Loughborough Doctoral College

Training and events

Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
(PRES) 2023

What is the PRES?

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey is a national survey conducted by institutions across the UK and globally. Providing feedback to us about your experience allows us to keep doing the things that you have loved and to make improvements to areas where you think things could be better.

The Survey is open from the 24th April until the 15th May 2023.

How do I complete the PRES?

You will have received an email from studentsurveys@lboro.ac.uk on the week commencing 19th April. This email will provide you with a link to complete the survey. It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete the survey and it is your chance to play your part in shaping the future of Loughborough University.

If you have not received an email this might be because you have not been studying at Loughborough for long enough to be eligible or you have already had your viva examination.

What happens to the results?

Your feedback gives you the chance to change things for the future. Over 100 universities and colleges take part in the PRES which means we can compare your experience with that of students at similar universities. Your feedback is confidential to the Doctoral College and any reporting of the feedback will be anonymous.

We will use the findings to improve your course and the Doctoral Researcher experience for students across the University. The results will be discussed within your Schools/Departments as well as at University level. We really do value your input; no one knows the student experience better than you.

Is the PRES anonymous?

Your survey response is confidential to the team processing the results and no reporting outside of this team will identify any individual. Any results communicated to staff will be anonymised.

The survey asks that any comments you make should not identify yourself or any specific members of staff.

What have I got a chance to influence?

The survey will ask you about the whole range of your research experience including:

  • supervision
  • resources
  • research culture
  • progress and assessment
  • responsibilities
  • research skills and professional development
  • opportunities
  • overall experience

This means you have the opportunity to provide your feedback, both positive and negative on this whole range of areas.

What happens to my data?

Loughborough University has chosen to run the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey because it provides valuable information that the University can use to improve the student experience. We value your responses and all personal information you provide will be treated strictly in terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation ((EU) 2016/679).

How we collect your data

While the survey is running, your responses are held by Jisc, who maintain the Online Surveys platform. After the survey closes Jisc shares the responses with the Advance HE and survey responses are accessed by the University.

How we use your data

In the University your response data will be held securely and accessed only by appropriately trained staff who are aware of the confidential nature of the information. These staff are located within central administration teams and are independent from administrative services in Schools. Before data are reported on, the responses are anonymised, by removing information and statements that may identify you. Data are then reported to Schools and Support Services of the University and a sub-section of this data is reported back the Students Union. Data are used as part of academic reviews and inform the University’s Key Performance Indicators. We retain the anonymised responses to research policymaking and to track the effectiveness of new interventions.

Can I withdraw my survey response?

You are able to withdraw your consent for your response to be processed up to the point at which we anonymise the data. If you wish to withdraw your response, please email studentsurveys@lboro.ac.uk and state your student registration number.