This project was commissioned by Chris Brasnett, Postgraduate Education Officer 2019-20. This project aimed to provide some meaningful data on the experiences of PGRs, to help both the University and Students’ Union improve their support and provision for this group of students. It was inspired by work at other institutions designed to capture the wider PGR environment, and designed to complement the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey. While PRES has a relatively narrow focus on academic experience, the work here has tried to capture some of the challenges that PGRs face in what might be traditionally seen as the ‘student experience’ at other levels of study.

Key findings 

Wellbeing

• 49% think that the stress of undertaking a PhD has a negative effect on their wellbeing.

• 56% overall agree that they maintain a good work-life balance.

• 41% of Arts PGR students are not able to maintain work-life balance.

• 3 in 10 Engineering PGR students are not aware of how to access help if they experience stress.

• 55% overall know how to access help if they experience stress

• 47% of Social Sciences & Law PGRs feel comfortable approaching their supervisor to discuss personal or health issues affecting their work.

• 3% of Arts PGR students have access to their own workspace compared to 93% of Engineering and Life Sciences PGRs.

• 72% of those with access to their own desk say that their workspace has a positive effect on their wellbeing.

Equality and Fairness

• 8% have experienced bullying or harassment during their research degree, and 14% have witnessed this behaviour.

• Over half (56%) of those that experienced such behaviour did not report it.

• 60% of PGR students don’t feel that they can report bullying or harassment without worrying about this having a negative effect on them or others.

• Race/Ethnicity, Gender and Economic class/background are the three main reasons why PGRs personally experience or witness discriminatory behaviour.

• 44% believe that their department is doing a good job at challenging discrimination and unconscious bias.

PGRs and the SU

• Lack of time and SU activities being dominated by undergraduates are the two key reasons why PGRs do not attend SU events

• Roughly half of PGRs across all faculties feel like they are able to communicate changes to their school or faculty

You can find the report here