Research Degrees Committee (RDC)

RDC meets four times a year each academic year and reports to the College Research and Innovation Committee (RIC) and Academic Standards Committee (ASC).

The RDC will:

1. Recommend policy regarding research degree matters.
2. Reviews and maintains regulations regarding research degrees.
3. Provides updates and recommendations to the College Research and Innovation Committee and the Academic Standards Committee.
4. Support the implementation of institutional objectives related to doctoral education.
5. Champions and promotes the work of the Doctoral Provision within the College and outside.
6. Ensures the maintenance and enhancement of the standards and quality of research degrees and reports any suggestions for development to ASC.
7. Gives consideration to the quality of the institutional research environment for postgraduate researchers and the development of the doctoral community.
8. Provides leadership on matters related to equality, diversity and inclusion in doctoral education at RCA in particular through consideration of equality and diversity monitoring data.
9. Considers data from internal and external surveys (e.g. Postgraduate Research Experience Survey) and to monitor the mechanisms for candidate feedback, the analysis of feedback received and the actions taken.
10. Approves nominations of external examiners for all research degrees and recommends this to the Research and Innovation Committee
11. To consider proposals for new research degree award designations and to submit recommendations to the Research and Innovation Committee.

Ex-officio

Head of Doctoral Programmes (Chair) - Professor Hala Mansour

Schools Postgraduate Research Leaders

• School of Communication - Professor Teal Triggs
• School of Arts and Humanities- Professor Rachel Garfield
• School of Design- Professor Ashley Hall
• School of Architecture- Professor Ines Weizman

Research Centres Leaders for PGRs

1. Materials Science Research Centre - Dr Bruna Petreca
2. Computer Science Research Centre - Dr Ali Asadipour
3. Intelligent Mobility Design Centre - Professor Cyriel Diels
4. Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design - Dr Melaine Flory
5. Robotics Lab - Dr Sina Sareh

Co-opted

• A representative of the Associate Deans
  Anne Toomey
• A representative of Research Degree Supervision
  John Stevens, Senior Tutor, School of Design
  Tom Simmons, Head of Digital Direction, School of Communication
  Jeremy Millar, Head of Programme (Writing MA), School of Arts & Humanities

In attendance

• A representative of PGRs - Leona Chang/Sacchita Sriganapathiraju (Student Union)
• Head of Research Development - Susan Hamilton
• Head of Knowledge Exchange - Tatiana Schofield
• Registry Representatives
  Quality Assurance Manager - Jernej Mozic
  Assistant Registrar Assessments and Visa Compliance - Maria Ohlson
• Research Degrees Administration
  RKE General Manager - Michelle Jensen
  Research Student Administrator - Heather Lynch
  Research Student Administrator - Valeria Farruggia
  Research Student Administrator - Luiza Tatarska

Co-opted members of academic staff will serve on the committee for a maximum term of two years.

A meeting will be considered quorate if 50% of the ex-officio and co-opted members are present. Staff who attend meetings but are not formally members of the Committee will not count in any assessment of quoracy.