University of Southampton second in UK for PhD completion rates

Ranked joint second in terms of postgraduate success for its home/EU students, and second for overseas students, Southampton is the only English university to be in the top two in both tables.

Ninety per cent of home/EU students and 93 per cent of international students who enrolled at the University in 1999/2000 successfully completed their degrees by 2005/06.

The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bill Wakeham, commented: 'We are extremely pleased at the high percentage of our research students successfully completing their studies here at the University of Southampton.

'This reflects the great importance the University attaches to the training of our postgraduate research students and the commitment of our staff to careful supervision.

'As a leading research-intensive university, Southampton has developed rigorous monitoring processes for the supervision of its research degrees, while at the same time providing a highly supportive research environment for its postgraduate students.

'Our individual Schools have a policy of supporting their research students and many have invested significantly in providing them with high-quality facilities and support.'

The School of Mathematics will welcome almost 20 new postgraduate research students in October 2007. Each student is assigned a supervisor and advisor to guide their research work, which is monitored on a regular basis by the School. In addition to the School and Faculty courses, students have access to the EPSRC-funded MAGIC, APTS and NATCOR consortia of courses. This means that Southampton research students have access to one of the widest portfolio of postgraduate training courses in the UK, spanning Applied and Pure mathematics, Statistics and Operational Research.