This page may contain additional navigation below.
Scholarship and Research at Bath Spa University
It is a declared aim of the University to 'maintain an active research portfolio, concentrating on our areas of strength'. An important strategy in achieving this aim is to raise the profile of the research done by members of the University. It is also accepted that research forms an important background to the programmes of study we teach.
A Research, Consultancy and Scholarship Committee is responsible for encouraging research across the University, and for allocating the resources to support particular projects. The definition of research used is the one used by the HEFCE:
Original investigation undertaken in order to gain knowledge and understanding. It includes work of direct relevance to the needs of commerce and industry, as well as to the public and voluntary sectors; scholarship; the invention and generation of ideas, images, performances and artefacts including design, where these lead to new or substantially improved insights; and the use of existing knowledge in experimental development to produce new or substantially improved materials, devices, products and processes, including design and construction.
In addition, the Committee offers guidance to research centres and groups on the basis of their individual strategies for developing their research capacity. These strategies are reviewed by the Committee on a yearly basis, as is the institutional Research Strategy.
The University receives its funds on the basis of its success in the HEFCE Research Assessment Exercise, a central assessment made of the quality of research by subject, currently done at four/five-yearly intervals.
Programmes of Supervised Research
In addition to increasing its research output in quantity and quality, the University has the power to award higher degrees by research under its own name. Research degree provision is managed by the University's Graduate School.
Like all other programmes of study in the University, the progress of programmes of study leading to higher degrees by research are monitored and evaluated. Directors of Studies, supervisors and students are asked to complete monitoring pro-formae at the end of each academic year. An overview report is written by the Chair of the Higher Degrees (Research) Committee and considered by that Committee.
The University publishes a Graduate School Handbook which gives information and guidelines to Research Students and their Supervisors.