This page contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and answers relating to recording of meeings with supervisors in postgraduate research.
For instructions on recording meetings see help sheets:
This help sheet will demonstrate how you can record a meeting with your tutor/supervisor, and how to add a note to the meeting.
This help sheet will demonstrate how students can grant a new tutor/supervisor access to previous meeting records.
Is it compulsory for every PGR to record formal supervision meetings in ePortfolio?
Yes, it is now mandatory for all postgraduate research students. This has been agreed by Senate on the recommendation of University Executive Board and the UTLSEC.
How many supervisory meetings/structured supervisory interactions* are needed?
Full time students should have a minimum of 10 formal supervisory meetings per year. Part time students will have a minimum of 5 formal meetings. These are required as part of the PGR Code of Practice.
* meetings may be face-to-face or substantive electronic communications.
Should every meeting be recorded?
Recording meetings in ePortfolio should include the formal meetings, such as those reviewing progress and planning work. If you have very frequent contact, then decide whether it is of value to record the less formal meetings, so long as you are recording the minimum number of formal meetings.
Who should record the meeting?
It is recommended that the student should initiate the meeting record, including notes of the outcomes and action points. The supervisors will confirm that the meeting took place and can add to the notes of the meeting to clarify any misunderstandings or omissions and confirm the meeting record. However, the ePortfolio offers the flexibility so that supervisors can initiate the recording of meetings, if that is their preferred practice.
What are the benefits to students of recording meetings in ePortfolio?
The process of recording meetings in ePortfolio helps foster good professional practice for early career researchers since the minuting of meetings, and reviewing written reports are normal practice in most professions and organisations. Meeting records in ePortfolio, and any associated notes and documents, are shared and easily accessible to the student and supervisory team. Adding notes and/or uploading minutes provide the team with a useful record of progress, a record of agreed actions for both students and supervisors and an aide-mémoire to guide future action.
What are the benefits to the institution of recording meetings in ePortfolio?
The benefits to the institution are that it is possible to demonstrate that the PGR Code of Practice requirements for the minimum 10 supervisory meetings has been achieved consistently for all students; though obviously regular meetings are just one element of successful supervision. Also, meeting records provide valuable information for appeals and complaints.
What role will it play in Student Attendance Monitoring (SAMS)?
The main reason why we insist on recording supervisory meetings is that it an important part of our PGR Code of Practice. However, it is currently planned next year (2014/15) to use the ePortfolio for attendance monitoring purposes. The meeting information is particularly useful for postgraduate students because, unlike taught students, they have few timetabled sessions. It must be stressed that we will only record that the meeting took place and the meeting notes or uploaded documents will remain confidential to the student and the supervisory team.
Who can see the meeting records?
Only students and supervisors can see notes and uploaded files, except under exceptional circumstances such as appeals, complaints or if there is a specific legal requirement. For quality assurance purposes School administrators and Research Student Support Team / Graduate School staff will be able to see the dates, venue and attendees of meetings for students in their respective Schools and Faculties, but not include the notes or uploaded files.