Academic Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees By Research & Thesis

Procedures for processing Examiners' Reports and their recommendations in respect of Candidates presenting for Research Master's and Doctoral Degrees.

1. Establishment of Faculty Awards Boards for Research degrees
   • In each Faculty, there shall be constituted a Board for Research degrees chaired by the Dean of the Faculty or his/her nominee.
   • The membership of each Board shall consist of the academic staff of the Faculty together with relevant academic staff of other Faculties who have been involved in cross-disciplinary research projects.
   • The Vice-President for Research and the Assistant Registrar will be ex-officio members of each Board
   • Academic supervisors of presenting candidates are expected to attend the meeting of the Board.
2. Schedule of Meetings
   • There will be two officially scheduled meetings per calendar year of each of the Faculty Awards Boards for Research degrees, one in spring and one in autumn to process Examiners' Reports and their recommendations in respect of candidates presenting for Research Master's and Doctoral Degrees. The precise dates will be indicated in the annual Academic Calendar. Faculties may schedule additional meetings where necessary, subject to consultation with the Registry.
   • The timing of the spring and autumn meetings is chosen to facilitate consideration and approval by Academic Council of the relevant Examiners' recommendations in relation to the award of higher degrees by research and submission of a thesis.
   • The fixing of these two dates will thus provide clear benchmarks to postgraduate students planning to submit their theses. In order to meet a specific date on the schedule above, a postgraduate student should submit his/her thesis at least eight weeks in advance.
   • The convening of a meeting of the Faculty Awards Board for Research degrees shall be notified to academic staff by the Registry following consultation with the relevant Dean.
3. Remit of Faculty Awards Board for Research Degrees
   • Processing of Examiners' Reports and their Recommendations
   • The Board will be required to ensure that the examination process for each candidate has been carried out in accordance with existing academic regulations.
   • The Board will be required to draw the attention of Academic Council to individual comments by Examiners if in so doing they provide useful feedback to the University.
   • The Board will be required to consider specifically issues arising from a negative report by an Examiner, and recommend an appropriate course of action to Academic Council for its consideration. The subsequent decision of Academic Council in respect of a recommendation submitted by the relevant Faculty Awards Board for Research degrees will be communicated in writing to the postgraduate student concerned.
   • The Board will prepare a composite listing of candidates recommended for awards by Examiners and submit this list to the Registry for consideration and approval by Academic Council at its next meeting.
4. Documentation for Meetings
   
   Examiners' Reports on candidates for higher degrees will be provided by the Registry and will be available before the meeting commences for consultation. A copy of each thesis examined will be available in the Registry if required by the Board to clarify issues raised by the Examiners.