Postgraduate Research Experience Survey

for PGR Students

Find out more

About the survey

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) is open from 26 February to 16 May 2024.

The PRES 2024 survey is your opportunity as a PGR student to share your thoughts about your experience as a research degree student. The results help us compare how we are doing with other institutions, keep doing the things that PGR students value, and make changes that will improve the PGR student experience in the future.

All eligible PGR students will be sent an invitation to fill in the survey on 26 February 2024 and reminders will be sent before and during the survey operation. Check your student email for your unique survey link.

Claim £10 or Donate

On completion, choose to receive a £10 Amazon voucher or donate the amount to one of our chosen charities:

Acorns Children’s Hospice
Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid

Shelter UK

Oxfam

RSPCA

Greenpeace

How is PRES used?

As an example of how the survey is used by Birmingham City University, previous surveys revealed that PGRs felt that they would benefit from dedicated working space. Consequently, the Doctoral Research College (DRC) lobbied for space to be dedicated to PGR students on campus, in addition to the faculty-based PGR work spaces already provided.

The Research Hub at City Centre campus was launched in Autumn 2023 – providing hot desking, lounge, kitchen and meeting space for PGRs. In addition, there are plans for the PGR hub space in Seacole (at City South Campus) to be refurbished and optimised for PGR use this Spring 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is it?

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey is a national survey conducted by institutions across the UK and globally. The survey takes around 15 minutes to complete.

Why should I take part?

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey is your chance to tell us your thoughts about your course. The results help us compare how we are doing with other institutions, to make changes that will improve what we do in future and to keep doing the things that you value. This will help improve the experience of students like you in the future.

In addition, for each completed survey, Birmingham City University commits to making a £10 donation to a charity, or providing the completer with a £10 Amazon voucher.

What happens to the results?

Your feedback is important. Over one hundred universities and colleges take part in the UK and globally. This means we can compare your experience against similar postgraduates at other institutions to see if we are supporting your learning as we should. We use the findings to improve our courses and the learning experience for future students

What do I need to do?

You will receive an email with a link to the questionnaire on 26^th February. Simply click on the link and complete the online form. The survey is open until 16th May.

Where can I find out more?

If you are unsure about anything to do with the survey, or have any difficulty, please see your course or course leader, or contact Beccy Boydell in the Doctoral Research College by email: Beccy.boydell@bcu.ac.uk. Find out more about the survey.