Postgraduate researchers

The School of Education and Social Work (ESW) is united by a common aim to provide essential knowledge and skills relevant for the complexities of the 21st century. Collaboration across disciplinary areas is an important aspect of the doctoral experience and there are opportunities to engage with a range of research active faculty and postgraduate researchers in both the Department of Education and the Department of Social Work and Social Care.

The PGR Team

Postgraduate researchers in the School of Education and Social Work work with, and are supported by, a designated team in addition to their supervisors:

Director of Postgraduate Research: Professor Gillian Ruch
E G.Ruch@sussex.ac.uk

Doctoral Course Convenor for Education: Dr Nigel Marshall
E N.A.Marshall@sussex.ac.uk

David Orr 200x200 Doctoral Course Convenor for Social Work & Social Care: Dr David Orr
E D.Orr@sussex.ac.uk

Research Coordinators: Adriana Davies & Martin Galinsky-Johnson
Room 111, Essex House
E: eswpgradmin@sussex.ac.uk

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)

The School of Education and Social Work is fully committed to supporting an inclusive culture for all doctoral researchers. Its aim is to embed equality, diversity and inclusion into the core of what we do ensuring our commitment to building a motivated and diverse doctoral research community.

Through offering a wide range of workshops, support groups and administrative processes, we ensure that each student has a voice and is valued. Based on regular feedback and suggestions, we strive to provide a supportive environment. All doctoral researchers are encouraged to suggest ways in which we can improve our learning and working environment.

The School also ensures that we implement the policies of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion from the institution.

Researchers' Perspectives

"I am a first year postgraduate researcher carrying out a distance PhD from South Sudan in the area of international development and education. To date I have spent one month in Sussex at the beginning of the course and the rest of my interaction has been remote. I would say that the learning environment is supportive with people in the School of Education and Social Work and in the Sussex Library always ready to help with academic resources and constructive ideas. The online training provided is excellent with relevant inputs on essential areas of study, such as interviewing techniques, ethics, and using technology like Nvivo. The ability to join and interact with classes remotely works well for me given my location and time constraints.

My advice to new researchers would be to avail yourself of all the training opportunities that are relevant to your work, and to form a small group of fellow researchers with whom you can share insights and experiences."

Alan Neville, International Education & Development PhD (September 2023)

"I began my Education PhD full-time in September 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the UK. Despite the numerous challenges my work has faced since, I have received excellent support from the convenors, my supervisors, and my PhD colleagues. Participating in the online events during lockdowns - such as ESW Connect- helped me to remain connected to the university without being physically present. In ESW, you are never 'on your own'. The ESW PhD community is like a family; we lift each other up during times of uncertainty and celebrate the 'small wins'. The convenors also consider your goals outside of the PhD, which led me to become a facilitator for the New Researcher Support Group for two years running. You learn how to become an early academic during a PhD in ESW, but you also develop as a person. My confidence has grown exponentially since I began my doctoral journey. My advice to new Doctoral Researchers is to embrace the 'messiness' of the PhD; it is part and parcel of the experience and it builds your resilience."

Hayley Preston-Smith, Education PhD (January 2022)

"I began my PhD in September. Induction sessions from the Doctoral School and ESW, along with events such as the Hive’s ‘Meet and Greet’, really gave me a sense of academic support and belonging. ESW’s New Student Support Group, run by students who could share their own PhD experiences, created opportunities for us to work together and discuss challenging theoretical aspects. My advice to new students would be to take and make opportunities to engage with others, work closely with your supervisors and trust that things will evolve; the ideas you arrive with will develop and clarity will come to you in waves."

Gill Emerson, Education PhD (February 2020)

"As a third year doctoral researcher in Social Work and Social Care, my experience has been a very positive one. Ever since I embarked on my research journey, the School of Education and Social Work has always been like a second home to me. It’s where I gathered with my research cohort, my colleagues and our supportive academic staff, and also where I learned and ‘unlearned’ the few and the many skills which I consider core in my research journey . ESW has always had an inclusive and welcoming culture, where you feel that every single student, regardless of their background or experience, is embraced and supported. Academically, ESW has always provided essential trainings for doctoral researchers, and has always been responsive to our constant needs in relation to academic support, training and professional development."

May Nasrawy, Social Work and Social Care PhD (February 2020)

Induction

The School arranges an induction session for all new postgraduate researchers at the beginning of each academic year. Hosted by the Director of Doctoral Studies and the Education and Social Work and Social Care PhD Course Convenors, the session is designed to help researchers integrate with their school. With an overview of the school and the journey ahead, the induction is essentially a 'light touch' welcome session to inform and also introduce new researchers to more experienced ones, as well as doctoral supervisors and other support staff.

Events and Activities

Throughout the year, postgraduate researchers are given the opportunity to attend training workshops on a wide range of topics, including preparing for fieldwork, applying for ethical clearance, Progression Review, and what to expect from a Viva.

Research in Progress (RiP) sessions take place throughout the year. They are organised by the postgraduate researcher cohort and are open to all researchers and academic faculty. They provide a key space for the generating of discussion of the complexities of doctoral research. Researchers also present their research proposal to their peers and faculty as a routine part of the proposal approval process.

Post-fieldwork Reflective Space is a friendly peer support group which provides a space for anyone who has completed (or almost completed) their fieldwork to reflect on data, analysis, writing and everything beyond. The group usually meets every two weeks in Essex House (Zoom link provided for those who prefer or can only join remotely). Group members can join at any point in the year. For more information and/or details of the next meeting, contact Hannah Olle: ho89@sussex.ac.uk

Writing Group for Neurodivergent PGRs is a peer-hosted space for (neuro)divergent postgraduate researchers at the University of Sussex, supported by the School of Education and Social Work (ESW). Remote (Zoom) sessions are open twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am-12pm [https://universityofsussex.zoom.us/j/93700255316 / Passcode: 937 0025 5316]. Any/all postgraduate students or researchers who identify as working in divergent ways - whether formally diagnosed or not - are welcome. The aim is to build from the multiplicity ways we work and learn, including working time to sort, reimagine, and reset plans, collectively redefining accountability with a space to expand into your doctorate. Mondays are for getting sorted. Thursdays are for working into it.

Conference Attendance and Support

ESW encourages postgraduate researchers to present their research at external conferences in the UK and abroad for which up to £500 is available to support this. Applications are considered on merit. Requests should be submitted in advance by completing the form available on the PhD CANVAS site and submitting it to eswpgradmin@sussex.ac.uk. Please use one request form per conference and keep all receipts from the Conference for claiming at a later date.

Recent conferences attended include:

Equity in Education: Institute for Educational & Social Equity in association with London South Bank University
Black Lives matter in Health and Education conference, Leeds Trinity University
The 6^th Ibero-American Congress of Philosophy, Porto, Portugal
Rwanda Peace Schools Network Conference

Progression Review

Progression Review takes place between May and July each year and is the formal mechanism by which the University assesses the progress of all postgraduate researchers and for which the Director of Doctoral Studies makes a recommendation regarding progression and re-registration for the next academic year. The Progress Review is also a point at which doctoral researchers can provide feedback on their doctoral support - within the School and more widely.

The review processes involves a number of steps:

Progression Review forms sent by email to all doctoral researchers and main supervisors
The researcher must complete the Progression Review form, make an accurate record of supervision meetings (logged on Sussex Direct throughout the year), update the Training Needs Analysis form, and update their submission timeline.
The researcher must then arrange to meet with their second supervisor (or another nominated or independent reviewer if the supervisory split is 60:40) to discuss the forms and review progress made.
The supervisor (or relevant other) will record a recommendation regarding the researcher's progression for the next academic year.
All paperwork is submitted to the relevant PhD Course Leader/Convenor and the Director of Doctoral Studies for review and a final recommendation which is reported back to the researcher.

Supervision and Attendance Monitoring

Doctoral supervision is central to the PhD so it is important to fully understand the procedures associated with it and how to maximise its value. The University of Sussex has approved guidelines for research supervision, an official code of good practice and a complaints and appeals procedures. Key points are as follows:

Postgraduate researchers have a dedicated team of supervisors - typically two. One is designated as a main supervisor and principal point of contact. The respective contribution of the first and second supervisors vary, in part because it is tailored to meet the requirements of particular projects.
A key part of supervision is that supervisors read and comment on draft sections or chapters, both of the proposal and the developing thesis itself. Researchers should attempt to let their supervisors know in advance when they will receive a draft, with the expectation that this should be returned with comments within a maximum of two to three weeks. Supervision meetings to discuss feedback can be of great benefit.
The contact time entitlement for full-time postgraduate researchers is 15 hours of supervisory contact per annum. Nine hours for part-timers. The precise pattern of meetings - whether joint supervision or separate one-to-ones with each supervisor to discuss specific areas - will vary according to the particular stage of the doctoral journey the individual researcher is on. In the first term of the first year, for instance, researchers may require shorter more frequent meetings. All researchers are expected to be proactive in maintaining regular (at least monthly) contact with their supervisor(s), even at times when they feel they have little progress to report.

Online logging of supervision meetings
Logging supervision meetings within Sussex Direct is part of the University’s attendance monitoring process and is of particular importance to doctoral researchers on Tier 4 visas. It also provides an opportunity for you to keep a record of key issues discussed within supervision meetings and next steps.
*All full-time doctoral researchers are required to log at least one contact a month with their supervisor(s) on Sussex Direct.

The Viva

A doctoral thesis is examined through a viva voce (oral examination) at which the researcher orally defends their thesis. The examination is normally held two to three months after submission of the final thesis. The School offers each researcher support in preparation for their viva (for example, suggesting participation at a suitable workshop, offering a mock viva, or referring the individual to relevant written guidance materials).

Awards and Recognition

Marcela Gola Boutros: International Education and Development PhD (2023)

"I received a People's Choice Award for my participation at the SeNSS Summer Conference Research Poster Competition. The event exhibited the work of SeNSS Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) masters and first-year PhD students. Scholars from all DTP fields submitted posters summarising their research, which were displayed at the SeNSS Summer Conference from July 12-14, 2023. The posters were voted on by event attendees, and those with the most votes received the award."

My poster's title was: Exploring the Experiences of Forcibly Displaced People in Higher Education: A Case Study of Brazil. It focused on the contextual elements and key concepts that supported the creation of my research framework."

Lucy Roberts: Social Work & Social Care PhD (2022)

"I am delighted to have been awarded the Mulberry Bush Studentship 2022. My research will further our understanding of how to assess children’s social and emotional development, particularly for those who have experienced trauma, to enable practitioners to understand and help a child in practical ways. It builds on a previous collaboration between researchers at the University of Sussex and practitioners at the Mulberry Bush School to develop innovative ways to measure the progress of children’s social and emotional competencies in real world settings.

I feel this is a fascinating opportunity to identify what is needed to support learning from practice that leads to better outcomes for children. I’m grateful for the fantastic support from the school of Education and Social Work and the school of Psychology at Sussex and from the rich research culture at the Mulberry Bush Organisation. Thank you for this opportunity."

Fezile Sibanda: Education PhD (2021)

"I was awarded ESW's BAME studentship in 2021 for my research proposal which focused on coloniality in English Higher Education institutions and the experience of Black academics within these spaces. I feel that my research aims to unpack the very thing I am receiving funding for, which is essential. While I am honoured to receive such funding, I feel that this is also a perfect opportunity for institutions like Sussex to start to actively work towards anti-racism and decoloniality within the academy as this under-representation and persisting inequality is not new, but has been bought to the forefront within recent years. This can start by creating more opportunities and providing resources specifically for marginalised and ‘non- traditional’ students. A seat at the table is only the beginning. We also need to be heard, valued, and championed. Thank you for the fantastic opportunity.”

Paul Shuttleworth: Social Work and Social Care PhD (2019)

"I won first place at Sussex University's Doctoral Research Poster Competition. This was established to showcase the research undertaken by doctoral researchers at the University. Doctoral researchers from across all years and disciplines were invited to submit a poster on an aspect of their doctoral research which was displayed at the Festival of Doctoral Reseach between 18-20 June 2019. It was shortlisted by a panel drawn from the University's research community and then voted on by the attending public.

The title of the poster was: Absent Voices - Where Are Children's Accounts Of Being In Kinship Care. It was based around the findings from my thesis literature review."

Tanja Jovanovic: Education PhD (2018)

Tanja was recommended for the award of PhD on Thursday 5 July 2018 for her "highly original and engaging study", 'Roma Student Access to Higher Education in Serbia: Challenges and Promises' following a successful viva voce examination.

Tanja is the first Roma woman from Serbia to gain a PhD in the UK.

Supervisor Training and Workshops

The Research Student Progress Office coordinates an annual programme of training events for research supervisors, designed to meet the needs of both those who are new to supervision and those who are more experienced.

At School level, at the beginning of each new academic term the Director of Doctoral Studies chairs a Doctoral Supervision Workshop for current supervisors on a range of topics, including university doctoral developments, developing the postgraduate research environment, SeNSS, projects to enhance doctoral studies, and researcher wellbeing. These workshops have been a helpful forum to share good supervision practices, address specific concerns and suggest new and improved approaches to ensure doctoral researcher wellbeing.

Research Student Progress

The Research Student Progress Office provides a single point of contact for all administration associated with the doctoral journey. Areas covered include all aspects of the examination process, as well as tailored advice for international postgraduate researchers.

Sussex Researcher School

As a postgraduate researcher at the University of Sussex, you are supported by the Sussex Researcher School. This central resource, which works with all Schools to support over 1,100 doctoral scholars, offers guidance, training and development, as well as access to scholarships and other funding opportunities for UK and international students.

E: researcher-school@sussex.ac.uk

Their Researcher-Led Initiative (RLI) Fund supports peer-led professional development activities that benefit a broad range of researchers (across disciplines and career stages). Postgraduate and early career researchers can apply for up to £750 to organise an initiative under one of four themes: equality, diversity and inclusion; mental health and wellbeing; public engagement; or training and development

The Sussex Fund for Doctoral Overseas Conference Grants support Sussex postgraduate researchers presenting at an overseas conference. You can apply for up to £1,100 during the period of registration. Researchers are currently able to apply for conference fees, travel and accommodation. The scheme is administered by the Researcher Development team within the Doctoral School, who are able to offer this grant due to the generous funding provided by the Sussex Fund. For more information, guidelines, and to apply, visit the Doctoral Overseas Conference Grants page.