Proposal for Higher Degree by Research Joint Award

This form must be completed so that a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and a Collaborative Agreement (CA) can be written for formal approval of the Joint Degree programme with the partner institution(s) named.

Definition of a Joint Award

A jointly awarded programme is one which is jointly developed, delivered, quality assured and a single certificate awarded by the University of Sheffield in conjunction with one or more partner institutions. For a Higher Degree by Research (PhD), the minimum time spent in Sheffield must be one year of a three year programme.

Should you wish to discuss any of the content of this form, please contact Katie Cahill, Doctoral Development Assistant in Research and Innovation Services (RIS) (extn 27612 or email ).

Proposing Department

Department Name:
Contact Name:
Contact Telephone Number:
Contact Email Address:

Intended Date of Introduction

When is it intended to register the first students on to the proposed programme?

Prospective Partner Institution

Name of Institution:
Full registered address:
Main Contact Name:
Main Contact Job Title:
Main Contact Department:
Main Contact Email Address:

Please provide information on the standing and reputation of the proposed partner institution:

Does your department have any other collaboration with the proposed partner institution? If so, please provide detail.

To the best of your knowledge, does the University of Sheffield have any other Memorandum of

Agreement with the proposed partner institution? If so, please provide detail.

How many students are to be involved in this proposed Joint Degree? Please provide detail such as proposed annual intake numbers and how long the programme is initially proposed to run.

Benefit of the proposed programme to the University of Sheffield/Faculty/Department:

Statement from Head of Department (including confirmation that the Faculty PVC approves this strategic collaboration):

Ability of the partner institution to make a joint award:

Please indicate whether it has been confirmed that the partner institution has the legal and regulatory capacity to grant awards jointly with another institution:

Can grant awards jointly with another institution.
Is in the process of putting in place legal and regulatory capacity to grant awards jointly. (Please indicate a date when this is likely to be in place)
Cannot currently grant awards jointly with another institution. (If this is the case, no further work on the MoA and CA will be undertaken by RIS)

Please attach supporting documentation

Exit Awards

Please indicate the proposed options for exit awards for students who do not complete the full programme and submit for PhD:

Structure of student mobility

Please indicate the proposed student mobility, for example:

Year 1: The University of Sheffield

Year 2: Partner X

Year 3: The University of Sheffield

Admission and Registration

Students must be registered at both partner institutions throughout the whole degree programme to enable a joint award.

Where will admission to the degree programme be granted?


TUoS
Partner X
Both Partner Institutions

What will be the registration procedures at the partner institution in years where the student is based in Sheffield?

Please indicate the intention as to which partner institution is likely to receive the student fee at each point of the programme:

Registration and fee proposals must be agreed with Registry Services at TUoS. Please confirm that these discussions have taken place and the above proposal agreed and attach any supporting documentation.

Supervision

A main supervisor should be appointed at each partner institution.

Please detail proposed processes for supervisor mobility between partner institutions and liaison:

Please indicate which other named members of staff in the departments will be members of the wider “supervisory team[1]” and what their roles will be:

Academic Progress Monitoring

Please indicate what processes are proposed to monitor students’ progress throughout the programme. Please note these must at least meet the requirements of TUoS Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes:

Please indicate what processes are proposed to ‘handover’ the students’ supervision to the partner institution. This should include an update of progress to date, and planned progress for the next stage of the research:

Doctoral Development Programme (DDP)

Please confirm that a Training Needs Analysis will be undertaken with the students’ at the beginning of each academic year to establish their skills training requirements for the next 12 months:

Please indicate how the research training is proposed to be met. Please detail the nature and content of proposed training at the partner institution:Further information on the DDP can be found at:

Language of Thesis

Please confirm the proposed language of the thesis:

Location of Examination

Please confirm at which institution the examination will take place: (This may be in Sheffield for Sheffield admitted students, and at the partner institution for students originating from there.)

Appointment of Examiners

To satisfy TUoS, there must be a minimum of one internal examiner from each partner institution and one external examiner. Supervisors cannot act as an internal examiner. Examiners must be proposed and approved by current process of TUoS as a minimum.

Please detail the processes agreed for the appointment of examiners to meet both partner institutions’ regulations:

Examination Process and Outcomes

Please detail proposedprocess for the examination and outcomes of the viva voce examination:

Award Ceremony

Please detail at which partner institution it is proposed the students attend a graduation ceremony to have their degree conferred:

Financial Arrangements

Should any monies be required to be paid to partner institutions, other than annual student fees, please detail how it is proposed that this operates and attach process approvals from TUoS Department of Finance.

Agreed by Department of Finance: / Yes / No / In Process

Main Contact in Department Signature...... Date…………………………………………………..

Head of Department Signature...... Date…………………………………………………..

Return to:Katie Cahill, Doctoral Development Assistant, Research and Innovation Services, University of Sheffield, New Spring House, 231 Glossop Road, Sheffield, S10 2GW

For office use only:

Documents received: /  / Further information required: / 
Referred to PVC (R&I): /  / Accept proposal: / 
Status of Partner HEI checked: /  / Reject proposal: / 

1

[1]As required by TUoS Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes