Previous Events
This page gives a brief description of some of our previous PGD events: our current programme of events is also available. If your Institution is looking at these or other postgraduate strategic issues, please see our customised In-House Seminars and contact us to discuss how we can develop a seminar that meets your institution's needs.
Managing Research Degree Examination: the use of independent chairs to ensure transparency, consistency and fairness
June 2011This one-day workshop is aimed at Pro Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Graduate Schools and Research Groups and Chairs of Research Degree Committees and Boards as well as Research Administrators with a brief that covers examinations (in short, all those working in universities who have an interest in the research degree examination process). It addresses some of the issues arising in the context of examination across the range of research degree awards including awards at masters level and doctoral awards such as PhD, professional doctorates and the PhD by Published work. It examines the requirements of the QAA Code and in particular the trend towards independent Chairs of examinations.
Postgraduate Marketing: New Challenges in tomorrow's market.
April 2011This popular workshop will cover the approaches institutions might adopt as the postgraduate market becomes increasingly competitive. Most institutions, faculties and departments want more, and/or better, postgraduate students, but the increasingly competitive marketplace and the complex diversity of both postgraduate markets and the means of reaching them can be challenging. The Browne report makes this position more problematic This seminar is for colleagues involved in postgraduate marketing at corporate, faculty or departmental level, whether marketer, academic or administrator.
Managing and developing the postgraduate portfolio: Graduate Schools - what is their future?
March 2011This one-day workshop is aimed at Pro Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Graduate Schools and Research Groups and Chairs of Research Degree Committees and Boards as well as Research Administrators. In the context of a rapidly changing postgraduate environment, the workshop examines the various approaches which are adopted for the development and management of institutions' postgraduate offer with particular reference to the future of the graduate school model.
Postgraduate Marketing: successful marketing in a crowded, competitive and complex marketplace.
October 2010 and December 2008This popular workshop included specific coverage of the Chinese market. Guest Speaker: Dr Lee Zhuang. Most institutions, faculties and departments want more, and/or better, postgraduate students, but the increasingly competitive marketplace and the complex diversity of both postgraduate markets and the means of reaching them can be challenging. This seminar was for anyone involved in postgraduate marketing at corporate, faculty or departmental level, whether marketer, academic or administrator.
Alternative Forms of Doctoral Study
February, May and December 2009This one-day workshop looked at forms of doctoral study other than the 'traditional' PhD model. It considered the possibilities from the institutional perspective of offering doctoral study programmes and awards that fall outside of the accepted PhD route. It was intended for those with a responsibility within institutions for considering extending the existing portfolio of research degree awards and indeed those who have already achieved this and now wish to discuss issues arising.
Quality Auditing of PGR
May and October 2009This one day session looked at the many quality issues surrounding PGR and then took as a particular focus the processes of QAA audits of PGR in institutions.
Howard Green was joined by Gill Clarke of Bristol University and the QAA.
Postgraduate market research.
Postgraduate Directions undertook a full market research exercise for Harper Adams University College to underpin their developing postgraduate strategy. The project looked both at UK and international opportunities for the College to develop its portfolio.
Noel Morrison, registrar at the University College said:"this report will make a fundamental contribution to the development of our strategy"
Managing the Doctoral Examination: best practice and the value of Independent Chairs.
October 2008This one-day workshop was aimed at Pro Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Graduate Schools and all managers and co-ordinators of the research degree awarding process, and addressed the problematic issues of the doctoral examination. Following the QAA recommendation, it addressed key issues in current practice, and in particular looked at the value for institutions of adopting the practice of independent chairs at vivas, and how this policy can be successfully implemented.
Postgraduate Strategic Planning. Developing and Implementing Strategic Plans
June 2008Postgraduate students are becoming increasingly important to institutions' portfolios; yet how much of this growth is planned? This workshop took delegates through the various stages of strategic planning, building up a model that can be adapted and applied at all levels within their home institution. At the end of the workshop delegates had an understanding of the key elements necessary for a successful strategic plan for postgraduate development.
Managing Research Degree Examination: ensuring transparency, consistency and fairness.
April 2008This one-day workshop was aimed at Pro Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Graduate Schools and Research Groups and Chairs of Research Degree Committees and Boards as well as Research Administrators with a brief that covers examinations (in short, all those working in universities who have an interest in the research degree examination process). It addressed some of the issues arising in the context of examination across the range of research degree awards including awards at masters level and doctoral awards such as PhD, professional doctorates and the PhD by Published work.
Postgraduate Marketing: successful marketing in a crowded, competitive and complex marketplace.
November 2007, January and April 2008Most institutions, faculties and departments want more, and/or better, postgraduate students, but the increasingly competitive marketplace and the complex diversity of both postgraduate markets and the means of reaching them can be challenging. These seminars were for anyone involved in postgraduate marketing at corporate, faculty or departmental level, whether marketer, academic or administrator.
PGR in your Institution: building and sustaining PGR in the current market place
October 2007What can Institutions do to ensure their PGR development is both successful and sustainable?
This important 1-day workshop, for senior managers and marketers concerned with postgraduate issues examined how institutions can respond pro-actively to the changing nature of the PGR market and benefit from emerging opportunities in new awards, markets and collaborative practices in the context of increasing funding constraints.
This workshop looked at how academics and marketers can work together in this area which is key in different ways to so many institutions, and at how new markets can be developed. It considered what feeds the successful development of PGR and looked at opportunities for institutional collaboration and the opportunities offered by non traditional doctoral programmes.
The British Doctorate and International Competition: Challenges, Threats and Opportunities
June 2007What is the future for the British Doctorate, and for the UK's postgraduate research student body, in the face of international competition, and what are the implications for postgraduate taught programmes? This one-day seminar was aimed at Pro-Vice Chancellors for Research and External Relations, Heads of Graduate Schools, and Directors of Marketing and International Offices. It focussed on the changing patterns of doctoral education globally and the challenges, threats and opportunities this presents for Universities in the UK, from both academic and market perspectives.
This seminar coincided with the publication of Stuart Powell's and Howard Green's new book, The Doctorate Worldwide (Open University Press/McGraw Hill, 2007).
Managing the Doctoral Examination: best practice and the value of Independent Chairs
May 2007This one-day workshop was aimed at Pro Vice-Chancellors, Heads of Graduate Schools and all managers and co-ordinators of the research degree awarding process, and addressed the problematic issues of the doctoral examination. Following the QAA recommendation, it addressed key issues in current practice, and in particular looks at the value for institutions of adopting the practice of independent chairs at vivas, and how this policy can be successfully implemented.
Postgraduate Directions Inaugural Seminar: Developing Postgraduate Strategies.
January 2007This inaugural seminar was attended by a range of staff in Universities who are involved in developing postgraduate strategies for their own institution, at both corporate and faculty level.
Book Contributions
Howard Green and Stuart Powell have contributed chapters to two new books. The first, A Framework for the Future of Doctoral Study: resolving inconsistent practices and incorporating innovative possibilities, will appear in `Skills training in research degree programmes : politics and practice' edited by Richard Hinchcliffe, Tony Bromley, Steve Hutchinson to be published by Sage in late 2007.
The second, What is a postgraduate research degree? will be published by Sage in 2008 in The Research Postgraduate's Handbook, edited by Ged Hall and Jo Longman
From The Independent:
November 2006European Universities deliver many of their programmes in English. Britain's grip on the lucrative global market for postgraduate courses may be threatened. Howard Green says 'Inevitably this is a threat. More players moving to the market will affect UK international recruitment. The major threat is in sciences. There are already difficulties in recruitment in sciences. This will make that more difficult.' Professor Green believes the only answer is more national coordination by universities in postgraduate education.
UKCGE's Residential Workshop
November 2006Stuart Powell and Jane Penrose both facilitated sessions at the UKCGE's Residential Workshop for Graduate Deans, Administrators and Research Supervisors.
