Unsatisfactory progress

The regulations in this section cover where a postgraduate research (PGR) student's academic progress remains below the required standard after they have been given enhanced academic support.

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Requirement for the unsatisfactory progress procedure

14.1. A PGR student whose progress remains below the required standard after they have received enhanced academic support must enter the unsatisfactory progress procedure.

14.2. If a decision has been taken at any stage to end this procedure and there are later concerns about the PGR student’s progress, the student normally restarts enhanced academic support. The student should not automatically return to any stage of the unsatisfactory progress procedure unless the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate decides that this is necessary.

14.3. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) is responsible for the unsatisfactory progress procedure. If the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) Director or delegate has a conflict of interest (for example, they are a supervisor of the PGR student under consideration), another senior member of academic staff in the faculty must be nominated to perform the role.

14.4. If the School PGR Director has a conflict of interest, a nominee from within the school must perform the School PGR Director role.

Communications and record keeping

14.5. After being contacted by the School PGR Director, the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must inform the PGR student that the unsatisfactory progress procedure has started.

14.6. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must ensure that:

14.6.1. The PGR student is informed of any progress decisions in person where feasible. If an in-person meeting is not possible, decisions can be communicated in an online meeting or via the student’s University email address.

14.6.2. The PGR student is advised at every stage of the options available to them, including voluntary withdrawal or requesting a transfer to another degree.

14.6.3. The PGR student is invited to sign off on any work plans related to the unsatisfactory progress procedure.

14.6.4. There is a written note of all formal and informal meetings with the PGR student that cover their progress. All participants must receive a copy of the meeting notes, which must also be filed securely by the Faculty Office.

14.7. The unsatisfactory progress procedure must proceed as planned even if a PGR student does not acknowledge a progress decision, does not sign off on any action plans, or fails to agree any written meeting notes.

Informing sponsors about progress

14.8. The PGR student is responsible for informing any sponsors that they have entered the unsatisfactory progress procedure and for providing the sponsor/s with updates on their progress.

14.9. The main supervisor must provide an honest assessment if a sponsor requests an academic report on the PGR student’s progress.

Formal progress meeting

14.10. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate is responsible for holding a formal progress meeting as soon as possible after the unsatisfactory progress procedure has started.

14.11. The formal progress meeting must not be held during a period where the PGR student is on medical leave, short-term exceptional leave or on suspension. 

14.12. The purpose of the meeting is to:

14.12.1. Consider the causes of the continuing unsatisfactory progress.

14.12.2. Explore whether there are any exceptional circumstances or external causes that are impeding progress.

14.13. The following people must attend the meeting:

14.13.1. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate, who will chair the meeting.

14.13.2. The PGR student.

14.13.3. The main supervisor and, if necessary, a co-supervisor/s

14.13.4. The School PGR Director.

14.14. If following all reasonable attempts at making contact the student does not respond to the invite to attend the formal progress meeting and/or does not engage with the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate, the meeting must still proceed based on the available evidence. The lack of engagement from the student, including a record of the contact attempts, must be documented in the formal meeting notes.

14.15. The PGR student can bring a friend or supporter (for example a representative from the Academic Advice service) to the meeting. The friend or supporter can confer with the student, but they cannot ask or answer questions on behalf of the student during the meeting.

14.16. At the meeting, the PGR student and the supervisor/s can raise any issues in writing and/or verbally that they consider to be impeding the student’s progress.

14.17. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must ensure that formal meeting notes are taken and sent to all participants.

Decision after the formal meeting

14.18. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must consider the issues raised at the formal meeting, including any relevant exceptional circumstances or external causes, and decide how to proceed.

14.19. If the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate decides that action can be taken to resolve the issues raised, they can extend the enhanced academic support period for the PGR student with the addition of any appropriate measures. These measures could, for example, relate to supervision or to other additional support for the student.

14.20. If the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate decides that no appropriate action can be taken in relation to the issues raised and that there are no external causes for unsatisfactory progress, they must direct the PGR student immediately to the continued concern stage.

14.21. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must inform the PGR student, the main supervisor, and the School PGR Director of their decision in writing within one week of the formal progress meeting.

14.22. If the PGR student is moving to the continued concern stage, the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must inform the student of the potential consequences, which include a transfer to another degree or the termination of the student’s registration.

Extended enhanced academic support

14.23. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate can direct that enhanced academic support is extended once only. The extension period must not normally exceed two months (pro-rata equivalent for part-time students).

14.24. The extended period for enhanced academic support must be paused if the PGR student is on medical leave, short-term exceptional leave or on suspension.

14.25. The purpose of an extended enhanced academic support period is to:

14.25.1. Allow the student additional time to complete Plan 1.

14.25.2. Include any appropriate measures to address the issues raised at the formal progress meeting.

14.26. At the end of the extended period of enhanced academic support, the main supervisor and the School PGR Director must meet to decide if the PGR student’s progress is satisfactory.

14.27. If the main supervisor and the School PGR Director are unable to reach agreement, the School PGR Director must refer the case to the Head of School or delegate for a decision.

14.28. The School PGR Director must inform the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate of the decision.

14.28.1. If the PGR student’s progress is satisfactory, the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must write to the student, the supervisors, and the School PGR Director to confirm that this procedure will immediately end.

14.28.2. If the PGR student’s progress is still not satisfactory, the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must write to the student, the supervisors, and the School PGR Director to confirm that the student must immediately enter the continued concern stage.

14.29. If the PGR student is moving to the continued concern stage, the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must inform the student of the potential consequences, which include a transfer to another degree or the termination of the student’s registration.

Continued concern stage

14.30. When a PGR student enters the continued concern stage, they have failed to demonstrate satisfactory progress for a sustained period. At this stage, the student’s registration for their degree is under question.

14.31. If a PGR student in the continued concern stage teaches and is subject to the policy on postgraduate research students who teach, the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must check that the requirement in that policy to review the student’s teaching load is undertaken. An initial review of teaching load would have happened during enhanced academic support, but a new review is required at this point.

Plan 2

14.32. The supervisors, in consultation with the School PGR Director, must draw up an action plan (‘plan 2’), normally within two weeks of the PGR student being notified that they are entering the continued concern stage.

14.33. Plan 2 must include:

14.33.1. Details specifying what actions need to be taken and who is responsible for each action.

14.33.2. Information about any relevant support and/or training.

14.33.3. The deadline for the completion of the action plan, which must not exceed three months (pro-rata equivalent for part-time students).

14.34. The period permitted for Plan 2 must be paused if the PGR student is on medical leave, short-term exceptional leave or on suspension. 

14.35. The School PGR Director must write to the PGR student, including a copy of Plan 2, setting out the requirements on the student and the deadline, copying in the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate.

14.36. The School PGR Director must monitor the PGR student’s progress with Plan 2 during the permitted period.

Decision at the end of plan 2

14.37. At the end of the time permitted for plan 2, the School PGR Director must report the PGR student’s progress with the action plan to the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate. The School PGR Director can include information on any relevant exceptional circumstances when reporting on progress.

14.38. The Faculty PGR Director is responsible for deciding the outcome at the end of Plan 2 from the following options:

14.38.1. The student is back on track and the unsatisfactory progress procedure ends.

14.38.2. The student has exceptional circumstances and is granted an extension to the continued concern stage.

14.38.3. The student’s progress remains a concern and a Registration Review Panel is required.

The student is back on track

14.39. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate can decide that the PGR student is back on track if the actions in Plan 2 have been satisfactorily completed within the permitted period and the School PGR Director reports that they are satisfied with the student’s progress.

14.40. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must confirm this outcome to the student and the supervisors.

14.41. With the PGR student’s progress back on track, the unsatisfactory progress procedure ends with the student returning to normal study.

An extension to the continued concern stage

14.42. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate can grant the PGR student an extension to the continued concern stage if the actions in Plan 2 have not been satisfactorily completed but the School PGR Director reports that there are relevant exceptional circumstances.

14.43. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate can extend the continued concern stage once only. The extension period must not normally exceed two months (pro-rata equivalent for part-time students).

14.44. The extended continued concern stage must be paused if the PGR student is on medical leave, short-term exceptional leave or on suspension. 

14.45. The School PGR Director, the main supervisor and the PGR student must meet to update Plan 2 and to set out how the outstanding actions will be completed in the permitted period. The School PGR Director must send the updated Plan 2 to the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate.

14.46. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must write to the PGR student, including a copy of the updated Plan 2, setting out the requirements on the student and the deadline, copying in the supervisors and the School PGR Director.

14.47. The School PGR Director must monitor the PGR student’s progress with the updated Plan 2 during the permitted period.

14.48. At the end of the time permitted for Plan 2, the School PGR Director must report the PGR student’s progress with the action plan to the Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate.

14.49. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate is responsible for deciding whether there is satisfactory progress after the extended period has ended or whether progress remains a concern.

The student’s progress remains a concern

14.50. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must refer the PGR student to a registration review panel if the actions in Plan 2 have not been satisfactorily completed and the School PGR Director reports concerns about progress at the end of the permitted period. This period includes, where relevant, any extension given in exceptional circumstances.

14.51. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must write to the PGR Student, the supervisors, and the School PGR Director to confirm the decision.

14.52. The Faculty Academic Director (PGR) or delegate must notify the Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (PGR), who will set up a registration review panel to consider the PGR student’s progress.