Training for Postgraduate Research Supervisors

There are a number of resources available to help guide you through the process of supervising PGR students at Essex. The below resources may help if you are new to supervising PGR students at Essex or if you wish to refresh your knowledge of the support available.

Tools and training

• Supervising Postgraduate Research Students: Course: Supervising Postgraduate Research Students - This Moodle page acts as a helpful resource hub to help the development of good supervisory practice. It provides guidance for those new to supervising research students and is an equally rich resource for the experienced supervisor. It functions as an information Hub to revisit for continuing professional development. 
• PGR Supervisor Training: This is an essential course managed by Organisational Development and delivered by external expert. This can be booked via HR organiser and tends to run in Autumn and Spring term. The course includes aspects such as: the role of the supervisor, supervisory meetings, Essex processes, supervisory styles, supporting students in the final stages and challenging situations. You can get in touch by emailing develop@essex.ac.uk to find out when the next one is scheduled.
• Good Practice Guide for PGR Supervision (.pdf)
• The University of Essex has an institutional membership to Vitae. This membership includes networking opportunities and a wealth of online resources including impactful publications and reports. PGR Proficio courses are also closely mapped to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, which can act as a tool to ensure your PGR students are reaching their full potential.
• Course: Good Practice Case Studies - This searchable database contains information on inspirational case studies to help you with your teaching and learning practice.
• Quick Guide - Supervising postgraduate research students (.pdf)
• Examining the doctorate: This course is managed by Organisational Development and delivered by an external expert. This can be booked on HR organiser. You can get in touch by emailing develop@essex.ac.uk to find out when the next one is scheduled.
• Training for internal examiners: This is a Moodle course which has been designed for people with experience of examining a PGR thesis at another institution, but where it will be their first time internally at Essex. You can get in touch with the pgre teamget in touch with the pgre teamget in touch with the pgre team to find out more.

Events and Awards

• The annual PGR Celebration Event is a chance to celebrate the success of our postgraduate research students, their supervisors and the professional services staff who support them.
• The Supervisor of the Year Award and the Professional Services Award for PGR Support are also celebrated at the event. Staff members are nominated by PGR students to recognise the excellent work undertaken by colleagues in supporting and mentoring our postgraduate researchers.

Helpful resources

• The Postgraduate Research Education Team supports many aspects of the University's postgraduate research education provision, including Doctoral Training Partnerships and postgraduate research student skills development. 
• PGR supervisor policies and procedures.
• A PGR student’s skills training and development is supported by Proficio.
• At the University of Essex we have a number of doctoral training partnerships which support our students.
• PGR awards requirements
• Postgraduate research support