Actions from PGR-GS Liaison Group meeting – 24 January 2024

GS items

PRES action plan progress

Faculties are discussing their draft action plans, including, for example:

suggested ‘All In’ days for greater campus presence across Faculty
greater inclusion of PGRS in research groups/seminars
greater emphasis on regular supervisor training
continuing to offer teaching scheme across Faculties
outreach initiatives such as research talks to public audiences.

FBL PGRs are looking at doing a set of public talks.

ACTION: Emily put Melda in contact with FASS contact.

ACTION: when released, PGRS discuss action plans within their own Faculties.

Online PhD

The University is working on plans for a PhD by distance learning programme, distinct from the on-campus programme.

The distance-learning aspect of Programme has been given strategic approval, but it will be up to 12 months before we have clearer information.

Online training materials will benefit current students as well as they will feed into distance-learning.

Most UKRI funding is for students doing an on-campus PhD. Distance-learning will be more likely to be sponsored or self-funded PhDs.

Buses

We discussed travel options on campus. A private shuttle bus option has been ruled out by Estates. MK Connect is one option.

There is one regular bus passing through campus at the moment.

ACTION: Emily to request a travel update from Estates and colleagues working on Cranfield accommodation.

ACTION: Emily to invite Estates to next Town Hall.

ACTION: PGRS put forward questions for the Town Hall in writing (well beforehand).

ACTION: Emily to request that Estates talks to Milton Keynes Council about a student discount on the buses or on MK Connect? Gareth might want to bring OUSA in. Cost is currently £7.00 per day.

Request for The OU to hold travel advice sessions for cycling – potentially a clinic in the Library?
ACTION Emily to investigate a Cycling Scheme.

Accommodation at Cranfield campus

PGRs arriving in February will be offered rental accommodation at Cranfield for individuals and families.

It’s a 5-10 minute walk to the bus stop at Cranfield and buses run between 6.00am and 11.00pm. Cranfield has different types of accommodation. 3 February students have expressed an interest and this will be used as a pilot.

ACTION: PGRS Reps to let students in their Faculties know that if anyone is in difficulty with accommodation to please contact Graduate School and we will see if we can help.

See link to Cranfield website for information on accommodation rates: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/study/life-on-campus/life-at-cranfield/accommodation

Items from FASS – Jane Stevens

1. How is The OU planning to adapt to the fundamental changes expected to be brought about by Artificial General Intelligence?

Lindsay advised that there is a University statement which we can share: https://openuniv.sharepoint.com/sites/oulife/Pages/Interim-guidance-for-students-and-staff-on-using-Generative-AI.aspx

The statement was amended to refer to PGRS instead of taught students. Graduate School is working with faculties to see what it means for PGRS. We will come back on this.

Yvette Howley also shared this document: https://about.open.ac.uk/policies-and-reports/policies-and-statements/gen-ai/generative-ai-students

PGRS should note that it won’t take away our authorship. The university will work out how PGRS should use AI appropriately.

ACTION: Jane to extend an invitation to the relevant student to join the working group to help think this through.

2. Challenges with the thesis submission/viva stage of the student journey – consider streamlining the process / PGR being given the wrong information about the process of thesis submission and when and how to submit.

This is possibly a FASS-specific concern about the length of time between thesis submission and viva being arranged.

ACTION: Jane to please let Lindsay have the names of the students who have waited 8 months for their viva.

Intention to submit must be 3 months prior. It can be extended, so long as the student is not at their completion date. The thesis then goes to examiners, so the viva cannot be within 6 weeks as we need to allow examiners time to read the thesis.

PGRS to note that: