Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students

The University recognises that Supervisory sessions and research engagements are a key element in successful student retention, progression, achievement and employability. This approach serves to identify students who may be experiencing difficulties and might need particular support. The University also has a legal duty to monitor student engagement and to act on non-engagement to meet its reporting requirements to external sponsors, as well as meeting the sponsorship requirements of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for the monitoring of International students studying in the UK on a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student visa. A centralised electronic system (RMS) has been developed for monitoring student engagement for these purposes.   

2.1

This Engagement Monitoring Policy will apply to Research students enrolled on an academic programme at Swansea University (including Masters by Research, the Direct Independent Learning Phase of a Standard/Extended Master’s programme and Visiting Researchers who are enrolled for a period longer than one month) whether they are in Swansea, elsewhere in the UK or across the world.  

2.2

It is expected that all students will engage with their research on a face-to-face basis. Remote engagement will only be permitted where a request has been made and approved to conduct research remotely, as described in 4.6 below, or where a student is studying at a partner institution as described in 8 below. 

2.3

Postgraduate Research students will be subject to engagement monitoring until they have been awarded their qualification. 

2.4

The University expects students to attend all scheduled face-to-face learning sessions including supervisory meetings, training courses, modules and study groups associated with each programme of research which they have elected to pursue and are supplemented by virtual learning sessions. The University also recognises the benefit of engaging with the wider research community and would encourage research students to attend regular office hours.

2.5

Research student engagement will be monitored at a Faculty/School or partnership level and by the Engagement Monitoring Team within Student Compliance Services for Student Route (previously Tier 4)

2.6

All notifications required by these regulations shall be sent in the first instance to the student’s official University e-mail address and in some circumstances the student’s recorded term-time and home address, unless the student has notified the Faculty/School and Education Services in writing that an alternative address should be used. 

2.7

Engagement will be monitored by a student’s home Faculty/School or partner starting from the first research week of any given intake. Engagement will be monitored through regular meetings with the student’s Supervisory team. 

2.8

Students will be monitored every four weeks at a point defined by the Faculty/School. Students who study on a part-time basis will also be monitored every four weeks but with considerations for differing workloads. 

2.9

Any student who is absent from their monthly research engagement meeting with their Supervisor will enter into an escalation process. 

2.10

Students based in Swansea who are conducting research away from any University Campus must obtain permission to study remotely from their Faculty/School prior to leaving Swansea and will be required to adhere to the Engagement Monitoring Policy. 

Student Route (previously Tier 4) students will also require permission to study remotely from Student Compliance Services as detailed in Section 5 of the enhanced Engagement Monitoring Policy for Student Route (previously Tier 4) students. Students shall also be required to adhere to any engagement monitoring policies and procedures stipulated by the institution in which they are conducting their research. 

2.11

Full-time Research students are entitled to take maximum of 31 days annual leave per year, plus statutory holidays per annum with Faculty/School approval. For part-time students this will be pro rata. Any holidays taken should be recorded on the RMS system. Students can additionally request a short temporary leave of absence for compelling, compassionate reasons as detailed in point 4.5 below.

2.12

Engagement reports shall be monitored and reviewed by the Faculty/School and the Engagement Monitoring Team within Student Compliance Services. 

3.1

The University is required to monitor the engagement of all Student Route (previously Tier 4) students, in line with UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) regulations as well as the Immigration Rules that underpin immigration into the United Kingdom. In addition to the University Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students, Student Route (previously Tier 4) students who miss one scheduled Supervisory meeting or research engagement will be sent an email by the Engagement Monitoring team within Student Compliance Services reminding the student of the requirement to comply with the Engagement Monitoring Policy and they will be required to attend a meeting to discuss their non-engagement. In the case of non-engagement, a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student will become subject to enhanced monitoring as detailed in Section 4.2 of the Student Route (previously Tier 4) Engagement Monitoring Policy. This will be administered by the Engagement Monitoring team within Student Compliance Services.

Students are responsible for:

4.1   

Ensuring they understand and adhere to the Engagement Monitoring Policy; 

4.2

Attending all face-to-face and virtual Supervisory, training and teaching sessions associated with their programme of study; 

4.3

Maintaining contact with their Supervisory team and attending any scheduled meetings. Students should endeavour to meet with their first supervisor within the engagement monitoring period. Only where the first supervisor is not available for an extended period of time, students should then reach out to their second supervisor or Faculty. 

4.4

Notifying their Faculty/School of any planned holiday they wish to take. 

4.5

Notifying their Faculty/School of any planned temporary absence of five working days or more, and which will be considered as a “temporary request for leave from study”. A “temporary request for leave from study” is a short temporary absence which has been accepted by the Faculty/School. We understand that on occasion students may have to miss scheduled Supervisory meetings or research engagements for good reason. In these instances, students can submit a request for a temporary leave from study. The following is a non-exhaustive list of circumstances which the University would commonly accept: 

• Exceptional circumstances such as serious illness or injury.
• Death or serious illness of a close relative or friend. 
• Significant adverse personal or family circumstances, such as divorce, burglary, fire, major court proceedings, financial difficulties that are beyond the control of the student and require the student to leave the University at short notice. 
• Jury duty.
• Sporting and/or arts commitments, normally where a student is a participant. 

Corroborating evidence must normally be provided where possible. If a student is experiencing personal, familial, financial or medical difficulties that affect their ability to engage with their studies, it is expected that they will normally be advised to suspend their studies instead. 
 
Due to the risk to academic success, leave requests will usually be considered for a period of up to 2 weeks only. Students requiring longer periods of absence shall be required to make contact with their Supervisor before additional time will be granted. The period of candidature shall not normally be extended. For Student Route (previously Tier 4) students the period of absence must not mean the student will require more time to complete their programme. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students requiring long periods of absence may be required to suspend their studies.   

Since students are expected to remain within a commutable distance of their campus of study to complete the academic requirements for their programme of study, as per the conditions of their Student Route (previously Tier 4) visas, such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is not expected that more than one such period of absence shall be granted per programme of study. Repeated requests for extended leave of absences will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and students may need to consider a suspension of studies, depending on the circumstances. 
 
Students requiring a suspension of their studies and/or an extension to their candidature should consult the University’s Guide to Suspensions and Extensions for Research Students. 
 
Student Route (previously Tier 4) students should be aware that where a “temporary request for leave from study” is granted by the Faculty/School, Student Compliance Services should be informed immediately so this can be recorded on the student’s record.   

4.6

Notifying their Faculty/School of any planned study or research conducted away from any Swansea University Campus. Students must obtain permission to study remotely from the Faculty/School prior to leaving Swansea and will be required to adhere to the engagement monitoring policy during this period. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students will also require permission to study remotely from Student Compliance Services as detailed in Section 5 of the enhanced Student Route (previously Tier 4) Engagement Monitoring Policy. If a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student’s request to study remotely exceeds one month this will be reported to the UKVI as a “Change of Study Location”. The maximum period for which a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student can study remotely is six months. Students must remain enrolled and the request should not adversely impact their studies or effect the submission date. Arrangements must be made with the Supervisory and Faculty/School Administration teams prior to leaving Swansea and meet the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy. The following is a non-exhaustive list of circumstances the University would commonly accept: 

• Fieldwork; 
• Data collection;
• Study visit to library, archive or place of industry; 
• Attending or delivering lectures, talks or conferences at another institution. 

Students are advised to wait until their request to study remotely has been approved before finalising any travel or accommodation arrangements. Students must also consult the University’s Study Abroad Policy - Swansea University before leaving. 
 
Students shall also be required to adhere to any engagement monitoring policies and procedures stipulated by the institution in which they are conducting their research. 

4.7

Responding to any communications regarding their engagement from their Faculty/School, Student Compliance Services or Education Services.

4.8

Attending any meeting that is arranged as a consequence of non-engagement. 

4.9

Notifying their Faculty/School of any requests to complete their research remotely. Students studying on Postgraduate research programmes are expected to remain in Swansea to engage with their research and attend supervisory meetings in-person up until their first submission. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students who would like to return home country after this point can opt to submit a “Request to Complete Studies Remotely”.

Requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Faculty/School and Student Compliance Services. Please note that submitting a request does not guarantee that the request will be granted. Decisions will be made based on the academic requirements of the programme of study and where applicable, the engagement monitoring requirements of the funding body and UKVI guidance. Swansea University reserves the right to refuse to authorise a request if it is deemed that such authorisation could pose a risk to Swansea University’s compliance duties and responsibilities as a Licenced Sponsor. Students will be informed in writing if their application is not successful.

Student Route (previously Tier 4) students should be aware that if their request is approved, the University would withdraw its sponsorship of their student visa. The Student visa would then be curtailed as the student would no longer be required to travel/return to the UK to undertake their viva and complete the course.

Students whose visa has been curtailed, become ineligible for the Graduate Route post-study work visa.

Student Compliance Services will require proof of exit upon the student’s return home to complete the authorisation of a request and report the withdrawal of sponsorship to the Home Office. Upon receipt of the proof of exit, Student Compliance Services will provide final confirmation that the Student’s record has been updated and they are no longer subject to the University’s in-person engagement monitoring process for sponsored students.

5.1 

Faculties/Schools Academic and Administrative Staff are responsible for:

5.1.1

Reminding students of the importance of Supervisory sessions or research engagements; 

5.1.2

Ensuring the information, guidance and procedures relating to this Policy is accessible to students within the Faculty/School; 

5.1.3

Maintaining contact with research students, scheduling and recording student engagement at Supervisory, training and teaching sessions, updating changes to Supervisory teams and ensuring the RMS system is a fair and accurate representation of the student’s engagement and expected progression. Where the first supervisor will be unavailable for an extended period of time, arrangements should be made with the student to meet with an alternative member of academic staff such as the second supervisor.

5.1.4

Utilising and engaging with the escalation process in the event of student non-engagement; 

5.1.5

Providing students with information, guidance and procedures on informing Faculties/Schools of any planned temporary absence as mentioned in 4.5 above.

5.1.6

Immediately informing Student Compliance Services when a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student is granted a temporary leave from study, so this can be recorded on the student’s file. 

5.1.7

Providing students with information, guidance and procedures on informing Faculties/Schools of any planned study or research conducted away from any Swansea University Campus as described in 4.6 above. 

5.1.8

Providing students with information, guidance and procedures on requesting to complete their research remotely as described in 4.9 above. 

5.1.9

Ensuring all student engagement is monitored and recorded fairly, accurately and in an auditable form to ensure equality of treatment and compliance with both data protection and freedom of information access requirements, as well as scrutiny by the students, Student Compliance Services or Education Services; 

5.2

Signposting any students identified as possibly requiring additional support to the appropriate Student Support Service.  

5.3

Executive Deans are responsible for: 

5.3.1

Ensuring that Faculty/School staff are aware of their responsibilities in regard to engagement monitoring, data recording and the University’s escalation process; 

5.3.2

Establishing and publishing named contacts with responsibility for these duties within the Faculty/School; 

5.3.3

Ensuring all student engagement is monitored and recorded fairly, accurately and in an auditable form to ensure equality of treatment and compliance with both data protection and freedom of information access requirements, as well as scrutiny by students, Student Compliance Services or Education Services; 

5.3.4

Ensuring that an appropriate level of monitoring and recording occurs for each student.  

5.4

Associate Deans (Research) are responsible for: 

5.4.1

Ensuring that Faculty/School staff are aware of their responsibilities with regards to engagement monitoring, data recording and the University’s escalation process; 

5.4.2 

Ensuring all student engagement is monitored and recorded fairly, accurately and in an auditable form to ensure equality of treatment and compliance with both data protection and freedom of information access requirements, as well as scrutiny by students, Student Compliance Services or Education Services; 

5.4.3

Ensuring that an appropriate level of monitoring and recording occurs for each student; 

5.4.4

Utilising and engaging with the escalation process in the event of student non-engagement, arranging meetings with students to discuss the consequences of non-engagement and take appropriate action in line with the Engagement Monitoring Policy based on the outcome of the meeting.  

6.1

Students enrolled on a MRes undertaking a taught element of the programme will be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Taught Students, with the exception that the frequency of monitoring will take place on a fortnightly basis and the Programme Coordinator will assume the responsibilities of the Supervisor for the escalation process. 

6.2

When students enrolled on a MRes move to the research element of the programme, they will be subject to the engagement monitoring requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students entirely and will be monitored on a four-weekly basis. The Supervisor will then assume the responsibilities for recording student engagement and the escalation process.

7.1

Students enrolled on the taught phase of a Standard/Extended Master’s programme will be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Taught Students. Students who progress to the project/dissertation phase of a Standard/Extended Master’s programme will then be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students and will be monitored on a four-weekly basis up until the point of submission. The Supervisor will then assume responsibility for recording student engagement and the escalation process.  

7.2

Full time taught postgraduate students are expected to study continuously over the summer during the dissertation/project phase and are expected to engage with their Supervisor once a month in person on campus. Such students are considered to be in term time during the summer dissertation/project phase.

7.3

Students who are granted an extension to the project/dissertation phase of their studies will remain subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students and will be monitored on a four-weekly basis up until the point of submission.

7.4

If work is not accepted by the examiners during the project/dissertation phase of the programme and the student is allowed to resubmit, they will remain subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students up until the point of resubmission within the time limit set by Academic Regulations for full and part-time students.

7.5

Students resubmitting their work will be expected to be fully engaged with their studies during the resubmission period and will be monitored on a four-weekly basis (one formal feedback session followed by welfare check ins, students are not entitled to additional supervision) up until the point of resubmission. The Faculty/School or Student Compliance Services will assume responsibility for recording student engagement during the resubmission period. 

8.1 

Students enrolled on a Postgraduate Research Programme delivered through a collaborative partnership where one of the awarding bodies is Swansea University, will be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students and will be monitored on a 4-weekly basis up until the point of submission.

8.1.1 

The Swansea University Supervisor will be responsible for recording student engagement in the RMS system and will liaise with the Partner Institution Supervisor to monitor the student’s progress irrespective of the student’s location of study.

8.1.2 

Students will also be expected to adhere to any engagement monitoring policies and procedures as stipulated by the Partner Institution.

8.1.3 

Students undertaking a taught element at Swansea University will also be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Taught Students until the point they move on to the research element of their programme.

8.2 

Students enrolled on a Postgraduate Research Programme delivered through a collaborative partnership where the awarding body is the Partner Institution, will only be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students for the period in which the location of study is Swansea University and will be monitored on a 4-weekly basis. 

8.2.1 

The Swansea University Supervisor will assume responsibility for recording student engagement in the RMS system for this period only.

8.2.2 

Students undertaking a taught element at Swansea University will also be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Taught Students until the point they move on to the research element of their programme.

9.1

Visiting Researchers who are enrolled at the University for a period longer than one month will be subject to the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Research Students. The Supervisor will be responsible for recording engagement. 

9.2

Visiting Researchers will be subject to the escalation process for reasons of non-engagement. 

A student who is absent from a Supervisory meeting or research engagement will enter an escalation process.  It is designed to re-engage students who have been absent from studies, to identify reasons for the absence and to assist students who may be experiencing difficulties or may need particular support. The escalation process is explained and illustrated below. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students will also be subject to enhanced monitoring as detailed in the Engagement Monitoring Policy for Student Route (previously Tier 4) Students: 
 
Stage 0 - Student has attended all Supervisory meetings/research engagements in a four-week period. 

Stage 1 - Student missed Supervisory meeting(s) or research engagements for four weeks. The student will be contacted, warned about the consequences of non-engagement and asked to reengage with their Supervisor and/or attend a meeting with the Faculty/School's Student Experience team to discuss additional help and support. They will be warned that failing to reengage with their studies may be a factor in any decisions taken about their future as a student if their engagement does not improve. 

Stage 2 - Following Stage 1, the student has missed Supervisory meeting(s) or research engagements for a further four weeks.  The student will be required to meet with their Faculty/School's Associate Dean (Research) or nominee. If the student does not attend, they will normally be required to withdraw. If the student does attend, they may be permitted to continue as a student, at the discretion of the Director of Research, Director of Postgraduate Research or nominee, depending on their explanation and supporting evidence, if any.   

Stage 3 - Failing to attend subsequently will result in the student being required to withdraw in all but exceptional circumstances. 
 
Where a student’s engagement improves, they will not be contacted unless it deteriorates again. Each period of four weeks of improved engagement means that the student will drop one Stage in the escalation process. 

Students who receive a notice of withdrawal or suspension from the University, in accordance with the University’s Engagement Monitoring Policy, may request a review of this decision. Students will have the opportunity to submit an Admin Review form to Student Compliance Services within 5 working days of the date of the letter/email to the student confirming the withdrawal or suspension decision. The form will be reviewed by the student’s Faculty/School and Student Compliance Servies in the case of Student Route (previously Tier 4) students. The Associate Director: Student Operations or their nominee may review cases where the Faculty/School or Student Compliance Services continue to recommend a withdrawal or suspension at the appeal stage. The Admin Review will constitute the completion of internal University procedures for the Engagement Monitoring Process.