Postgraduate Research Experience Survey: PRES

What does it ask about?

The survey focuses on students’ experiences of :

• supervision
• resources
• research community
• progress and assessment
• skills and professional development
• wellbeing
• overall experience

It also considers students’ motivations for taking their programme.

Who is eligible to take part?

Any research student on a doctoral or research master’s course.

How do students take part?

The survey must be completed online, using PCs or mobile devices.

Eligible students will receive an email with a personalised link to complete the survey. The survey can also be accessed via a link/QR code, in which case participants are required to sign in to complete the survey.

What happens to the responses?

Student responses are anonymised and are collected by Advance HE. All the responses are aggregated to produce an overall national report, published on the Advanced HE website. The responses from students at each participating university are aggregated into a confidential report for that institution. 

The quantitative results are discussed at relevant Boards of Studies and Student-Staff Committees. Academic Units respond to feedback with action plans, identifying any agreed actions, timescales for implementation, and who is responsible for each action.

Why should I encourage my students to take part?

As well as the importance of providing feedback, taking part in the PRES is an opportunity for all participants to win a prize. Shopping vouchers can be won (5x £100 and 10x £50), and a charity donation is chosen in collaboration with Newcastle University Students Union. In 2023, for every survey completed in the first three weeks of the survey running, £2 was donated to N.E.S.T and Rape Crisis. 

Terms and Conditions apply for the prize draw.