21. Appendix 1: The role and responsibilities of the Research Degree Committee

1.1    The Academic Board of the University has established a Research Degrees Committee with the following powers:

1.   to register students for MPhil, for MPhil with possibility of transfer to PhD, or for PhD direct, PhD by Published Work and MA, MSc, LLM by Research on approved programmes of work under approved supervision;
2.   to transfer registration from MPhil to PhD;
3.   to exercise all other responsibilities for the registration, supervision, transfer, suspension and extension of registration which have been delegated to it and to approve examination arrangements;
4.   to complete the examination process in respect of individual candidates by deciding upon the examiners’ recommendations;
5.   to consider and decide upon requests by candidates for a review of an examination decision; and
   f.    to confer all Research Degrees, Higher Degrees and Professional Doctorates awards.

1.2    The Research Degrees Committee shall be responsible for:

1.   the general arrangements under which the candidate’s research is carried out, including arrangements for academic supervision and postgraduate study and the provision of adequate facilities to enable the candidate to conduct and complete the research programme in an efficient and safe manner; and
   
   
2.   approving examination arrangements and for the conduct of the examination.

1.3    The Research Degrees Committee shall assume full responsibility for and have appropriate mechanisms for dealing with all stages of the activities delegated to it, including responsibility for dealing with the recommendations of examiners.

1.4    The Research Degrees Committee shall ensure that the interests of students are protected and that the standard of awards is maintained under the University’s Policy and Procedures Handbook for research degrees.

2.1    The membership of the Research Degrees Committee shall be constituted to ensure:

1.   appropriate experience of completed research degree supervision;
2.   appropriate experience of examining research degrees;
3.   a wide range of research experience and research-based publications;
4.   subject expertise to reflect the range of disciplines in which students are registered as far as is reasonably practicable; and
5.   familiarity with the University’s Regulations for Study and the Research Degrees Policy and Procedures Handbook for research degrees.

2.2    The above implies that:

1.   a majority of the Research Degrees Committee shall have supervised 3 or more candidates to successful completion of PhD degrees;
2.   a substantial proportion shall have had experience of examining research degrees;
3.   there shall be clear evidence that members are or have been engaged in research activities leading to publication; and
4.   there is sufficient expertise represented on the Research Degrees Committee to ensure that each application can be dealt with appropriately.

2.3    No person who is registered for a research degree, with the exception of PhD by Published Work, shall be a member of the Research Degrees Committee.

2.4    Members may be co-opted onto the Research Degrees Committee for a period of no longer than 2 years.