Contents... 1 Introduction... 2 ResearchPAD Support... 3 Access to ResearchPAD... 4 Logging In... 5 Home Page... 7 Study Plan... 8 Supervisory Meetings... 10 Initial Review... 12 Annual Monitoring... 14 Transfer Viva... 16 Intention to Submit... 17 Declaration... 18 Research Degree Timeline... 19 Summary of ResearchPAD Activity... 20 Feedback... 23
ResearchPAD (Progression, Administration & Development for Research Degrees) is BU s new online PGR management system, which underpins the research degree processes set out in Bournemouth University s Code of Practice for Research Degrees (CoP) and replaces existing paper based monitoring forms. ResearchPAD is integrated with existing BU IT systems, most importantly the Student Record System. As such, it will improve the internal processes from PGR enrolment to graduation, streamline PGR management and enhance the experience of all those involved in research degrees at BU, by: enhancing the PGR student experience by providing a clear and straightforward approach to research degree administration monitoring and recording progression of individual PGRs to ensure timely and successful completion ensuring compliance to the CoP and other related BU policies and regulations for quality assurance purposes ensuring parity in PGR processes across the Academic Schools monitoring PGR activity by School and BU level to identify areas of good practice as well as those which may be improved improving business intelligence quality and timeliness of internal and external reporting requirements measuring performance by benchmarking completion rates, setting baselines and improvement targets ResearchPAD is online and can be accessed on or off campus and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Using ResearchPAD, users will: receive prompts and reminders of upcoming deadlines record & monitor research degree progression track progression against expected dates report on activity at PGR, Supervisory, School or University level. An electronic copy of the current 8A Code of Practice for Research Degrees is available from: mybu https://mybu.bournemouth.ac.uk/ for PGRs Staff Portal https://staffintranet.bournemouth.ac.uk/aboutbu/schools/graduateschool/ Should you require a hard copy of the CoP, please contact your Research Administrator or the Graduate School.
For all system related enquiries (accessing, logging on, etc.), you should contact the IT Service Desk in the first instance: Service Website Telephone IT Service Desk https://bournemouth.service-now.com/ + 44 (0) 1202 965515 For all research degree process related enquiries or issues with data inaccuracies, you should contact your Research Administrator: School Contact Email Telephone Science & Technology (AS) Louise Pearson SciTechresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 961756 Business School Denise George BSresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 9668766 Science & Technology (DEC) Health & Social Care Naomi Bailey SciTechresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 961969 Louise Bryant hscresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 962119 Media School Jan Lewis msresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 965643 School of Tourism Denise George STresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 961650 Any other enquires related to ResearchPAD, you should contact the Graduate School School Contact Email Telephone Graduate School GS Team researchpad@bournemouth.ac.uk + 44 (0) 1202 968255 Further information can be obtained from The Graduate School Tel: +44 (0)1202 968255 Email: researchpad@bournemouth.ac.uk Web: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/graduate-school/researchpad/
Please note: to ensure the best user experience possible it is recommended that you launch ResearchPAD in Firefox or Google Chrome. If you do intend to use Internet Explorer, you should be aware that there may be some minor display issues.
SUPERVISORS (Internal BU Academics): To access ResearchPAD: https://researchpad.bournemouth.ac.uk/ (on campus or off campus) login using your current username and password If you need assistance logging on, please contact the IT Service Desk (Tel: 65515). SUPERVISORS (External) To access ResearchPAD: https://researchpad.bournemouth.ac.uk/converis5-bu/secure/login You will be sent two emails: One for your username One for your password. You will be required to change your password when you first use the system Log IN Continued./
ALL SUPERVISORS (Internal & External) On First Log IN To make sure you receive emails about approaching deadlines, once you have logged on, your will need to click My Settings to make sure the Email tick box is ticked. Please make sure this Email box is ticked. Should you need to tick the box, press Save when done
Upon logging in you will be taken to your personalised home page (Overview), which will be slightly different for each role: PGRs, Supervisors or Research Administrators. The key features of the home page are: Internal Notifications Key Icons Home Page (house) Study Plan (mortar board) Personal Information (head) Internal Notifications (speech bubbles) These are messages sent within the system. These can be from your PGR or research administrator or from the system alerting that a deadline is impending. Things to Do On the home page, this lists any pending tasks for each user (in reverse chronological order). This includes a description (and number) of the outstanding activity/activities and a link to the relevant list. Content On the home page, the content list provides a summary of all the study plans and key milestones which are related to you You can return to the home overview page at any time by clicking the house icon. As a Supervisor within any Section you can: Save as For Approval (to continue to work on a particular section) Send to PGR for Further Information (when the PGR needs to do further work) Sign off and send to your Research Administrator as Approved Whenever your PGR completes a section (initial review, annual monitoring) and marks it for approval, you will receive an internal notification and a link will appear in Things to do
The Study Plan sets out the research degree process and is a gateway to your PGR s key milestones (including expected and actual completion dates for each milestone). The study plan can be accessed by clicking on the mortar board icon and selecting Study Plans to bring up a list of study plans. As a Supervisor, you will see a list of the PGRs you are supervising.
The Study Plan includes the following information Status remains: ongoing for all live PGRs, completed for all recently graduated PGRs; Key Information about the PGR e.g. enrolment date Supervisors You will see a list of Supervisory Team members. This list can be added to and amended by the Research Administrator Key Milestones with: Expected completion date (based on date of enrolment) Actual completion date (automatically populated) Status ( Draft, Completed For Approval, For Information or Approved ) To view Supervisory Meetings: A list of supervisory meetings can be viewed within the study plan. For full details or if you wish to edit please, click on the mortar board and select Supervisory Meetings. Save and Close: On-going Completed You cannot make any changes to the study plans. Amendments need to be reported to your Research Administrator who will make these on your behalf. However, should you be prompted to set status when you press Done - always save status as Ongoing.
Supervisory meetings can only be set up by PGRs and the key discussion points recorded in ResearchPAD. As Supervisor, you can add comments to the Meeting notes. If your PGR has set up a meeting and you cannot see it from the list of Planned or Finished Supervisory Meetings, please contact the ResearchPAD Support team (email: ResearchPAD@bournemouth.ac.uk) In line with the Codes of Practice A MINIMUM OF 3 MEETINGS PER ACADEMIC YEAR must be recorded (main supervisory team meetings which should be held at least once each term). How to edit a meeting to add notes Select Supervisory Meetings from the drop down list by clicking on the mortar board icon Select which meeting you would like to edit: Add your comments When you re done, press Save & Close
You will be prompted to Set Status: Select Finished and Press Done Finished when the meeting has taken place and is now complete You can edit a Supervisory Meeting when it s either PLANNED and FINISHED
Please refer to the Code of Practice, Section 5.3 for the full procedures. To access the Initial Review section, click on the mortar board icon and select Initial Reviews The PGR will complete the PGR Report. When the PGR has completed the section, a notification and link to the section will appear in your Things to do list. You will need to complete the supervisory assessment section. You can refer the form back to the PGR if they need to do further work or add your name and date to Supervisors Sign Off to complete your section. Select the plus sign to add your name Select appropriate Signed Off? option
To Set Status When you have completed your section, press Save & Close and Set Status Further Information choose option if you need your PGR to do further work Approved choose option when you are satisfied with the PGR Report When you ve selected the relevant status click Done When Approved this will trigger an internal notification for the Research Adminstrator to send the initial review to the Independent Reviewer (outside ResearchPAD) and the usual procedures will be followed. Once the School Research Degree Committee (SRDC) has ratified the Initial Review, the Research Administrator will complete the Outcome Section and mark the Review as Completed
This review must be completed by the PGR by 1 July each year. Please refer to the Code of Practice, Section 5.4 for the full procedures. Process as per Initial Review. The PGR will complete the PGR Report and upload any relevant supporting documentation. A notification and link to the section should appear in your Things to do list. To access the Annual Monitoring section, click on the mortar board icon and select Annual Monitorings Content will be discussed at a supervisory meeting and you will complete the supervisory assessment section. You can refer the form back to the PGR if they need to do further work or add your name and date to Supervisor Sign Off to complete your section. Set Status (see page 12)
When Approved this will trigger an internal notification for the Research Administrator to follow normal internal procedures i.e. obtain DDRE endorsement of the outcome, add to SRDC Agenda. Once the School Research Degree Committee (SRDC) has ratified the outcome, the Research Administrator will complete the Outcome Section and mark the Annual Monitoring as Completed
Please refer to the Code of Practice - Section 6.2.2. Process as per Initial Review. In consultation with the supervisory team, the PGR will complete the PGR Report. and upload any relevant supporting documentation. A notification and link to the section should appear in your Things to do list To access the Transfer Viva section, click on the mortar board icon and select Transfer Viva Following the submission of the PGR Report complete the supervisory asssessment and mark Approved. The Transfer viva voce will normally be scheduled to take place within 4-6 weeks. Transfer Viva and Outcome When Approved this will trigger the normal process for the arrangements of the Transfer viva voce (outside ResearchPAD). Once arrangements are in place and examiners confirmed, the Research Administrator will complete the Transfer Viva Section. Following the outcome of the viva voce, the Researcher Administrator will complete the Outcome section and mark the Transfer Viva as completed.
Please refer to section 7.3 of the Codes of Practice. Process as per Initial Review. Approximately 3 months prior to the submission, the PGR will complete the PGR Action declaring their intention to submit. A notification and link to the section should appear in your Things to do list. To access the Intention to submit section, click on the mortar board icon Submit and select Intention to The submission of the PGR Action triggers the Appointment of Examining Team. To complete the Supervisor Action you need to upload the Examiners Form which is available from your Research Administrator. Following the appointment of the examiners, the Research Administrator will complete the Outcome section
Please refer to section 7.2.6 of the Code of Practice. Process as per Initial Review. When a PGR submits their final thesis, they will complete the Declaration. A notification and link to the section should appear in your Things to do list. To access the Declaration section, click on the mortar board icon and select Declarations You will need to complete and sign the Supervisor s Declaration The submission of the Supervisor s Declaration triggers the Research Administrator to send a copy of the final viva to the External Examiners. The Research Adminstrator completes the Outcome section and marks this section as Completed This is the last section that you will need to complete although you are able to view the other sections Viva Research Adminstrator Completes Conferments Graduate School Completes
For further details please refer to the current 8A Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Enquiries & Admissions procedures Section 4.2 Registration (Day 1) Section 4.3.1 Initial Review (+ 3-6 months FT/ 6-12months PT) Section 5.3 Transfer to Higher Award (+12-18 months FT/ 24-36 months PT) Section 6.2 Annual Monitoring & Reregistration (May/June annually) Intention to Submit Thesis (~3 months before Submission) Section 7.2.4 Thesis Submission (~36 months FT/ 72 months PT) Section 7.2.5 Re-submission (+12 months FT/ 24 months PT) Section 7.6.3 Viva Voce (asap after Thesis Submission) Section 7.5 Corrections / Amendments (see CoP) Section 7.6 Approval of Corrections & Final Thesis submitted to Library Sections 7.6 and 7.9 Conferment of Award & Graduation (48 months FT/ 84 months PT) Section 7.6.2 and 7.10
MILESTONE CODE OF PRACTICE POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENT (PGR) (PGR REPORT) INITIAL REVIEW Refer to Section 5.3 To complete information in ResearchPAD by following the steps on screen Work in progress save as Draft Download initial review template from ResearchPAD Upload final report (and relevant supporting documents) to ResearchPAD When complete save & close, mark as For Approval to send to Supervisor Check Overview Things to Do for supervisory feedback ANNUAL MONITORING Refer to Section 5.4 To complete information in ResearchPAD by following the steps on screen Work in progress save as Draft Upload any supporting documents to ResearchPAD When complete save & close, mark as For Approval to send to Supervisor Check Overview Things to Do for supervisory feedback SUPERVISOR (SUPERVISORY ASSESSMENT) To complete assessment of PGR Progress by following the steps on screen To return to PGR for further work save as For Further Information To sign off, save & close mark as Approved to send to Research Administrator To complete assessment of PGR Progress by following the steps on screen. To return to PGR for further works, save as For Further Information To sign off, save & close mark as Approved to send to Research Administrator RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR (OUTCOME) To arrange Independent Assessment (outside ResearchPAD) To report to School Research Degree Committee (outside ResearchPAD) To return to PGR or Supervisor, save as For Further Information To add comments and date approved to ResearchPAD To save as Completed To report to School Research Degree Committee (outside ResearchPAD) To return to PGR or Supervisor, save as For Further Information To add comments and date approved to ResearchPAD To save as Completed TRANSFER Refer to Section 6.2 To complete required information in ResearchPAD by following the steps on screen Work in progress - save as Draft To upload any Transfer Report and supporting documents to ResearchPAD When complete save & close, mark as For Approval to send to Supervisor Check Overview Things to Do for supervisory feedback To complete assessment of PGR Progress by following the steps on screen To return to PGR for further work save as For Further Information with comments included To sign off, save & close mark as Approved to send to Research Administrator To report to School Research Degree Committee (outside ResearchPAD) To return to PGR or Supervisor, save as For Further Information To add comments and date approved to ResearchPAD To save as Completed
INTENTION TO SUBMIT Refer to Section 7.2.4 To complete required information in ResearchPAD by following the steps on screen Work in progress - save as Draft To complete thesis title and abstract To declare the intended date of submission. When complete save & close, mark as For Approval to send to Supervisor Check Overview Things to Do for supervisory feedback To complete and upload examiner nomination form (available from the Research Administrator) To save & close mark as Approved to send to Research Administrator To report to School Research Degree Committee (outside ResearchPAD) To administer the Examiner approval process (outside ResearchPAD) To return to PGR or Supervisor, save as For Further Information To add relevant comments and date approved to ResearchPAD To save & close as Completed DECLARATION Refer to Section 7.2.6 VIVA Refer to Section 7.5 & 7.9 To complete required information in ResearchPAD by following the steps on screen Work in progress - save as Draft To complete final thesis title and abstract To complete the declaration To hand in soft bound copies of thesis to Research Administrator When complete save & close, mark as For Approval to send to Supervisor Check Overview Things to Do for supervisory feedback PGR can view arrangements and Viva Outcome Ratification of the Award. PGR should follow process for submission and storage of final thesis To complete Supervisor s Declaration by following the steps on screen To return to PGR for further work save as For Further Information with comments included To sign off, save & close mark as Approved to send to Research Administrator Supervisor can view arrangements and Viva Outcome No tasks assigned To send thesis to Examiners (outside ResearchPAD) To administer the Viva process (outside ResearchPAD) To return to PGR or Supervisor, save as For Further Information To save & close as Completed To complete Viva Arrangements by following the steps on screen To report the Viva Outcome by following the steps on screen To administer the approval of corrections process (outside
ResearchPAD) To report the Final Outcome (post by corrections) following the steps on screen To save as Completed CONFERMENTS Refer to Section 7.6.2 No task assigned Supervisor can view Conferments No tasks assigned GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION To administer the Conferment process (outside ResearchPAD) To record the Conferment process by following the steps on screen To upload the Award Letter and the Deposit of the Thesis Form To save & close as Completed SUPERVISORY MEETINGS Refer to Section 5.2 To arrange the meeting by following the steps on screen To record notes on the meeting To complete thesis title and abstract To declare the intended date of submission. When complete save & close, mark as For Approval to send to Supervisor Check Overview Things to Do for supervisory feedback To arrange the meeting by following the steps on screen To record notes on the meeting When complete save & close, set relevant status No tasks assigned
Any constructive comments or feedback about ResearchPAD or this manual can be sent to the Graduate School: School Contact Email Telephone Graduate School GS Team researchpad@bournemouth.ac.uk ++(0) 1202 962855