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BNU tops latest postgraduate research experience survey

Buckinghamshire New University has ranked first for overall satisfaction in a national survey completed by postgraduate research students at 62 UK higher education institutions.

In Advance HE’s Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2022, BNU achieved an overall satisfaction rate of 96% and ranked 1st for responsibilities (95%), 1st for supervision (94%), 2nd for progression (93%) and 4th for research skills (91%).

The positive PRES 2022 result follows this month’s achievement of a top-five position for overall undergraduate student satisfaction among HE institutions in the UK.

In May, BNU also improved its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework, the process which measures the quality and impact of research in UK universities. Some 44% of BNU research was judged to be of world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) quality, based on the six subject-based units of assessment (UOA) we submitted.

Of those UOAs, at least half of our research in the following areas was of world-leading or internationally excellent quality: Art and Design, History, Practice and Theory (60%); Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism (58%); and Social Work and Social Policy (50%).

The University has also recently established three Impact Centres to accelerate BNU research, enterprise and expertise in health and wellbeing, sustainability, and education. The scholarship and research undertaken by these centres will help the University to tackles society’s biggest challenges and make a difference to people’s lives in our local campus communities.

Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor at BNU, said: “I’m delighted to see that our postgraduate researchers are really enjoying their experience at BNU and value the support and supervision they receive, more so than their peers at other established research institutions. We are committing greater resources to our research activities and proudly seeing both our research quality and impact develop as a result. Knowing how pleased our current research students are gives me great confidence that we are on the right track for more success. We invite talented and ambitious graduates to join our thriving and supportive research environment and continue their academic journey with us.”

Professor Florin Ioras, Director of Research and Enterprise at BNU, added: “The excellent result is testament to the hard work, dedication and expertise of our PhD supervisors, graduate school, and the wider research community at BNU. We will now use the helpful feedback received by our PhD researchers to continue providing the best possible learning experience for them and future graduates.”

You can learn more about our graduate school, areas of research, and how to apply here.