Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee | Quality Handbook

Origin

Senate delegates responsibility to the Doctoral College Committee for leading and directing the development of the postgraduate research student experience and environment at the University of Southampton. The Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee supports the Doctoral College Committee in carrying out its delegated responsibilities.

Purpose

To consider, oversee and direct all elements of Doctoral Training and support and the doctoral researcher experience, and responsible for leading and directing the development of the research student environment within the Faculty.
To coordinate and lead on the implementation of the University strategy in respect of postgraduate research degree activities in the Faculty.
To ensure the implementation of the University’s regulatory, and policy frameworks, for postgraduate research degree programmes.
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.

Responsibilities and activity

As led by the Doctoral College and together with the Faculty Director of the Graduate School, to consider, oversee and direct all elements of Doctoral Training and support and the doctoral researcher experience, responsible for leading and directing the development of the research student environment within the Faculty.
To coordinate and lead on the implementation of the University strategy in respect of postgraduate research degree activities in the Faculty.
To ensure the implementation of the University’s regulatory, and policy frameworks for postgraduate research degree programmes.
As led by the Doctoral College and together with the Faculty Director of the Graduate School, to consider and oversee all elements of the recruitment and admissions process, to include the review and monitoring of admissions policies, to consider proposals for changes to admissions regulations, to promote fairness and consistency in admissions policies and procedures, to advise on the setting of benchmark admissions criteria and requirements for both academic and English Language entry qualifications.
To monitor the progression of students on doctoral programmes and to report to the Doctoral College Committee and Faculty Education and Student Experience Subcommittee.
To provide Faculty input to the annual monitoring processes for research student programmes, receiving and considering the annual reports of Doctoral Programmes (including those Centres for Doctoral Training and Doctoral Training Partnerships) which are based within the Faculty.
In collaboration with or, as directed by, the Doctoral College, to develop and implement action plans relating to research student activity, postgraduate research degree programmes in the Faculty and the doctoral researcher environment and experience, as required.
To advise the Faculty Board and to receive reports, from time to time, from the Faculty Education & Student Experience Subcommittee on matters related to research student activity.
To report to the Doctoral College Committee on matters related to research student activity within the Faculty.
To report, as required, to the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring and Enhancement Subcommittee on all aspects of the quality assurance of postgraduate research education.
On behalf of Senate, to appoint examiners for research degree programmes.
To receive and consider the reports from, and approve responses to, external examiners’ reports for research students and identification of generic issues.
To receive and consider the reports from Staff Student Liaison Committees, identify and recommend actions for resolution of generic issues, in collaboration with the Doctoral College Committee as required.
In collaboration with or as directed by the Doctoral College, to ensure the provision of training for research students within the Faculty, and to work with Doctoral College Professional Development Subcommittee to develop, deliver and review cross-disciplinary and cross-Faculty training, posting all training provision on Postgraduate Research Manager.
To consider a summary of the activity of the Postgraduate Research Special Considerations Boards, noting the agreed mitigations, and advising the Faculty and University on any changes to policy which may be needed.
To consider data relevant to all aspects of the research student experience, including (but not limited to) recruitment and admissions data, equality, diversity and inclusion data, the Doctoral College PGR student experience survey, the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) and other experience surveys, taking any necessary actions for remediation or enhancement of the research student experience.
To provide a forum for the Faculty’s Doctoral Programme Directors to discuss matters relating to research student activity, sharing good practice and providing support.

Reporting arrangements

The Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee reports to the Doctoral College Committee and the Postgraduate Quality Monitoring and Enhancement Subcommittee.
It works with the Doctoral College Professional Development Subcommittee, and with the Faculty Operating Board and the Faculty Education and Student Experience Subcommittee on relevant issues.

Constitution

Chair: Faculty Director of the Graduate School
Faculty Deputy Director of the Graduate School (Deputy Chair)
Directors of Doctoral Programmes
Directors of Centres for Doctoral Training and Doctoral Training Partnerships based in the Faculty)
Member of the Doctoral College Management Team (usually Doctoral College Faculty Team Leader)
Elected SUSU PGR Faculty Officer or Nominee (for unrestricted business)

In attendance: other relevant officers from Professional Services and colleagues from Faculties and other University campuses may be in attendance as appropriate to the business, e.g.:

Doctoral Researcher representatives from each School (including from Centres for Doctoral Training and Doctoral Training Partnerships) (for unrestricted business)
Directors of Doctoral Training Centres and Partnerships from other Faculties
Chair of PGR Special Considerations Board
PGR Senior Tutor
Postgraduate Research Co-ordinator, University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM)
iSolutions representative
Library representative
Centre for Higher Education Practice (CHEP) representative
Faculty Operating Service representative

The Chair may co-opt additional members as necessary (including to act as chairs of advisory/working groups).

Members who are unable to attend may send a substitute with permission of the Chair.

Quorum and frequency

Quorum

The Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee will be quorate with 50% of the membership in attendance.

Frequency of meetings

The Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee will meet at least five times per year.

Resources

Secretariat support is provided by the Doctoral College.

Terms of Reference review

Date of last review:....... November 2025

Date of next review:...... November 2026

Standard agenda - Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee

Governance reporting line

The Faculty Graduate School Subcommittee reports to the Doctoral College Committee and the Postgraduate Research Quality Monitoring & Enhancement Subcommittee .

Document owner

Doctoral College Committee .