Postgraduate Academics: How It Works

1. Postgraduate Academics: How It Works Sarah Pickard, Head of Graduate Students Board of Graduate Studies

2. Introductions • Congratulations! • Cambridge: strange, complex, collegiate, special, almost unique • What is everyone doing? • MPhils, PhDs • Arts, Sciences • Gone through admissions process, will have been in contact with the Board. Hope the process wasn’t too grueling – did best to help, apologies if sometimes delays in getting through to us

3. The experience • No such thing as ‘the Cambridge experience’ • Should make it your own, and everyone experiences Cambridge in a different way • If scientist, may spend lots of time in lab and with lab friends • May join societies and try new hobbies, or may not • Do get the most out of it, but that will mean different things for each of you

4. Socialising • Work is v. demanding, but having a break is also important! • Large numbers of international students, as well as all the UK students, so very culturally diverse environment – take advantage of it • Avoiding socialising only with those from same country • Don’t feel any pressure to confirm to certain social habits such as ‘drinking’ • Remember to have fun as well as work!

5. Where to find information • Every department is different – key is to familiarise yourself with departmental procedures • Go to inductions, health and safety, fire training etc • Get hold of departmental literature, handbooks, • Code of Practice: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/practice/ • Statutes and Ordinances: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/pdfs/ • Find out who the Director of Graduate Education is • Meet your College Graduate Tutor – very important person! Can help, for example, if you need to apply for exam allowances • Familiarise yourself with the Board of Graduate Studies web site: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/ and in particular with the information on the Board’s web site for new graduate students http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/current/new/

6. Role of the Board • http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/ • Teams in Board dealing with current students and examinations • There mostly to deal with the administrative and academic side – processes requests for leave to work away, intermission, submission of theses • Candidates are approved for degrees only at a meeting of the Board • If you want to apply to continue to another graduate course: MPhil to a PhD Degree you will need to apply to continue your studies: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/current/continuing/ • NOT a pastoral body. Job of college tutor. • NOT responsible for initial stages of problem resolution if there are difficulties – initially this is pursued within the department, through liaison with college tutor if relevant

7. Your Student Record and the Board • CAMSIS:You will need to use CamSIS via your own self-service account (referred to as a Student Centre on CamSIS) in order to manage your life whilst a student at Cambridge. • CamSIS and the Board of Graduate Studies web site: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/ are your most important sources of information for managing your graduate study and life at Cambridge. • May only have access to certain facilities once registration process is complete • Cambridge Supervision Reporting system – part of CamSIS – you can read reports written about you from your supervisor

8. Your Student Record and the Board • CamSIS: request various types applications: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/current/procedures/ • Leave to work away • Exemption/allowance of terms • Intermission from your studies • Changing your course registration • Changing your Department/Faculty • Changing your mode of study from part-time to full-time or vice versa • Changing your name • Applying for a person to join you in Cambridge

9. Academic practices • Important to be aware of academic conventions in UK and Cambridge, which may be different to what used to • Look at university’s webpage on plagiarism – what it is, how to avoid it: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/ • Also, intellectual property issues may apply if sponsored by someone, or shared IP if group sponsorship, implications for thesis etc. Read about it on web, talk to department: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/2008/chapter13-section2.html

10. Academic practices (2) • Read departmental handbook – know what procedures are in your own department, what is expected • First year assessment format etc • Relationships with academic staff – v. different to undergrad, strange for everyone • Supervisors will expect you to approach them, don’t wait for them to do it, it’s fine to ask to meet them • Agree between you how often you will meet and how you will do things

11. Academic practices (3) • Particularly in research courses, find out about the availability of training courses e.g. writing a thesis, teaching undergraduates, finishing a PhD • Transferable skills: presentation skills, assertiveness, communication skills etc • Take advantage of what’s on offer at the Centre for Personal and Professional Development http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/hr/cppd/ • May be compulsory in some departments

12. Finances • As stated in Prospectus, can’t work while studying PhDs can do v limited teaching MPhils – no working permitted • Perception of University as rich – not case. In any case you all signed financial undertaking forms, serious issue if you cannot meet your financial obligations • University unable to bail out if there are difficulties

13. If there are any problems… • Ask for help! You can always email the Board. If we cannot help, we can always point you in the right direction: graduate.students@admin.cam.ac.uk • Talk to Supervisor, College Tutor, other students… • If you need help with English, approach the Language Centre: http://www.langcen.cam.ac.uk/index.htm • If you are struggling emotionally, loneliness, you can approach your College Tutorial staff or you could approach the counselling centre directly – let them decide whether you need help! http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/other.html • Raise any problem, whether academic or otherwise, sooner rather than later!

14. Students: immigration and visas Catherine Fage, PBI Officer (Tier 4) Academic Division

15. Congratulations…you are here!

16. For some…frustration

17. For some…climbed a mountain

18. I can forget about visas… • The UK Border Agency has laid down conditions of your visa while in the UK. • You must understand and abide by the conditions, which include: • Working restrictions; • No access to state benefits • Possible registration with the police • Providing your College with copies of passport, visa pages and any ID card (now and every time re-enter UK) • Maintaining your contact details (CamSIS or College record)

19. Other UKBA conditions: • Notification of any change to a course or education provider; • Notification of early completion of a course; • Notification of changes to contact details, personal details and/or appearance ; • Notification of any changes in your application; • Conditions on your partner and children who enter the UK as your dependants; • Understanding that any time you spend in the student category will not count towards the time needed to qualify for settlement in the UK

20. Keep current • UK Border Agency website www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/adult-students/

21. PBI Office • The Points Based Immigration (PBI) Office, Academic Division, is the office responsible for compliance with immigration legislation and has responsibility for the University’s sponsorship of its overseas students. • Whilst the PBI Office cannot give immigration advice, you can contact • International Office, www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/international/ • UK Council for International Student Affairs, www.ukcisa.org.uk/

22. PBI Office • Contact this office to request for visa letters, and to advise change your circumstance. • Renew your visa in good time • within last four months of permission to stay .. but don’t wait until last month • If expires you will have to leave the UK • The office is open Monday to Friday, 0830 – 1700 and can be contacted using: studentvisas@admin.cam.ac.uk

23. Developing PBI web page http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/pbi/visas/