Postgraduate Research Experience Survey closes this week
13 May 2013
Please encourage eligible students to complete the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) before it closes on 16 May.
PRES is the opportunity for our postgraduate research students to give their opinions on their experience at Manchester, including research, assessment and feedback, personal development and resources, and it's really important that you continue to encourage students to complete it as possible.
All eligible students have received an email from the University inviting them to take part in the survey. The email contains a unique access link for them to follow and complete the survey. They can also log into My Manchester to take the survey. PRES will also be promoted via eProg.
It is important that as many of our students as possible provide their feedback for the survey to generate reliable information. Results are used to inform improvements to the student experience for postgraduate research students.
Institutional-level results are confidential, but PRES allows benchmarking through the creation of eight benchmarking groups, including one for the Russell Group. Participating institutions can compare their own performance with the average performance of the institutions in each group.
This is a key institutional survey – you are asked to please avoid other surveying with postgraduate research students during this period.
How you can help to promote PRES to students
Please encourage eligible students to complete the survey as soon as possible after it opens and before 16 May. Remind them that their responses are anonymous and they should feel free to express their honest opinions.
Data will be made available internally to relevant staff, and will also be used to benchmark against other UK institutions.
You can view the survey questions and download an information sheet plus promotional materials and templates at:
When promoting the survey to students, please bear in mind the following points:
- If you use emails to promote PRES to your students, please only use targeted email lists for PGR students and do not bombard them with messages;
- Direct endorsement by academic staff (e.g. in supervisory meetings) is one of most effective ways to engage students;
- Peer to peer communication and promotion (e.g. via student reps) can also be very effective;
- Local incentives can help drive up response rates - for example, free pizza at lunchtime for all those who attend a cluster and complete the survey. You must ensure that any incentive you offer a) does not compromise the neutrality of the survey and b) is equally available to all eligible students. If you're not sure, please contact Jenny Wragge, Senior Student Experience Officer, at jenny.wragge@manchester.ac.uk or 52088 for advice.
If you have any questions about PRES, please contact:
- Helen Baker, Head of Graduate Education & Researcher Development, Research and Business Engagement Support Services, at helen.c.baker@manchester.ac.uk