You said, we did

The IGS worked with the Board Games and Craft clubs to offer first year specific meet ups.   

The IGS are also now running monthly coffee club catch-ups on the last Wednesday of each month.  

From 2022/23, the IGS is moving to a position of offering PGR start dates at 4 fixed times in the year;  Sept - CDT students only and Oct/Jan/May - all other non-CDT students.  This was approved by the School Exec in October 2021. 

This will enable the IGS to provide a better applicant experience pre-arrval and better student experience on arrival, as stdents will commence as part of a cohort and will be able to attend a formal induction at the start of their studies. 

It will also assist with the more effective forward planning around space (offices/desks), equipment procurement, and will help better manage the growing administrative workload within the IGS team. 

The IGS drafted a "10 things MScR students need to know" document, as well as an example thesis time plan (similar to that provided for the PhD programmes).   

The Deputy Director of IGS will also meet with each new cohort of MScR students within the first few months of their studies as a sense check and to offer support in the early stages of the degree. 

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We consulted with the SSLC and the PGR community via the PGR Town Hall meeting in June 2021, and created a "PGR Office Etiquette Charter" which sumarises the expected behaviours and good practices that PGR students should demonstrate.  Students will be required to read this Charter and confirm their understanding before being issued with a key to their shared office. 

Students said they were feeling isolated and disconnected from their PGR community due to the COVID pandemic.  

The IGS supported the organisation of a series of PGR exercise sessions in the Meadows, which were led by professional fitness trainers. These sessions were popular and so we will consider running these again during 2021/22.

We also continued to financially support the delivery of the (online) Board Games club. 

In 2021/22, the IGS will look to reinstigate the series of student led community initiatives that were popular before the COVID pandemic.  

We have booked Firbush weekend sessions in November 2021 and invited new students (and those who commenced programme after March 2020) to attend. 

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Ongoing

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Students requested clearer guidance with respect to each of the Institute's PGR Annual Review process.

The PPR team recommended that the external member of the Annual Review panel was more formally recognised for the important role they play in the student experience and that the external, ideally, should be the same person for the duration of the PhD.

The IGS reviewed the Induction sessions and now provide new students with inductions to:

• Student support services
• PGR supervisor roles and responsibilies
• Internship opportunities (student case study)
• Teaching and demonstrating opportunities

We also organise Inductions lunches, providing an opportunity for new students to meet and mingle with their new peers. 

It is now a requirement of all supervisor to have completed the following training:

1. Data Protection (required)    
2. IS Essentials  (required)    
3. Challenging Unconscious Bias (optional)    
4. Equality & Diversity Essentials  (required)    
5. IAD supervisor update (once every 5 years)

Completion of the required training is checked by the IGS at the point of offer and a record of the training completed by each PGR supervisor is now kept.  Offers of admission are not made to supervisors who have out of date or incomplete training records. 

The Deputy Director of IGS now delivers in-year PGR supervision update sessions (to complement the 5 year training delivered by IAD).

All School staff are encouraged to attend and complete the "Draw the Line" training offered by via the Human Resources team. 

To ensure the quality of supervision of academics new to PGR supervision, the School introduced a policy that a supervisor cannot supervise more than 4 PhD students until they successfully graduated a PhD student.

Students requested clearer guidance on where to find support when experiencing academic or personal problems. 

The PPR team recommended that the School ensure that both students and staff are made better aware of the Postgraduate Research Personal Tutors, that awareness is assessed after a suitable period, and that Postgraduate Research Personal Tutor resource is increased to a level appropriate to the number of research students in the School.

The IGS Student Support webpages have been updated to clearly indicate where students can seek support and advice on managing their mental health, and who to speak to if help is required. 

The number of PGR tutors was increased from one to two, and both now offer weekly drop in sessions at fixed times during the week. 

The Deputy Director of IGS now also offers a weekly drop in session, and is also available by appointment. 

The IGS sends monthly email reminders to all PGR students about the PGR Tutor service, as well as highlighting their role and responsiblities during the PGR Induction sessions. 

We have asked Directors of Institutes to consider a PGR Champion role within their institutes, as an additonal support mechanism to the PGR personal tutors. 

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Under consideration

2020/21

2019/20

Students requested more support with managing their mental health.

The PPR team also recommended that the School provide appropriate funding and opportunities for students to take the lead in organising to self support and build resilience, particularly around coping with failure.

The IGS sent two members of the admin team on the Scottish Mental Health First Aid training course. PGR students who would like to speak to a Mental Health First Aider are encouraged to get in contact with the IGS at any time. 

The IGS provided funds to support the training of 10 x PGR Mental Health Student Ambassadors, who use their training to provide support and guidance to their PGR peers. 

The IGS participates in, and promotes, the University's Mental Health Awareness Weeks.

All PGR supervisors are encouraged and invited to attend the IAD "Supporting Student's Mental Health" session delivered within the School on an annual basis. 

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2019/20

2018/19

The IGS continue to provide financial help through use of the IAD fund to allow students to organise student led social events. Events funded during 2019/20 included:

• Firbush trips for first year and later year students
• Craft club
• Table tennis club
• Board games club
• Journal club

Student interested in organising an event for PGR students should contact the Director of IGS with their proposals. 

The School also organises an annual Jamboree for students and staff and their families.