York Graduate Research School

Host Details

About the Host
We are the graduate research school for the University of York, responsible for PGR policy and oversight and strategy for PGRs.

Host Location
York

Website
Visit

Type of Organisation
Academic organisation

Employment Area
Higher Education/ Academia

About the Placement 

Provide a brief overview of the context that led to the need for this specific placement or project.

We wanted to find out more about the housing and commuting needs and preferences of our PGR community. This has been raised as an issue by many PGRs here, but we lacked systematic evidence about it to inform policy and practice.

What was the most significant outcome or deliverable achieved during the placement?

Evidence about PGR housing and commuting preferences which we would not otherwise have been able to establish.

What was the most challenging aspect of supervising/hosting a placement, and how did you address it?

Securing ethics approval for the research the placement PGRs were doing. We didn’t wish to get this before they started, as it would have meant removing an important learning activity/opportunity for their input. But we needed to act quickly so that they had time to collect data. We achieved this by planning in advance, liaising very closely with the relevant ethics committee and above all through the excellent work of the two PGRs (including their sharing of knowledge with each other).

What tips or advice would you give to current or future host organisations interested in undertaking a placement?

Having a clear and realistic project for the placement PGR is very helpful.