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Supervision and monitoring - COVID-19

updated: 18.03.2020

What are the expectations for supervising PhD students?

For the duration of the restrictions we face, we will support postgraduate students’ research and writing towards their doctoral theses and dissertations through alternative means such as email and, where appropriate and feasible, videoconferencing.

Postgraduate researchers should continue to be proactive in seeking advice from their supervisor(s) on their projects and continue to maintain a good progress of work in accordance with the stages agreed with the supervisor(s) and in accordance with the department’s monitoring procedures (e.g. upgrades and progress reviews).

In practice, this means:

  • maintaining email contact (using your Warwick email account) with your supervisor(s), personal tutors, directors of graduate studies etc. regarding feedback and arranging supervisions by videoconferencing and/or telephone appointments;
  • ensuring as much as possible the usual rate of supervisory interaction (as described in the PGT and PGR handbooks);
  • maintaining your Tabula log of supervisions, noting any necessary adjustments that have had to be made in light of the epidemic (e.g. the unavailability of library sources for which there is no online equivalent, cancellations or postponements of events);
  • discussing with your supervisors and upgrade- or progress-review readers what alternative arrangements can be made for the conduct of the review; (for PhD vivas, please contact the School DGS)
  • submitting dissertations and assessed work online as instructed by advertised and agreed deadlines;
  • notifying the department of any persistent or serious difficulties with online access.

 

What should we do about first year reviews/PhD upgrades?

This is a formal requirement so if you are due to follow your departmental first year review/upgrade process during the next couple of months your options are:

  • Conduct the reviews remotely adopting a light-touch approach
  • Postpone but ensure that arrangements are made to hold them as soon as practically possible

 

What should we do about second/third year annual reviews?

These are a best practice expectation, so your options are:

  • As above but prioritise students with progress issues or who request a review
  • Postpone
  • Agree with a student that an annual review is not required this year