Circular letter CL12/05

Number	CL 12/05
Subject	Postgraduate research degree programmes – review of quality and standards
Publication date	Friday 30 September 2005
Recipients	To heads of HEFCE funded higher education institutions, Heads of universities in Northern Ireland
Further information	Julian Ellis j.ellis@qaa.ac.uk or Elaine Harries Jenkins e.h.jenkins@qaa.ac.uk
Response date	Friday 10 February 2006
Respond to	Julian Ellis j.ellis@qaa.ac.uk
Attachments	Operational description (incorporating additional guidance and questionnaire) for the special review of postgraduate research degree programmes (England and Northern Ireland)

Dear Vice-Chancellor or Principal

Postgraduate research degree programmes - review of quality and standards

In February 2005 (CL 03/05), we consulted on the proposals contained within the operational description for the special review of research degree programmes (RDP). The special review was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Attached is a final version of the operational description incorporating the questionnaire and additional guidance.

We received 77 responses to the consultation exercise. Of these, approximately a third were broadly content with the proposed operational description and provided no additional comments. The remaining responses raised various issues, including concerns about the volume of work required to complete the questionnaire and the proposed use of HEFCE data on doctoral qualification rates. Other specific concerns included the link between the review and research funding, the timing of the review, the focus on the research environment and the potential duplication of Research Assessment Exercise activity. There were also questions about whether the review would apply to institutions without their own research degree awarding powers.

In response to the comments, there have been a number of revisions to the draft operational description, many of which have been aimed at minimising the burden on institutions and clarifying the matters raised by institutions in the consultation.

I should be grateful if you would arrange for the completed questionnaire to be returned to us by Friday 10 February 2006.

In the meantime, a briefing event has been organised for institutions on Thursday 20 October 2005, in Birmingham. Details of this event have already been circulated.

If you have any queries about the questionnaire please contact Julian Ellis (j.ellis@qaa.ac.uk) or Elaine Harries Jenkins (e.h.jenkins@qaa.ac.uk).

Yours sincerely

Peter Williams

Chief Executive