The Doctoral College provides support to all Queen Mary PGR students and Early Career Researchers to enable them to flourish in our research community. It enhances the postgraduate research student experience by cultivating a lively and innovative cross- and inter-disciplinary community of researchers. The Doctoral College works in partnership with academic schools and institutes, the Researcher Development team, Queen Mary Careers, and the Students’ Union, to offer a wide range of flexible training and development activities, careers support and social events. Through these activities the Doctoral College aims to give postgraduate research students and Early Career Researchers the best possible experience at Queen Mary, allowing them to reach their full potential and ensure that researchers are prepared for life beyond Queen Mary.

Strategic Aims

Strategic Aim 1: To enhance the experience of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers

The Doctoral College aims to:

• Work with schools, institutes, the Researcher Development team and other bodies to sustain and further enhance excellent research training for Queen Mary’s PGR and postdoctoral researchers.
• Raise the profile of the Doctoral College among staff and students at Queen Mary, for example by hosting events, such as Induction, Three Minute Thesis and PGR Cohort Days.
• Create and maintain an excellent website: both outward facing (recruitment) and inward facing (student experience).
• Develop an alumni network which can be used to enhance both student development and the student experience.
• Establish Postdoc Networks on each campus in order to provide a bespoke and partnership approach to developmental activities.
• Work alongside the Students' Union to organise social and networking events and activities which generate a sense of community among Queen Mary PhD students.
• Ensure that there is an appropriate representation of the Doctoral College at external events, in particular at Russell Group Special Interest Groups and the Vitae Annual Conference.
• Manage and disseminate results of the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) and other initiatives to measure and respond to indicators of student satisfaction.
• Manage and disseminate results of the Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) and other initiatives to measure and respond to indicators of research staff satisfaction.
• Look for opportunities for co-location of support services to serve as a one-stop shop for PhD students.
• Monitor dedicated space for PhD students and explore opportunities to increase and enhance this provision.

Strategic Aim 2: Oversight, advice and strategy development relating to Postgraduate Research and Postdoctoral matters at Queen Mary

The Doctoral College management group meets every other month. The minutes of this group are received by Vice Principal for Research Advisory Group (VPRAG): the Vice Principal and Faculty Deans for Research will make decisions on any recommendations made by the Group, and/or refer them to Queen Mary Senior Executive (QMSE), Senate or one of its boards as appropriate. The group is tasked with:

• Oversight of the management and administration of PGR students at Queen Mary.
• Oversight of PGR related data (including enrolment numbers, and progression and submission rates) for internal management reporting, and that required for reporting, to REF, Research Councils and other bodies on postgraduate research matters.
• Oversight of PGR student destinations and careers.
• Oversight of research development and supervisor development, ensuring that the best possible use of internal and external resources.
• Supporting the development and management of the Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs), ensuring that there are mechanisms in place for sharing good practice.
• Ensuring that the College is well placed to take advantage of new opportunities in relation to both PGR students and early career researchers. This will include supporting new applications for DTCs and horizon scanning for funding opportunities.
• Oversight of the systems of postgraduate research recruitment, studentships and other internal funds for students.
• Oversight of the College’s Concordat Implementation plan / HR Excellence in Research Award.
• Advising the College, through the Vice Principal for Research, on developing strategies for all postgraduate research matters.
• Reporting to the Vice Principal for Research on all the above.