Please click on the title of the report to open a pdf copy.
New Reports
Confidentiality of PhD Theses in the UK (2010)
This report is based on a survey conducted in March 2010 aimed at establishing an overview of current trends in practice among UK institutions (as represented by UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) members) with respect to addressing issues of confidentiality as they pertain to PhD theses in the UK. The report and the survey take as their base the earlier work of Professors Stuart Powell and Howard Green that was published in the first edition of this report in 2005. The 2010 survey revisits some of the areas covered by the previous survey, but also extends beyond the scope of the original survey in areas which the intervening years has shown to be of particular importance.
Professional Doctorate Awards in the UK (2010)
This report follows a survey of the Council’s member institutions. Its main purpose was to provide an update on developments in the area of Professional Doctorates following a similar exercise carried out for the first time in the UK by the Council some five years ago. This new report shows that there have been considerable developments in the Professional Doctorates arena in the last five years with not only an approximate 30% increase in the number of programmes but also an expansion in the range of specialised subject areas in which such programmes are available. It is clear that this diversification has lead to increasing confusion for both types of prospective consumers (students and employers)of these awards. This report argues that the time may have arrived when some simplification and standardisation of the nomenclature used across the sector is called for and makes a sensible proposal for how this might be achieved.
Archive of Reports
A Review of Graduate Schools in the UK (2010)
The aim of this new report is to update the picture of graduate school provision in the UK following the investment and stimulus provided by the Roberts funding and to investigate whether their range of responsibilities and position within their organisational structures has altered. It also investigates how dependent the skills training is on Roberts funding and the distribution and impact of the new RCUK Doctoral Training Centres, particularly in relation to extant graduate schools.
Preparing to Teach in the Higher Education (2010)
The aim of this report is to identify what universities are expecting of their Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) and what they are doing to prepare and support them both in their work as lecturers and as early career academics who may aspire to hold significant teaching roles in higher education. In the intervening ten years since the first UKCGE report ‘Preparing Postgraduates to Teach in Higher Education’ (Holt 1999) there have been some significant changes leading to different demands upon GTAs.
Quality and Standards of Postgraduate Research Degrees (2009)
This report seeks to identify the current context within which doctoral level education is being undertaken in the UK and review the kinds of developments that are taking place. The report revisits some of the thematic issues that were referred to in the 1996 report, namely the purposes of a doctoral education, assessment mechanisms and international aspects of doctoral education.
Higher Doctorate Awards in the UK (2008)
Following expressions of interest, this new report maps out the Academic awards known as "Higher Doctorates" that are currently on offer in member institutions and to examine how the situation with regard to these awards is changing, if at all.
Access to Doctoral Examiners' Reports (2007)
This new report from UKCGE analyses current practice(s) in the sector on access to examiners' reports for doctoral students.
Confidentiality of PhD Theses in the UK: Report and Discussion Paper (2005)
The report sought to establish the national picture regarding the confidentiality of PhD theses through a survey of UKCGE membership.
Professional Doctorate Awards in the UK (2005)
The report focuses upon the range of awards available and the nomenclatures used.
Graduate Schools (2004)
The survey reports that the Graduate School model is now 'the dominant organisational structure for organising postgraduate education' with two-thirds of institutions reporting having established them.
The Award of the Degree of PhD on the basis of Published Work in the UK (2004)
The survey suggests that while the number of PhD's by publication awarded was still very low compared to 'traditional PhD's', there has been an increase from 1996 in both the number of awards made and the number of HEIs offering the award.
Research Training in the Healthcare Professions (2003)
The Working Group considered 'Healthcare Professions' to be defined as the Nursing professions and those Allied Health Professions represented by the Health Professions Council. The report makes recommendations on the most suitable and effective research training models for healthcare professionals, and the potential contribution of HEIs to the further development of research capacity in these areas.
Professional Doctorates (2002)
The report reflects - and reflects upon - the rapid growth during the past decade of a qualification commonly referred to as the Professional Doctorate by undertaking a survey of professional doctorate provision across UK HEIs. The report properly situates the development of Professional Doctorates within the context of the PhD, and provides a base from which to develop an understanding of both the award and its specific training needs.
Research Training in the Creative and Performing Arts and Design (2001)
The report identifies important and different training needs in the creative and performing arts and design. Of particular interest to those developing training programmes is the observation that research may draw on methods and thinking from the physical sciences, social science and the humanities.
Research Training for Humanities Postgraduate Students (2000)
This report raises important challenges for those involved in research training, not least in its use of the terminology, preparation for research and development in and during research. The issues raised will contribute positively to the discussions about research training and will greatly assist institutions as they grapple with the problems of running training programmes in the Humanities.
Preparing Postgraduates to Teach in Higher Education (1999)
The publication addresses global concerns about how postgraduate students are prepared for teaching duties. The report details the findings of the working party who surveyed a range of Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) schemes, and earlier reports on such programmes.
The International Postgraduate: Challenges to British Higher Education (1999)
This report is intended as a strategy document, highlighting key trends and challenges in the recruitment and training of international postgraduates, and underlining the need to treat international postgraduates as a seperate constituency from international undergraduates.
The Status of Published Work in Submissions for Doctoral Degrees in European Universities (1998)
A companion publication to 'The International Postgraduate' which considers the regulations governing the freedom of candidates registered for a doctoral degree in a European university. The report raises issues including the role of publication and questions associated with doctoral submission. Overall, it locates the UK's position on graduate education in a broader European context.
Practice-based Doctorates in the Creative and Performing Arts and Design (1997)
A paper considering the award of doctorates where a substantial part of the submission is an original creative artwork executed by the candidate. It includes a survey of regulations covering the award of such degrees and consideration of contentious areas.
Quality and Standards of Postgraduate Research Degrees (1996)
A report concerned with postgraduate research degrees covering issues such as definitions of quality, purposes of the doctoral qualification, examination mechanisms and the assessment of quality.
The Award of PhD on the basis of Published Work in the UK (1996)
This report includes the results of a survey of UKCGE member institutions and the consideration of such issues as policy on multi-authored publications, provision of a mentor, the nature of the submission and the role of examiners.
Graduate Schools (1995)
The report explores the establishment of graduate schools, different models adopted, advantages and potential problems and issues for consideration.
