Regulations for postgraduate research students: Section 4

Section 4: PGR Engagement and Attendance Regulation

You should seek impartial advice and support from the Students’ Union Advice Centre, the student support systems or the University Wellbeing Services if you are struggling to engage with your research study and / or attend supervision meetings.

 

4.1 Introduction

4.1.1 As a PGR student, you are expected to demonstrate regular engagement with your programme by:

• Attending induction sessions when you first join your course.
• Enrolling and re-registering for your programme annually.
• Attending regular meetings with your supervisors, either online and / or on campus.
• Keeping records of discussions and actions coming out of your supervisor meetings, using the University’s online supervision log (currently SkillsForge).
• Submitting work for assessment and attending examinations according to your programme timeline.
• Attending appropriate training (including English language assessment) and participating in conferences.
• Swiping your student ID card if you are studying on a student visa.

4.1.2 You must re-register on your course each academic year, including during the writing-up period and the final examination phase:

• To gain access to supervision, training and academic facilities.
• To be allowed to undergo written and viva assessments.
• For insurance purposes and to meet health and safety requirements.
• So that we can award you your degree.
• To comply with immigration law, if you are studying on a student visa.

4.1.3 You must also re-register when you resume your studies after a period of interruption, if you missed re-registration due to the break in study.

4.1.4 PGRs are required to complete re-registration within three weeks, otherwise you will be administratively withdrawn from your studies.

 

4.2 Annual leave and other absence reporting

4.2.1 You need to request any annual leave that you are entitled to by submitting your annual leave card to your School office for approval:

• Full-time PGRs are normally entitled to 35 days’ annual leave.
• Part-time PGRs (excluding staff) are normally entitled to 17.5 days’ leave.

4.2.2 Bank holidays, days when the University is closed, and weekends do not need to be taken as annual leave. It is your decision whether you work at these times.

4.2.3 You must also let us know if you are going to be absent for any other reason, such as illness, shielding, isolation or quarantine. This replicates expectations in the workplace and we expect you to behave in a professional manner when you are managing your absence. Your school may ask for independent evidence to support why you need to be or have been absent.

 

4.3 Recording your engagement and attendance

4.3.1 You are expected to record your attendance and engagement with your research by completing the online supervision record (currently SkillsForge) each time you meet with your supervisor. For full-time candidates this should be a minimum of once per month and for part-time candidates this should be a minimum of once every second month.

4.3.2 For candidates who are either in writing-up or the examination phase of their degree, you must complete the online supervision record each time you meet with your supervisor. At this stage of your programme, you are expected to be in contact with your supervisor once every second month.

4.3.3 If you fail to regularly complete the online supervision record, this will be considered a breach of the attendance and engagement regulation and the procedure for non-engagement will be followed.

 

4.4 Student ID card and swiping requirements

4.4.1 You must carry your student ID card with you at all times and make your card available to any member of University staff that asks to see it. If you refuse to allow a member of staff to see your student ID card this will be considered to be a breach of the Student disciplinary regulation. For online taught timetabled sessions and if you are a distance learning student, your attendance will be automatically recorded and monitored.

4.4.2 If you lose your student ID card, you must report this to your school immediately and you must buy a new student ID card from iPoint.

4.4.3 You must only have one student ID card. If you have more than one student ID card this will be considered to be a breach of the Student disciplinary regulation.

4.4.4 Your card allows you door access to specific areas of the University; functions as your library card and identification card; and is required for you to swipe and register your attendance if you are studying with us on student visa.

4.4.5 If you are studying on a student visa, you are required to register your attendance weekly, on campus, by swiping your student card at the designated point in your School. You must continue to swipe in weekly during any writing-up or examination period. This is to comply with your visa terms.

4.4.6 International students must read this together with the International student information section of the regulations.

4.4.7 For all other PGRs who are not studying on a student visa you do not need to swipe your student card for attendance purposes.

 

4.5 Fraudulent Swipes

4.5.1 You should not give your student ID card to another student and ask or allow them to swipe in for you.

4.5.2 We consider this activity to be fraudulent and if you do this, you will have breached the student disciplinary regulation and an investigation under that procedure will take place.

 

4.6 Withdrawal for non-engagement

4.6.1 If you fail to comply with engagement and re-registration as expected, you may b withdrawn from your studies. If you are a student visa holder, we will report your withdrawal and your visa will be cut short.

4.6.2 If you are withdrawn, you can appeal.

 

4.7 Additional information

4.7.1 You can find full details relating to PGR engagement and attendance on our website.