This workshop will explore the main outcomes of the UK Research Supervisor Survey (RSS) conducted on behalf of UKCGE in 2021. The results include data concerning: supervisory roles; workload; support; mental health and well-being; and candidate diversity. In addition, the session will address how the survey was conducted and will touch on some of the motivations and expectations for research supervision articulated by survey respondents, including some direct quotations. After a presentation of 15-20 minutes, there will be time for questions and comments before the participants split into groups to discuss data emerging from the survey in the context of their own institutions and experiences, recording the main points. After 30 minutes the groups will feed back the outcomes of their discussions in a plenary session before the workshop closes. With the permission of participants, we would like to summarise the workshop discussions that will be shared with participants after the event and that will be fed back to UKCGE to inform future work.

This session aims to

• share the outcomes of the UKRSS

• consider them in relation to participants’ personal and institutional experiences

• enable participants to use the UKRSS data to address emerging issues at their institutions

Presenter bio:

As a mature student, Gill Houston completed a part-time PhD on the doctoral examination in 2018: `A study of the PhD examination: process, attributes and outcomes’. The research idea emerged from her varied policy and practice roles in UK and international higher education, particularly in doctoral education. Until July 2021 Gill was a board member of the UK Council for Graduate Education and held the roles of chair and vice-chair and is a current contributor to their work, including the supervisor recognition programme. She continues to publish on the topic of doctoral assessment and the contribution of supervisors to doctoral education.