Mitigation and Reasonable Adjustment in Doctoral Education
This in-person interactive workshop, funded by the University of Warwick Enhancing Research Culture scheme, offers an opportunity to discuss questions and share practices surrounding mitigation/extenuating circumstances and reasonable adjustment in doctoral education.
Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) are key stakeholders in institutional research culture; however, they hold an ‘in-between’ position as both students and researchers. This ‘in-between’ position can mean that PGRs fall through the cracks of institutional policies and practices relating to reasonable adjustments and mitigating circumstances for students, which are often drawn up with undergraduate and postgraduate taught students in mind.
Across the last five years the number of PGRs with a disclosed disability has increased by 46% (HESA, 2022), following the impact of the pandemic this trend is expected to accelerate further (Disabled Students UK, 2022). The growth in students with a disclosed disability will include those with hidden/invisible disabilities — in contrast to physical, sensory or mobility impairments which may be more visible – including mental illness and SpLD. Another impact of the pandemic was the mainstreaming of a host of mitigation measures, which saw changes to previously taken for granted doctoral practices.
The Mitigation and Adjustment for Doctoral Education project (MADE) was set up to investigate reasonable adjustments and mitigating circumstances for PGRs at Warwick. The research team has conducted empirical research with PGRs and a range of staff members to better understand existing policies, processes and practices.
This workshop explores initial findings and provides attendees with an opportunity to share and discuss challenges and best practice in supporting PGRs requiring reasonable adjustments and/or mitigating circumstances through:
- Vignettes of situations of reasonable adjustments and mitigating circumstances for PGRs with a view to exploring appropriate processes and understandings about ‘reasonableness’.
- Exploring the barriers/challenges PGRs experience when using mitigating circumstances and/or reasonable adjustment procedures, and considering new approaches and solutions
- Discussion on effective policies, processes and practice in relation to reasonable adjustments and mitigating circumstances for PGRs.
Who Should Attend
This event will be relevant for colleagues in the sector who work closely with PGR students, including disabled PGRs, and managing mitigating circumstances in relation to doctoral assessment.
Schedule
The schedule for this event is still to be confirmed. However it is expected to open around 10:00 and close at around 15:30
Free Attendance
Thanks to funding from the University of Warwick, attendance at this workshop is free-of-charge. Lunch and refreshments will be provided during the day.
Online Event
While this is an in-person event, The University of Warwick have also scheduled an online event from 10–12.30PM on 21st of May 2024 to enable access to those who cannot make the in-person event. Please register for the online event here.