The research student experience: lessons from PRES

This report summarises the findings of the first three years of the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) which launched in 2007.

The report is divided into four sections:

Section 1 explores:

• the nature and development of PRES
• the representativeness of PRES results
• other surveys and sources available for comparison against PRES 
   

Section 2 summarises PRES results regarding:

• the overall research student experience
• students’ motivations and career intentions
• student confidence in completing their programme on schedule
   

Section 3 explores the key dimensions of the student experience

Section 4 concludes the survey’s key discoveries in research student experience