Recruiting a Student

Inclusive Recruitment Guiding Principles

The following information is intended to assist supervisors and those involved in the recruitment of PGR students to ensure that the process is as inclusive and fair as possible, aligning with our 2040 Strategy and our widening participation aspirations. It is important that the following Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles are adhered to in order to ensure that the PhD pathway is accessible based on merit, as well as to attract candidates who may not see a PhD as accessible to them but possess the potential necessary for this level of study.

These best practice principles should be applied to any category of applicant (including ‘speculative’ applicants), but some points will only relate to the recruitment of students through advertised funded projects.

PhD Project Design

• Due consideration should be given to the development of projects with respect to a diverse supervisory team (where possible and appropriate) with respect to gender, ethnicity and career stage
• When designing projects, collaboration with non-academic/industry partners is encouraged in order to demonstrate to applicants the potential opportunities beyond academia, and these should be clearly presented within advertisements (where applicable, as relevance may vary between disciplines)
• Project descriptions should be checked for bias, with particular attention being paid to the use of inclusive language e.g., avoid using words that marginalise people because of their protected characteristics such as race, gender, age etc. The use of inclusive language can help attract a broader candidate pool. Although HR focussed, this is a good resource: The Recruiter's Guide to Inclusive Language (brazen.com)

Project Advertisement  

• Postgraduate research opportunities will be advertised with EDI as a central consideration, minimising the use of technical or exclusionary language whilst championing our egalitarian ethos
• A broad range of advertising platforms will be considered for PGR opportunities, to utilise diverse networks and attract a wider candidate pool. For example, consider promoting your project through social networking sites and your own professional networks. Some DTP’s recommend advertising to ethnically and socioeconomically diverse universities. The PGRC admissions team. 
• Advertisements should have a clear statement of eligibility with regards to academic requirements and funding statement. Application requirements should be clearly described e.g., is a cover letter expected?
• Open and accessible guidance should be available to applicants throughout the recruitment process. For example, the use of an enquiry system (available through FindaPhD) and the offer of short information webinars to promote the opportunity and provide a chance for potential applicants to ask any questions
• The availability of flexible study modes should be communicated in the advert, where available. For example, the possibility of part time or remote study

Recruitment and Selection

• PhD candidates will undergo a fair and transparent selection process involving an interview (see below)  and will take into consideration previous experience within the applicant’s journey to tertiary education
• Staff involved in the recruitment and selection processes should undergo appropriate mandatory EDI training in advance of any shortlisting activities
• The use of broad criteria is in place to assess candidate suitability, beyond academic merit which considers the candidates life experiences and opportunities
• The application process for some DTPs provides a mechanism by which the applicant can choose to provide a preparedness statement, so candidates can be assessed using a ‘whole person approach’. The PGRC admissions team can provide advice and guidance on this.

Candidate Review/Interview

• An interview will form part of the recruitment process for all PGR applicants who are being considered for a PhD offer (i.e. not all applications require an interview, only those being progressed). This applies for fully funded studentships, sponsored and self-funding applicants, as per the Postgraduate Admissions Policy guidelines. The format of the interview is flexible and does not have to be formal, but should include at least one member of staff separate to the lead supervisor
• It is important to consider the candidate's circumstances when arranging an interview, such as childcare responsibilities, and to provide candidates with advance notice of interviews, particularly when there is a presentation requirement
• The interview medium should be flexible, with no preferential treatment given to online vs in person
• Where an interview panel is in place, it should be gender balanced and diverse, where possible with a sensible panel size (4 or less). This likely applies to DTP/CDT positions, as stated above a more informal approach can be taken for speculative applications
• For advertised projects and studentships, standardised School RUBRICS should be used to assess candidates fairly and quantitively