2. The research student journey – PRES 2015
Dr Gosia Turner
Senior Statistical Analyst
University of Oxford

3. PRES 2015 123 HEIs 2 March and 14 May 2015 53,348 responses
41% response rate
Broadly representative of research students UK population
Increase on all scales
Largest increase in:
Supervision
Resources
Professional development
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4. PRES 2015 results
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5. PRES 2015 results Impact on Overall satisfaction Standardised Beta
Correlation
Supervision
0.281
0.613
Research culture
0.205
0.591
Research skills
0.174
0.588
Responsibilities
0.142
0.623
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6. Research student journey
Motivations
Opportunities
Professional development
Confidence to submit
Career plans
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7. Motivations
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8. Motivations and age
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9. Opportunities
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10. Opportunities – when?
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11. Opportunities by subject
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12. Access to opportunities
Funding (funded)
Language skills (English not first language)
More likely to attend and present at the conference
More likely to submit paper to a journal
More likely to receive training to develop research and transferable skills
Less likely to attend and present at the conference
Less likely to submit paper to a journal
Less likely to communicate their research to a non-academic audience
More likely to get training for research and transferable skills
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13. Professional development
Teaching
Opportunities
PRES scales
Research skills
Research culture
Responsibilities
Presenting at the conference
Placement/Internship
Submitting paper to a journal
Teaching experience has positive effect
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14. Confidence to submit on time
81% confident to submit on time
Fairly stable over time until year 5
Important factors:
Research skills
Supervision
Progress and assessment
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15. Supervision by confidence will finish on time
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16. Career plans
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17. Career plans by subject
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18. Motivations vs career plans
Academic career in higher education (either research and teaching, or teaching only)
Research career in higher education
Research career outside higher education
Teaching (at a level below higher education)
Any other professional career
Self-employment (including setting up own business)
Returning to or remaining with employer who is sponsoring your degree
Other
My interest in the subject
42.8%
14.0%
14.6%
1.3%
9.2%
4.5%
3.9%
9.7%
Improving my career prospects for an academic/research career
66.3%
14.1%
9.8%
0.6%
2.9%
0.9%
2.4%
Improving my career prospects outside of an academic/research career
6.9%
2.2%
38.8%
1.1%
31.4%
6.8%
7.2%
5.5%
I was encouraged by a former academic tutor/supervisor
36.9%
10.7%
17.6%
2.6%
16.3%
3.3%
8.6%
The funding was available
33.1%
10.1%
17.5%
5.4%
7.1%
7.9%
It felt like a natural step for me
38.4%
13.2%
19.1%
12.0%
4.2%
3.4%
8.4%
I felt inspired to work with a particular academic
14.9%
11.7%
1.9%
4.8%
5.0%
9.1%
21.6%
6.0%
9.6%
0.8%
14.3%
5.2%
35.2%
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19. Summary Generally a positive picture Challenges
High satisfaction rates
Access to opportunities when needed
Motivations to study linked to career plans
Good submission rates
Challenges
Exclusions (part-time, mature, English not a first language, self-funded)
Keep STEM and Health Sciences in academia
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20. Webinar Q&A
Results of PRES accord with the experience of the author as a Postgraduate Research Student
Exclusion is around being excluded from opportunities. Also applies to female students, who are less likely to submit a paper, possibly linked to confidence / support
Future analysis to look at impact of size / type of institution
This analysis based on all PGRs, analysis not done for separate populations
Analysis of Part-time PGR experience will be available soon
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