Terms of Reference and Constitution
Governance reporting line: Reports to Senate
Document owner: Education & Student Experience Committee
1. Origin
Senate delegates responsibility to the Doctoral College Board for leading and directing the development of the Postgraduate research student experience and environment at the University of Southampton.
2. Purpose
- The Doctoral College Board has clear powers and responsibilities for developing Doctoral Researchers.
- The Chair is responsible for ensuring that any equality impacts against each project/policy/process/procedure have been considered as part of the decision-making process.
3. Responsibilities and activity
- To consider all elements of Doctoral Training and, together with the Director of the Doctoral College, be responsible for leading and directing the development of the Doctoral Researcher environment at the University of Southampton.
- To receive reports from the Doctoral College Professional Development Subcommittee and take overall responsibility for the Doctoral College Professional Development Programme.
- To receive reports from the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring and Enhancement Subcommittee on the delivery and quality assurance of Doctoral Research provision across the University. (These will inform the strategic direction of the Doctoral College but ultimate responsibility for postgraduate research quality monitoring and enhancement will remain with the Education & Student Experience Committee/Senate via the Academic Quality & Standards Subcommittee and the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring & Enhancement Subcommittee).
- To provide strategic direction for co-ordinating and determining the distribution of university scholarships in consultation with Faculties.
- To act as a forum for sharing good practice.
- Together with the Centre for Higher Education Practice, to lead the provision of support and training for postgraduate research supervisors.
- To promote a broad range of personal development and welfare services available for postgraduate students and help develop a community of Doctoral Researchers.
- To co-ordinate information, advice and resources for academic and professional staff to better facilitate the support of postgraduate research studies and development.
- State the responsibilities and duties the body covers such as approving, reviewing, monitoring, advising etc.
4. Reporting arrangements
- The Doctoral College Board reports to Senate. It also reports to the Education & Student Experience Committee, and to the Academic Quality & Standards Committee for note.
- The Faculty Graduate School Committees report to the Doctoral College Board.
5. Constitution
The Terms of Reference and Constitution are reviewed annually to ensure that the composition of the Doctoral College Board reflects those Faculties and Professional Services that have responsibilities for postgraduate research programmes.
- Chair (Director of the Doctoral College)
- Chair of the Doctoral College Professional Development Subcommittee
- Chair of the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring & Enhancement Subcommittee
- Faculty Directors of the Graduate Schools
- Doctoral Training Partnership-Centre for Doctoral Training Director representative
- Associate Director, Doctoral College, Student Administration & Academic Affairs
- Head of Doctoral College Administration
- Representative from the Centre for Higher Education Practice
- Quality, Standards and Accreditation Adviser
- Doctoral College Team Leader
- Vice-President Education & Democracy, Southampton University Students’ Union
- Head of Representation, Southampton University Students’ Union
- Southampton University Students’ Union elected PGR Faculty Officer
In attendance: other relevant officers from Professional Services and colleagues from Faculties may be in attendance as appropriate to the business, e.g.:
- Academic Registrar
- Representative from the Associate Directors of Faculty Operating Service
- Doctoral College Digital Marketing Co-ordinator
- Representative from Research and Innovation Services
- Representative from the University of Southampton Malaysia
- Representative from the University Library
- Representative from the Public Engagement with Research Unit
- Representatives (2) from Wellbeing Services
- Representative from Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
6. Quorum and frequency
6.1 Quorum
The Doctoral College Board will be quorate with one third of membership plus one in attendance.
6.2 Frequency of meetings
The Doctoral College Board will meet at least five times per year.
7. Resources
Secretariat support will be provided by the Doctoral College.
8. Terms of Reference review
Date of last review: June 2023
Date of next review: September 2024