Personal development planning

Personal development planning for researchers

Policy statement on use of progress files (2001)

In 2001 UUK, SCoP, CoSHEP and QAA issued a joint policy statement on the use of progress files in Higher Education. It recommended that HEIs introduce a transcript, recording student achievement, and a means by which students can monitor, build and reflect on their personal development (PDP: Personal Development Plan) for all HE awards, including postgraduate research degrees. The document describes the data set for a transcript and the minimum expectations for a PDP.

For more information on the use of progress files.

Review of personal development planning for postgraduate researchers (August 2004)

The UK GRAD Programme responded to requests from the sector to audit current activities within institutions around Personal Development Planning (PDP) and Training Needs Analysis (TNA) specifically for postgraduate researchers and research staff. This was conducted in association with the Centre for Recording Achievement(CRA) and the National Postgraduate Committee (NPC).

Access the searchable PDP database of current practice.

QAA further embeds the use of personal development planning in research degree programmes (September 2004)

The latest Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education was published in September 2004. Section 1: postgraduate research programmes (PDF) requires that institutions provide postgraduate researchers with ‘appropriate opportunities for personal and professional development', and specifies that institutions provide for the identification, regular review and recording of each researcher's development needs.

The QAA has produced an outline of the benefits of progress files as a tool for all students to use in their life within and beyond higher education. Although aimed at undergraduate students, the messages are equally applicable for postgraduate researchers.