PGR Review Hub

Welcome to your PGR Review Hub for Supervisors, Panel Reviewers and PG Convenors.

Below you will find important information about the initial/annual review process, MyCampus PGR System, downloadable documents and helpful information.

*** INITIAL REVIEWS ARE TO BE COMPLETED ON MYCAMPUS ***

 

                                                                                              

PURPOSE

The Annual Progress Review (APR) is designed to evaluate each student’s progress in relation to their stage of study.

  • A mandatory requirement for all research students
  • Reviews academic achievements and highlights any issues that may arise
  • Provides valuable feedback on research, personal development, and overall performance

 

PROCESS

       PGR Review - Year 1PGR Review - Years 2+PGR Review - Thesis Year

           This is a general guide, with suggested timelines, for detailed information see the relevant tab below.

Initial Review Process

Timeline

  • Research students normally have three months to complete their initial review.
  • For October starters, the review should be completed by the end of January/ mid Feb.
  • Students beginning later in the academic year (e.g., March–June) do not complete a separate initial review. Instead, their review is combined with the annual review during the summer, following the standard annual review process.

 

Students Requirements

Students must:

  • Provide a Literature Review that includes:
    • A summary of the current scientific literature relevant to their research
    • The scientific aims of their research project
    • Proposed experimental approaches or study design
    • Approx 2000-2500 words (3-4 pages plus references)
  • Upload these forms with the Literature Review online to the MyCampus Initial Review Portal.
  • Supervisor(s) upload their review and extra docs online.
  • Student organises to meet with assessor panel to discuss the Literature Review, Researcher Development Log and Training Needs Assessment.
  • Assessor panel adds their assessment online.
  • Student completes their student statement online.
  • PGR Convenor reviews and assigns a recommendation.
  • If a student starts in early March, if agreed with their supervisor, they should wait and combine their initial review and annual
    review during the annual review season. The Graduate School can override.

Please note this is a general guide. It may differ slightly from school to school. Read the PGR Code of Practice .

 

Annual Review Process

Students are required to:

  • Contact their supervisory team/panel reviewers and arrange their annual review during May - July.
  • Write a 3000 word journal style report, appropriate to their research.
  • Prepare a data management plan for their research projects
  • Deliver a presentation, either oral or poster, by the end of their first year with their supervisors.
  • Submit a scientific report, with a note of progress over the year.
  • Students should check with their local PG Convenor for any extra requirements.
  • Arrange a Formal Assessment Interview with the two Panel Reviewers.
  • When: aim to be completed by end of July. Contact the graduate school if more time is required.

Supervisors are required to:

  • Be available for students when they need to meet and discuss their annual review.
  • Complete the supervisor review section in the MyCampus PGR system and upload any docs (less than 20mb).
  • Watch the training video.

Review Panel are required to:

  • Be available for students when they need to meet and discuss their annual review.
  • Formal Assessment Interview is carried out by two assessors who are not involved in the supervision of the student.
  • At this point, remedial action is agreed upon if required.
  • The panel must upload a formal note of the meeting and action points within one week of the interview.
  • Complete the panel review section in the MyCampus PGR system and upload any docs (less than 20mb).
  • Watch the training video.

Postgraduate Convenors are required to:

  • Assign an appropriate recommendation by July 31 - contact the Graduate School if you think you will go beyond this date.
  • A recommendation allows students to register for the next academic session if appropriate and enrol for classes.

IMPORTANT INFO

  • If a recommendation is not assigned the student will not be rolled over in to the next academic term. This will have serious consequences with registration for the new academic term and the inability to enrol onto courses.

Please note this is a general guide. It may differ slightly from school to school. Read the PGR Code of Practice .

Final Review in Thesis Pending

Final Year Interview

When: 0-4 months when start thesis pending year

  • Students should be interviewed on their progress in thesis writing within their thesis pending year.
  • In the case of MSc(R) students, their assessors may discuss this at the annual progress review.
  • Postgraduate Conveners will assign an appropriate recommendation.

 

Role of the Reviewers

The PG Convener, in consultation the supervisor(s), appoints two panel reviewers who will be familiar with the area of research.

The panel reviewers encourage both student and supervisor to adopt best practices. They assist with solving problems that arise. This can include any problems that may arise between the student and the supervisor.

The role is mainly pastoral and includes the following:

  • Maintaining regular, informal contact with the student during the course of the research. There will be an informal discussion about progress at least once per semester.
  • Maintaining regular contact with the supervisor during the course of the research project. Ensuring awareness of difficulties that might arise.
  • Encouraging the student to raise problems with the Graduate School or Postgraduate Convener.
  • Providing an alternative conduit for information between the student and supervisor. The aim is to solve problems at an early stage.
  • Discussing the content of the student’s annual progress report.
  • Adding a paragraph to the annual report on the quality and progress of the research and training.
  • Use this Panel Review Form to help with your student assessment.
Resources
Panel Review Form Panel Reviewing Good Practice

 

 

 

Contact

Initial reviews, Annual reviews, Thesis reviews are all held within the relevant school.

All information you need is on this webpage or the PGR Code of Practice .

Please contact your local PGR Admin in the first instance.

If they can't help contact the Graduate School.

Initial Review Portal Instructions (SOPs)

SOPs for the new MyCampus PGR Initial Review Portal:

 

 

Additional Info

Part Time Students

  • The above review format is followed for each year of study, until the thesis pending year.
  • Part-time students will make less progress than full-time students in one academic year. It is still important to review the progress made in that time.
  • The minimum length of part-time PhD study is 5 years. The maximum period for thesis submission is no later than 8 years. 

MSc by Research Students

  • MSc by Research students must take part in the Initial and Annual review. 
  • Students undertake 1 year research and 1 year thesis pending.
  • The literature review and project plan follow the same timelines as for PhD students in year 1.

Doctoral Training Programmes

Students on DTP programmes may receive additional instructions on their review process.  

Since the first 6-months of the programme involves two 3-month lab rotations, the Annual Review Process deadlines differ slightly for MVLS DTP students.

The main difference is that there is flexibility to combine the initial review with the annual review.

However, the coordination etc of the Annual Review should be carried out locally. If you are unclear about submission dates and panel meetings etc, please contact your local PGR administration/PGR convener in the first instance.

Please send enquiries to the contact details provided below:

ProgrammeContact Details
EPSRC DTP mvls-studentship@glasgow.ac.uk
MRC DTP in Precision Medicine precisionmedicine-dtp@glasgow.ac.uk
Multimorbidity PhD for Health Professionals multimorbidityphd@glasgow.ac.uk
Wellcome Trust Integrative Infection Biology PhD wellcome-iib@glasgow.ac.uk

Wellcome-IIB Programme

First year students on the IIB complete two rotations and then join their PhD lab in April/May.

They don’t complete the initial review as they don’t yet know where they will be based at the usual initial review time.

They will complete the annual review and submit the documents below as part of the annual review:

  • Submit a rotation report: this is a journal style article that gives them the same experience of writing as other students for the annual review. Ideally from the rotation in the final PhD lab, although not all of our students join a lab they rotated through.
  • A PhD proposal - akin to the literature review and project plan that ‘regular’ students submit for their initial review. The format of this is based on funder requirements and includes hypothesis, aims, over-view timeline for the project.
  • Data management plan as required for all students at annual review.
  • Training needs assessment form (as for all students).
  • Researcher development log (as for all students).

With these forms and the usual meeting, the assessors will be able to judge the students understanding of the project, their ability to present and analyse data, and discuss their interaction with the supervisor(s).

Furth of Glasgow: Annual Progress Review

  • Student to discuss methods and frequency of communication with their supervisor in advance. 
  • Annual progress requirements when studying away from or “furth of" Glasgow must still be completed.
  • The appointed supervisor in the field is expected to contribute to a student's annual report.
  • The School or Institute can arrange a Zoom interview at a convenient time.
  • The Graduate School adheres to the University's Furth of Glasgow policy.

FAQs

  • What happens if my student is on a suspension of study or approved absence during the review period?

    • The Graduate School will be informed through the Higher Degrees Committee and their MyCampus record will be updated.
    • The student should maintain regular contact with their supervisor(s) and the Graduate School, providing updated information (e.g., medical certificates) on their status and intended return date.
    • Upon their return, students will be required to undertake any informal or formal assessments or reviews of progress that are appropriate and uploaded to the PGR System after the Graduate School has been notified of the students return.

  • What are the options if I am not satisfied or unsure of my student’s ability to progress?

    Discuss any problems with the Postgraduate Convenor in the first instance, prior to making a recommendation on the MyCampus PGR Review Portal.
     
    • The options are as follows:

 1. The student is not permitted to register for the following session until;

Either

    i. Additional work is submitted to the satisfaction of the supervisors before 1st October and the PG Convenor assigns a recomendation.

Or

    ii. A further review is carried out before 1st October and the PG Convenor assigns a  recomendation.

2. The student is suspended from further study. This is an option if your student is experiencing medical or financial difficulties. An application for a suspension of study is required and sent to the Higher Degrees Committee.

3. The student is withdrawn from the PhD programme. If at any time the supervisory team is of the opinion that the student is unlikely to achieve the degree for which they are registered, the student and the Convener of the Graduate School Board should be notified without delay. All parties shall agree a written record of the discussions and their outcome. Before selecting this option, this must be discussed with the Postgraduate Convener.

4. Read the PGR Code of Practice section 9 for more detailed information.

  • My student has started midway through the academic year. When should the first review take place?

    • If your student started in Jan/Feb they have until APRIL 30 to fully complete the initial review.
    • If your student started between March/June they will combine their initial review with their annual review.
  • My student started in Aug, when do they do their initial review and why have they been charged extra fees?
    • Your student should fully complete their initial review at the usual time in January of the following year.
    • The financial year ends on 31 July but the new academic term starts in October for PGR students. If your new student starts in Aug/Sept they will be charged one/two months extra fees for starting in the previous academic year. Please contact the Graduate School if you have any questions.

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