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UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATION

Committee structure of the Academic Board

RESEARCH DEGREES BOARD

(Amendments to the version published previously are shown in italics.)

It is implicit that in exercising the powers delegated to it, or discharging the responsibilities assigned to it by the Academic Board, that within the limits of its authority, a committee or board of the Academic Board may require action to be taken by another committee or board of the Academic Board.

A quorum: 8

B TERMS OF REFERENCE

Delegations of authority and responsibilities

B.1 For the proper management and administration of research degrees, the Research Degrees Board may delegate authority and certain responsibilities to Associate Directors (Doctoral College).

(For the avoidance of doubt, this document will be revised as necessary by the Head of Governance Services, at the request of the Research Degrees Board, to record the delegations which have been made by the Research Degrees Board.)

Academic quality and standards – roles and responsibilities

B.2 The Research Degrees Board is responsible to the Academic Board for the academic quality and standards of the University’s research degrees.

Student experience

B.3 The Student Educational Experience Committee is responsible to the Academic Board for the student experience of all students (undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research degrees)[1] and for the enhancement of that experience.

(It is recognised that for research degrees students, certain issues affecting their student experience, for example, quality of curriculum or supervision, should be dealt with by the Research Degrees Board. However, student experience issues of a more generic nature will be addressed by the Student Experience Committee. In cases where it is unclear where principal responsibility lies, it will be for the Student Educational Experience Committee and the Research Degrees Board to determine this between them and to report their decision in their respective Annual Reports to the Academic Board.)

Terms of reference

B.4 Subject to formal ratification by the Academic Board through its Standing Working Party on University Policies and Regulations, to approve the regulations for the award of all research degrees of the University of Hertfordshire, other than higher doctorate degrees.

B.5 To undertake regular reviews of the University’s research degree regulations.

B.6 To consider admission policy in relation to research degrees students and, as necessary, to make recommendations to the Academic Board.

B.7 To establish Research Degree Development Groups, in accordance with University guidelines, for the purpose of developing new research degree programmes approved in principle by and referred to it by the Academic Development Committee and to consider and approve the regulations proposed by such Research Degree Development Groups in accordance with the provisions of term of reference B.4.

B.8 To make recommendations to the Academic Board for the approval of research degree awards and titles.

B.9 With regard to the University’s research degrees (excluding higher doctorate degrees), to exercise all such powers and discharge all such duties as may be assigned to it from time-to-time by the Academic Board through relevant University policies and regulations and in particular the following:

B.10 The Board shall have the following powers to act on behalf of the Academic Board:

i to register candidates for approved programmes of supervised research training leading to submissions for the award of the research degrees of the University as described from time-to-time in the University’s Schedule of Awards[2];

ii to approve the supervision arrangements for all research degree candidates;

iii where appropriate, to approve the appointment of mentors and advisers to supervision teams;

iv to confirm that appropriate resources are available for each candidate’s programme of research training and that procedures are in place to monitor their progress;

v to ensure that appropriate training opportunities in generic aspects of research methodology are developed and delivered for the benefit of all research degree candidates;

vi to ensure that each candidate’s Programme of Related Studies is appropriate to support the research project(s) which he or she is to undertake;

vii to confirm that each candidate registered for a professional doctoral degree has completed satisfactorily his or her learning contract;

viii under the provisions of the relevant University regulations, to approve Registration and Progress Assessment outcomes[3];

ix to approve extensions to candidates’ periods of registration; suspensions of those periods of registration; changes in modes of study; changes in supervision arrangements and withdrawals of registrations;

x to approve the appointment of examiners for candidates wishing to submit for examination and where appropriate, to approve alternative forms of examination;

xi to receive and decide upon the reports of examiners and their recommendations relating to the conferment of research degrees;

xii to monitor all current research degree registrations on a regular basis;

xiii to establish Appeals Panels3 where appropriate to consider appeals from research degree candidates and to receive and consider the recommendations of Appeal Review Panels[4].

B.11 On the authority of the Academic Development Committee, to approve partnerships for the delivery of research degrees of the University of Hertfordshire, subject to the Research Degrees Board notifying the Academic Development Committee in all cases where a proposed partnership has been given initial approval in principle and when such a proposed partnership is given final approval by the Research Degrees Board[5].

B.12 To identify staff development needs for action by HR Development.

B.13 To receive annual reports from Associate Directors (Doctoral College).

B.14 To make a report to the Academic Board concerning the business discharged by the Board at each meeting.

B.15 To prepare and present an Annual Report to the Academic Board

C ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS (DOCTORAL COLLEGE)

C.1 Associate Directors (Doctoral Collgee) will:

i meet not less than once in Semester A and once in Semester B with appropriate staff:

a whose research/work falls within the scope of the research being undertaken by research degrees students within their designated Schools (registered and not registered) and/or

b staff supervising research degree candidates who are the responsibility of their designated Schools;

(the purpose of the meetings referred to in section C.1, i, is to review the operation of each stage of the research degree process in Schools)

ii to ensure that a report is made, by the relevant Associate Dean (Research), to each meeting of the School Academic Committee(s) of the School or Schools with which the Associate Director (Doctoral Collegel) aligns giving assurances on the operation of the processes and arrangements for the administration and management of research students;

iii submit an annual report, in the format specified from time-to-time by the Research Degrees Board, to the Research Degrees Board and to the School Academic Committee of the School or Schools with which the Research Institute aligns.

C.2 The Research Degrees Board has delegated authority and responsibility to Associate Directors (Doctoral College), for the following:

i the responsibilities of the Research Degrees Board in relation to the admission of research students, as set out in UPR SA04[6] (with effect from 1 September 2010);

ii in accordance with the relevant Research Degree Schedule, approval of arrangements for the registration and Progress Assessment of research degree candidates, including the approval of Supervision Teams (with effect from

1 September 2010);

iii the approval of extensions to candidates’ periods of registration; suspensions of those periods of registration; changes in modes of study; changes in supervision arrangements and withdrawals of registrations (with effect from 1 September 2010);

iv with effect from 1 September 2010, oversight and monitoring of the following:

a approval of Progress Assessment outcomes of research students in accordance with the relevant Research Degree Schedule;

b that each candidate’s Programme of Related Studies is appropriate to support the research project(s) which he or she is to undertake.

With the prior approval of the Research Degrees Board, Associate Directors (Doctoral College) may discharge their responsibilities under C.2 through designated deputies or nominees.

D COMPOSITION

D.1 The Chairman of the Committee will be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor.

D.2 The membership of the Research Degrees Board should, as far as is reasonably practicable, broadly reflect the range of degree disciplines and allied research areas of the University.

D.3 Category 7: ‘President of the Students’ Union (or named alternate)’

Where the Research Degrees Board convenes to discharge its role as a Board of Examiners, the member in Category 7 shall not be present.

D.4 Category 8: ‘Co-opted members’

The Board shall have power to co-opt up to four full members, each for a term of office of up to two (2) years to enable the Research Degrees Board to achieve sufficient subject specialist coverage.

D.5 Membership by research degrees candidates

A person registered for a research degree of the University or other degree awarding body may not be a member of the Board without the prior written approval of the Chairman of the Academic Board.