Message from Co-Sponsor

This message from Professor Graham Virgo, co-Sponsor of this project, was sent to Head of Departments in September 2018.

Dear All

As you may be aware, the current graduate student reporting system (CGSRS) will be replaced in Michaelmas Term 2018 by a new Postgraduate Feedback and Reporting System which, having taken account of feedback received from supervisors and students and the success of the Master’s Self-Evaluation questionnaire, will offer improvements for all concerned through the provision of progress reports for postgraduate students. 

I am writing as Sponsor of this project to inform you of the improvements and changes you can expect to see this Term and outlines what will be required of you following the launch of the new system.

The system has been developed as part of the CamSIS Improvement Programme, in line with recommendations from the General Board’s Education Committee, with oversight provided by a Project Board consisting of representatives from the academic, administrative, College and student communities.

The key features of this system are as follows:

1)    Termly reports

• Improved system functionality will make termly reports simpler to complete;
• Removal of the lengthy chain of approval process so that, once submitted, all reports will be immediately available to students, Faculties, Departments, Degree Committees and Colleges, making feedback much timelier
• Termly reports will be available from the Division of each term and will cease to be available for completion before the start of the next term. Should problems arise, supervisors will be able to submit an ad hoc report outside these periods
• Supervisors will receive email reminders when a report is due and when another stakeholder comments on the report and will have a to-do list on their CamSIS homepage
• Degree Committees will be able to easily identify and report on overdue reports
• Reports already submitted via CGSRS will be accessible to Faculties, Departments and Degree Committees indefinitely and will also be available to supervisors in the coming months.

2)    Student Self-Evaluation

• The Master’s Self-Evaluation scheme will be expanded to include doctoral students as well as those registered for the MLitt, MSc, MPhil, MRes, MEd, MMus degrees and the CPGS
• Students will be asked to complete a Self-Evaluation report in Michaelmas Term, and supervisors will be asked to respond to this report in place of a termly report
• If a student does not complete the Self-Evaluation report, supervisors will still be able to complete a termly report.

3)    Raising a concern

• Supervisors will be able to submit ad hoc reports to highlight issues or concerns at any time of the calendar year.  As with the termly reports, these will be immediately available to the student, Faculty, Department, Degree Committee and College
• Students, Faculties, Departments, Degree Committees and College staff will also be able to submit ad hoc reports
• Supervisors will be notified if the College or student submits an ad hoc report.

4)    First year assessment

• We have developed new functionality in CamSIS so that from 30 October 2018, the responsibility for recording the outcome of the first year assessment will move to Faculties or Departments (where applicable) and Degree Committees
• Supervisors will no longer be required to update CGSRS following a student’s first year registration assessment
• We anticipate that the new functionality will be in place for Faculties, Departments and Degree Committees on 30 October 2018 and supervisors will not be able to make recommendations for registration on CGSRS on, or after, this date
• Any outstanding recommendations made by supervisors on CGSRS that have not been processed will appear on the new system for action by Faculties, Departments and Degree Committees.

The Student Registry has published guidance on the use of the new system: https://www.student-registry.admin.cam.ac.uk/graduate-information-university-staff/graduate-supervision

Yours sincerely,

Professor Graham Virgo