Many participants mentioned concerns around equitable access to training courses and resources and differences in funding opportunities. They also expressed an interest in networking and connecting more with other PGRs, which had been especially challenging since the beginning of the pandemic.

Careers

PGRs agreed that careers information as well as skills and development opportunities were widely circulated. They expressed the interest to receive information that is more clearly targeted towards the needs and interests of postgraduate researchers (rather than, e.g. undergraduate students).

Further Resources

Policies and guidance on supervision

Overview of our PhD Networks

Information on careers

Opportunities for PGRs

Interested in participating in one of our next focus group?

Please register your interest via our contact and feedback form and we'll come back to you when we organise our next focus group.