University of Bristol Research Staff Annual Conference Policies and practicalities of obtaining a PhD as a member of staff Paul Wood Graduate Dean, Faculty of Medical & Veterinary Sciences University of Bristol

Synopsis Full-time or part-time? PhD by published work Should UoB encourage staff registration? Criteria for a PhD Acknowledgements: Tony England – for providing data Alison Leggett, Tom Loeffler – assistance in analysis

Full-time or Part-time? (A topic for further research ) UoB employ- ment Study for research degree Examples A Full-timeEssentially full-timeMarie Curie ESR Some RAs B Full-timePT, as other duties permit Academic staff RA with other duties C Part-timePT, during hours of employment As A, but PT D Part-timePT, outside hours of employment Support staff, Teaching assistants E Honorary staffDepends on other employment Medics

Duration of study for a PhD (Maximum for PT student = 8 years: PhD regs.) Years for which fees paid Deadline for submission, years Full-time34 Part-time (50%)68 Other part-time (e.g. 67%, 75%) Pro-rata

Part-time self-funded PhD students: Should block payment of remaining fees be permitted? A case history - Student registers as 50% FT, implying fees payment for 6 years. 3 years later, supervisor asks for meeting with Graduate Dean. The research has gone unexpectedly well and the thesis is complete. Contract for UoB employment (if a member of staff) has come to an end. Has accepted a postdoc position elsewhere, but stipend can ’ t be paid until thesis is submitted.

PhD by published work: Candidature and fees Candidate must be a UoB graduate …, or be a graduate of another university of not less than six years ’ standing, who is a member of the academic or academic-related staff … and has spent at least three years in the University. Registration fee: £ 500 (staff); £ 1000 (non-staff) –(since external candidates need more help) Submission fee: £ 500

PhD by published work – What is required? The published work must represent a contribution to knowledge and must show evidence of originality and clarity of thought … The submission also includes: –A commentary linking the published work, outlining the coherence in terms of the subject matter being submitted –A signed statement advising how far the work submitted is based on the candidate ’ s own independent study …. –A C.V.

PhD by published work with multi- author publications: Case history Applicant: UoB BSc in Biochemistry, publications, but only two as first-author Typical authorship: –JN Arnold, CM Radcliffe, MR Wormald, L Royle, DJ Harvey, M Crispin, RA Dwek, PM Rudd & RB Sim My HoD gave consent to go ahead …

Case history for multi-author publications, continued: Layout of the submission The author ’ s declaration was followed by a signed declaration from the head of her research group. Ch 1. Introduction (1-17) Ch 2. Method optimisation and development (18-45) Ch 3. Aims and contributions (46-66) Ch 4. Conclusions and future aspects of glycosylation analysis (67-75) Published work (7 Publications) –Outcome: Pass (no corrections)

Should the University encourage staff registration for a PhD?

UoB Research Strategy ( ): Each Department and Faculty will maintain balanced and sustainable portfolios of activities to support their fundamental research …. In addition to grant-funded research and teaching, activities that will contribute to the portfolio are likely to include: business/industrial funded research, intellectual property expansion, and teaching postgraduates/overseas students. This is the only mention of postgraduates in the Research Strategy. Lobby Research Directors for positive mention of research postgrads in the next Research Strategy!

External link between research postgrad numbers and research funding In March 2006 the Government announced its intention to replace the RAE after 2008 with an assessment system based on metrics. HEFCE undertook a consultation on the logistics. For all subjects the new process will use a set of indicators based on research income, postgraduate numbers, and a quality indicator. (HEFCE News 6/12/06)

Criteria for award of research degrees [Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes, 2007/2008] 1.The dissertation should: (a)embody the results of research … which may reasonably be expected of a capable and diligent student in the period of study set in the Regulations for the degree. Doctoral degrees 4. The dissertation should … represent a significant and original contribution to knowledge, worthy of publication or dissemination in whole or in part in a form appropriate to the discipline. 6. … the work submitted and the oral examination together must demonstrate … that the candidate has the capacity to pursue independently original research based on a good understanding of the relevant techniques and concepts.