Support for Postgraduate Researchers during Covid-19
Published: 1 December 2020
Update on approach to supporting PGRs and their studies through the ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19.
PGRs are an important and considerable part of the Glasgow research community. From the start of lockdown, the University’s policy has been to support students based on the impact that the pandemic has had on their project or on their ability to progress their project. The policy applies regardless of a student’s funding source – it applies to students who are funded or self-funded, and who are in their funded period or minimum period of registration for their degree.
We have recently concluded our assessment of the needs of our final-year PGR students – i.e. those students completing their funded period in the 12 months to 3 April 2021. We are now working with all four College Deans of Graduate Studies to finalise the details of the support we will offer to students in earlier years.
We are, of course, aware of last week’s announcement from UKRI regarding the Funder's Support for students completing their studies from April 2021 to September 2021. UKRI-funded students make up ~25% of our population of 2,500 PGR students. As per our previously published COVID-19-mitigation policy, we will assess all students’ needs using the same approach, regardless of funding source, including self-funded students. This approach will be extended to include our UKRI-funded students.
We will announce the details of the support available very shortly. We know that you will be anxious about your projects right now, especially considering our move to Level 4 Covid-19 restrictions for the next three weeks.
Briefly, We can reassure you that you can expect a continuation of our existing policy, namely that students:
o Should, where possible, mitigate the impact of the lockdown by adapting their research projects
o May apply for fee-waived extensions to submission deadlines
o May apply for stipend extensions to offset the impact of disruption on academic progress or the ability to progress studies. Stipend extensions will be offered only when mitigating actions are not possible or cannot be sufficient to allow a student to complete their studies to the required standard in the funded period.
We would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the University’s Hardship Fund, which provides financial support relating to the costs incurred during the disruption itself. You can apply for this support at any time.
First published: 1 December 2020