5.1
Faculties/Schools Academic and Administrative Staff are responsible for:
5.1.1
Reminding students of the importance of Supervisory sessions or research engagements;
5.1.2
Ensuring the information, guidance and procedures relating to this Policy is accessible to students within the Faculty/School;
5.1.3
Maintaining contact with research students, scheduling and recording student engagement at Supervisory, training and teaching sessions, updating changes to Supervisory teams and ensuring the RMS system is a fair and accurate representation of the student’s engagement and expected progression. Where the first supervisor will be unavailable for an extended period of time, arrangements should be made with the student to meet with an alternative member of academic staff such as the second supervisor.
5.1.4
Utilising and engaging with the escalation process in the event of student non-engagement;
5.1.5
Providing students with information, guidance and procedures on informing Faculties/Schools of any planned temporary absence which exceeds five working days and will be considered as a “temporary request for leave from study”. A “temporary request for leave from study” is a temporary absence which has been accepted by the Faculty/School. Faculties/Schools understand that on occasion students may have to miss scheduled Supervisory meetings or research engagements for good reason. The following is a non-exhaustive list of circumstances which the University would commonly accept:
- Exceptional circumstances such as serious illness or injury.
- Death or serious illness of a close relative or friend.
- Significant adverse personal or family circumstances – such as divorce, burglary, fire, major court proceedings, financial difficulties that are beyond the control of the student and require the student to leave the University at short notice.
- Jury duty.
- Sporting and/or arts commitments, normally where a student is a participant.
Corroborating evidence must normally be provided where possible. If a student is experiencing personal, financial or medical difficulties that affect their ability to engage with their studies, it is expected that they will normally be advised to suspend their studies instead.
Due to the risk to academic success, leave requests will usually be considered for a period of up to 2 weeks only. Students requiring longer periods of absence shall be required to make contact with their Supervisor before additional time will be granted. The period of candidature shall not normally be extended. For Student Route (previously Tier 4) students the period of absence must not mean the student will require more time to complete their programme. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students requiring long periods of absence shall be required to suspend their studies.
Since students are expected to remain in Swansea to complete the academic requirements for their programme of study, as per the conditions of their Student Route (previously Tier 4) visas, such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is not expected that more than one such period of absence shall be granted per programme of study. Repeated requests for extended leave of absences will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and students may need to consider a suspension of studies, depending on the circumstances.
Students requiring a suspension of their studies and/or an extension to their candidature should consult the University’s Guide to Suspensions and Extensions for Research Students.
5.1.6
Immediately informing Student Compliance Services when a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student is granted a temporary leave from study, so this can be recorded on the student’s file.
5.1.7
Providing students with information, guidance and procedures on informing Faculties/Schools of any planned study or research conducted away from any Swansea University Campus. Ensuring students obtain permission to study remotely from the Faculty/School prior to them leaving Swansea and continuing to monitor the student’s engagement during this period. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students will also require permission to study remotely from Student Compliance Services as detailed in Section 5 of the enhanced Engagement Monitoring Policy for Student Route (previously Tier 4) Students. If a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student’s request to study remotely exceeds one month this will be reported to the UKVI as a “Change of Study Location”. The maximum period for which a Student Route (previously Tier 4) student can study remotely is six months. Advising students they must remain enrolled and the request should not adversely impact their studies or effect the submission date. Ensuring that arrangements with the Supervisory team have been made prior to the student leaving Swansea and meet the requirements of the Engagement Monitoring Policy. The following is a non-exhaustive list of circumstances the University would commonly accept:
- Fieldwork
- Data collection
- Study visit to library, archive or place of industry
- Attending or delivering lectures, talks or conferences
Faculty/School staff should advise students they must wait until their request to study remotely has been approved before finalising travel and accommodation arrangements and to consult the University’s International Travel Policy before leaving.
Faculty/School staff should also advise students they shall be required to adhere to any engagement monitoring policies and procedures stipulated by the institution in which they are conducting research.
5.1.8
Providing students with information, guidance and procedures on requesting to complete their research remotely. Students studying on Postgraduate research programmes are expected to remain in Swansea to engage with their research and attend supervisory meetings in-person up until their first submission. Student Route (previously Tier 4) students who would like to return home country after this point can opt to submit a “Request to Complete Studies Remotely”.
Requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Faculty/School and Student Compliance Services. Please note that submitting a request does not guarantee that the request will be granted. Decisions will be made based on the academic requirements of the programme of study and where applicable, the engagement monitoring requirements of the funding body and UKVI guidance. Swansea University reserves the right to refuse to authorise a request if it is deemed that such authorisation could pose a risk to Swansea University’s compliance duties and responsibilities as a Licenced Sponsor. Students will be informed in writing if their application is not successful.
Student Route (previously Tier 4) students should be aware that if their request is approved, the University would withdraw its sponsorship of their Student visa. The Student visa would then be curtailed as the student would no longer be required to travel/return to the UK to undertake their viva and complete the course.
Students whose visa has been curtailed become ineligible for the Graduate Route post-study work visa.
Student Compliance Services will require proof of exit upon the student’s return home to complete the authorisation of a request and report the withdrawal of sponsorship to the Home Office. Upon receipt of the proof of exit, Student Compliance Services will provide final confirmation that the Student’s record has been updated and they are no longer subject to the University’s in-person engagement monitoring process for sponsored students.
5.1.9
Ensuring all student engagement is monitored and recorded fairly, accurately and in an auditable form to ensure equality of treatment and compliance with both data protection and freedom of information access requirements, as well as scrutiny by the students, Student Compliance Services or Education Services;
5.2
Signposting any students identified as possibly requiring additional support to the appropriate Student Support Service.
5.3
Executive Deans are responsible for:
5.3.1
Ensuring that Faculty/School staff are aware of their responsibilities in regard to engagement monitoring, data recording and the University’s escalation process;
5.3.2
Establishing and publishing named contacts with responsibility for these duties within the Faculty/School;
5.3.3
Ensuring all student engagement is monitored and recorded fairly, accurately and in an auditable form to ensure equality of treatment and compliance with both data protection and freedom of information access requirements, as well as scrutiny by students, Student Compliance Services or Education Services;
5.3.4
Ensuring that an appropriate level of monitoring and recording occurs for each student.
5.4
Associate Deans (Research) are responsible for:
5.4.1
Ensuring that Faculty/School staff are aware of their responsibilities with regards to engagement monitoring, data recording and the University’s escalation process;
5.4.2
Ensuring all student engagement is monitored and recorded fairly, accurately and in an auditable form to ensure equality of treatment and compliance with both data protection and freedom of information access requirements, as well as scrutiny by students, Student Compliance Services or Education Services;
5.4.3
Ensuring that an appropriate level of monitoring and recording occurs for each student;
5.4.4
Utilising and engaging with the escalation process in the event of student non-engagement, arranging meetings with students to discuss the consequences of non-engagement and take appropriate action in line with the Engagement Monitoring Policy based on the outcome of the meeting.