Terms of Reference

Doctoral College Sub-Committee

To keep under review the criteria and procedures for the admission of Doctoral Researchers to support recruitment of high calibre candidates.
To approve and oversee the University’s Doctoral Researcher recruitment strategy, ensuring alignment with the University’s EDI objectives.
To monitor intake and population trends, including Doctoral Researcher EDI data, and recommend actions to sustain and grow an appropriate doctoral researcher population.

To oversee the development, implementation, and enhancement of quality assurance mechanisms for research degree programmes, ensuring alignment with University regulations and sector expectations.
To review regulations and policies relating to research degrees, benchmarking against national and, where appropriate, international good practice, and recommending changes to the Research & Innovation Committee and Senate.
To provide oversight of Doctoral Researcher programme quality and governance, including scrutinising new programme proposals,
Recommending amendments to existing provision,
Promoting consistent good practice across Schools and CDTs.

To oversee the provision and promotion of researcher development, transferable skills training, and careers-focused development opportunities.
To promote and monitor a positive and inclusive doctoral researcher culture, encompassing wellbeing, research environment, community building, and analysis of surveys (e.g., PRES), and maintain oversight of action plans arising from research environment evaluations and survey results.
To review attendance and engagement across the Doctoral Researcher community and oversee the development of actions to enhance participation, strengthen research culture, and address any identified barriers.
To facilitate the sharing of good practice across Schools and Professional Services, to champion and support initiatives that strengthen supervisor development, and to ensure such activity contributes to a positive and high鈥憅uality doctoral researcher experience.

To recommend to SPaRC the allocation of internal funding for studentships.
To approve the distribution of external studentship funding (e.g. UKRI) in line with strategic priorities.
To oversee strategic plans for growth in external funding and ensure commitments are deliverable.

To oversee the development, management, and enhancement of partnerships relevant to doctoral researchers, including academic, industrial, and non鈥慳cademic collaborations, ensuring alignment with University strategy and sector expectations.
To receive, review, and monitor reports on the management and performance of collaborative programmes (e.g., CDTs and dual awards) and to oversee any associated external review activities.

Matters arising
Doctoral Researcher Recruitment and Admissions update
Student Services update – Service interactions and plans ahead
RIO partnerships and funding update, including annual model review and forward plans
Programme specification changes (following annual review)
Committee effectiveness review (annual)