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Postgraduate Research Advisors

Role of Advisor

The aim of this document is to clarify the role of advisors for research students in the School of Computer Science. It is intended that advisors take a significant role in monitoring student progress and in supporting both students and supervisors whenever difficulties arise that are likely to affect progress.

All PGR students are allocated a member of staff who will act as an Advisor. The Advisor is responsible for providing pastoral and general academic support. The role of the Advisor is not meant in any way to replace the relationship between you and your Supervisor. However, where you need to discuss matters, whether academic or otherwise with another person, your Advisor will be available. Such discussions can be in the absence of your Supervisor, outside the framework of formal meetings, and confidential. Though unlikely, your Advisor should also be your first point of contact if the relationship with your Supervisor breaks down.

The Advisor and student should aim to meet up at the end of Week 1, Month 6 and Month 9 in Year 1, and once in the middle of each subsequent year. The Advisor will also form part of the annual end-of-year interview panel process, right through to graduation.

Appointment of Advisors

The following outlines the normal procedure for the appointment of advisors:

  1. Any senior member of academic staff or lecturer who has supervised two or more completed PhD students can act as an advisor.
  2. It is the responsibility of the Director of the Research School, delegating the task to SSO, to allocate an Advisor for every MPhil and PhD student.
  3. As the advisor is excluded from being the internal examiner, it is expected that the advisor will not be from the same research group as the student.