Postgraduates form a significant part of the student profile in universities, but due to the nature of postgraduate study there are often distinct challenges and opportunities for student engagement activity.
Whether taught postgraduates (PGTs) such as Masters students or research postgraduates (PGRs) such as PhD students, postgraduates’ experiences differ in many ways from the undergraduate learning experience.
PGT students often study on one-year courses and include large elements of independent learning and research-based activity. PGR students do not enrol on courses like in a taught environment and often have staff contracts and teaching responsibilities. Moreover, postgraduate communities often have high levels of part-time or distance learning study and large numbers of mature and international students.
sparqs has an interest in ensuring that institutions and students’ associations are able to capture and respond to postgraduate voices about their experience. sparqs also aims to support postgraduate researchers and taught students to contribute to representation systems and quality processes at their institutions.
Design of the PGR experience model
While the sparqs Student Learning Experience model covers all taught provision (including Postgraduate Taught students), the model does not accurately account for the lived experience of Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs).
Beginning in 2025, sparqs has been undertaking a project to develop a model of the PGR experience, in collaboration with the sector. In March and April 2026, sparqs facilitated three interactive workshops - two with PGRs and one with staff and sector agencies - alongside an asynchronous opportunity to contribute. These activities explored the key elements of the PGR experience and generated a wide range of insights. Contributions from participants will be analysed by a working group and will influence the structure of the model, including building blocks of the research experience and reflective questions.
The final model will complement the existing Student Learning Experience model as a key sector reference point in the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF) and will support universities to enhance their postgraduate research provision.
PGR Experience model working group
In May 2026, sparqs established a working group to take forward the next stage of development of the PGR Experience Model. The group includes representatives from Scottish universities, students’ associations and sector agencies, with a majority of members being current PGRs. The working group is co-chaired by Chase Greenfield (Development Consultant, sparqs) and Sandro Eich (Academic Policy Officer – Quality, University of St Andrews).
Over summer 2026, the group will analyse the evidence gathered and develop a draft model. This draft will then be shared more widely for sector consultation and review, supporting further refinement ahead of publication. Subject to sector consultation, the final PGR Experience model is expected to be published in Autumn 2026.
Future development of the project
Following the design of the PGR Experience model, sparqs will continue to support the development of resources aimed to empower postgraduates to contribute to quality processes.
Training materials for postgraduate representatives and other resources, such as models of PGR Representation, will be designed and developed in consultation with the sector. It is anticipated that this work will begin in 2027.
Previous sparqs work
Several previous sparqs projects have been aimed at supporting postgraduate student engagement.
In 2017 sparqs produced resources for delivering Course Rep Training to PGT students, which institutions and students’ associations can use to develop customised, locally relevant training for PGT course reps.
In 2018 sparqs ran a project exploring various dimensions of PGR student engagement. We were guided by a working group made up of sector practitioners, and you can find out more about this in our March 2018 news article.
For more information on any of this work please contact Chase Greenfield.