Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2025 update

The OU participates in the national Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) every two years. PRES is a valuable way of finding out PGRs’ views about important aspects of their research degree programme. We last participated in PRES 2025 in Spring 2025 for which we had a 39% engagement rate.

PRES 2025 shows that things are improving for research students at the OU, with overall satisfaction rising to 82% after a dip to 75% in 2023. However, many students – both those based on campus and those researching at a distance - still feel isolated and want more chances to connect with others, gain teaching experience and receive better career support. Students also said they would like more face-to-face time with supervisors and a stronger sense of research community on campus and online. Although the OU performs well in areas like online learning resources and helping students track their progress, we need to do more to build vibrant research environments and ensure all students feel included and supported throughout their PhD journey.

Further details: Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2025 update email, 12 February 2026