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Progress reviews

Progress reviews

Progress reviews – frequently asked questions

The University of Sydney requires that every higher degree by research (HDR) student, whether full time or part time, has a progress review (PR) and progress evaluation meeting (PEM) at least once every 12 months. Students who are about to submit may also be required to participate in a pre-submission PEM. Students who re-enrol for a period of more than 6 months to revise and resubmit must also participate in a PEM.

The PEM involves a face-to-face meeting with academic staff. This may take the form of an in-person or Zoom meeting.

Your progress reviews and PEMs are opportunities to:

constructively discuss your achievements, areas of concern, or any challenges you are facing
ensure you are heading in the right direction in your candidature
receive beneficial feedback.

If you require assistance or advice on any aspect of your progress evaluation, especially on appealing a progression outcome or exclusion, please contact us for help.

RECS and managing documents

RECS is the online system used by the University of Sydney to manage HDR students’ candidatures. It allows you to upload documentation at every stage of your candidature. You will use RECS for each progress review, and your faculty will use the documents you upload to RECS to determine your progress, so it’s vital to make sure you document everything in RECS.

Documents and notes you submit to RECS are visible to your supervisory team and Postgraduate Coordinator and are not confidential. If you’re unsure whether you should upload something to RECS, contact us for advice.

Keep your own records and documents

We recommend that you keep your own personal file that includes:

copies of all progress reports
medical certificates
research plans
meeting minutes or your own notes of meetings
all emails or other documents (both academic and personal) that relate to or discuss your progress.

Remember to record dates of events. Formal documents that you do not mind your faculty accessing, such as progress reports or supervision meeting notes, should be uploaded to RECS.

Progress plan

Your progress plan is probably the most important task to complete within your probation period or first year of candidature. The progress plan records all of your project activities, compulsory milestones and completions, with timelines, and provides your faculty with an objective assessment of your research progress.

You should regularly review your progress plan with your lead supervisor and certainly before a PEM. Variations to your plan may include:

going part time
taking leave or suspension
achievement or failure in a milestone
changes to your research project
unexpected health issues
academic adjustments due to a short-term or permanent disability.

Remember, a clear and updated progress plan that is agreed upon by your lead supervisor will make for a smoother progress review and will help you maintain your confidence in a timely completion.

First year milestone integrity check

Your first progress review will include your first year milestone integrity check. The University conducts this integrity check for all HDR students within the first year of your degree.

It may sound daunting, but it’s best for you to approach this check as an opportunity to ensure that your research and writing practices are at the standards required by your faculty and the University. The check includes:

correct referencing
academic honesty
ethical practices
written expression.

If the check identifies that you have not met the standards, your lead supervisor will work with you to make improvements, for example by referring you to complete a course or training.

For the integrity check, you will be required to submit a substantial piece of writing, negotiated with your lead supervisor, to Turnitin. Turnitin will compare your work to text from the internet, published works, and other students’ work (from any university). When you are close to finishing your degree, your final thesis will also be submitted to Turnitin and checked in the same way. Find further information specific to your faculty about this process.

Depending on your faculty you will have compulsory training modules to complete within the first 6 months. Check the compulsory training modules.

The progress review process

There are 2 parts to your progress review: an online form and a meeting.

Progress review form

For each progress review all postgraduate research students must complete a progress review (PR) form. RECS will notify you when your progress evaluation is due, with a link to complete your form.

Read the University’s information about progress review forms.

You will be asked to upload a copy of your thesis abstract and your current progress plan, with any supporting documents such as your literature review, milestones, or timeline towards completion.

This form will then be completed by your lead supervisor. You can read the comments made by your supervisor prior to your meeting. It is your right, and an advantage, to understand your supervisor’s view of your progress before the meeting. If you don’t receive your supervisor’s comments in time, we recommend you contact your postgraduate coordinator or HDRAC and seek their assistance.

The completed PR form is an important part of your performance evaluation and provides a record of your work progress, so it’s important that you read the PR form to make sure that it is correct and contains no surprises to you.

Your progress review panel will read your PR form and documentation before your meeting.

Progress evaluation meeting (PEM)

Your meeting will typically take 15–30 minutes and will be conducted by your progress review panel. The meeting will focus on your progress plan and any required variation to the plan as presented by you or your lead supervisor. The meeting is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your level of knowledge relating to your research and your degree.

Your progress evaluation meeting is usually conducted without your supervisors being present. Any of your supervisors may be invited to attend a meeting but you will be notified if this is the case. If there are, or will be, variations to your progress plan, the panel may need to meet with your lead supervisor. But you must also be given the opportunity to speak with the panel without any of your supervisors being present.

Don’t only rely on the PR form. Your progress evaluation meeting is important for you to demonstrate your ownership of the project, especially if there were unexpected delays in progress, or problems with essential resources or supervision. If you don’t raise critical issues or requests for changes at your PEM, it may be difficult for your faculty to provide the required support for you. If you need assistance in preparing for your PEM, contact us for help.

After your PEM, the panel will discuss and evaluate your research performance to date and prepare a written report for your postgraduate coordinator. HDRAC should send you the panel report within 1 to 2 weeks of the meeting – if this doesn’t happen, contact HDRAC for the report.

You will have an opportunity to respond to the panel report. If you disagree with the panel’s comments we strongly recommend that you respond in Section 6 of the form, before the postgraduate coordinator determines the final outcome. The deadline to provide a response will be listed on the PR form online.

Progress review panel

Your PR panel is appointed by your postgraduate coordinator and will consist of at least 2 academics. Each member will have at least one of: disciplinary expertise; supervisory experience; or relevant specialist knowledge. PR panel members do not include any of your supervisors and may be from outside the faculty or school. It is usual for your postgraduate coordinator to chair the PEM.

You have a right to request changes to your panel if you can identify a potential conflict of interest for any panel member, including the postgraduate coordinator, due to previous interactions, or a role in your candidature. You can raise this concern with HDRAC or the faculty unit organising your PEM.

Confidentiality and raising your concerns at your progress evaluation meeting

If you are having an issue with your supervisors or any other University staff, or if you are experiencing a personal difficulty, you may want to raise the issue for discussion at your PEM. You may raise sensitive issues by writing to your panel chair, or your postgraduate coordinator, to arrange a confidential discussion at the PEM.

Be aware that complaints about supervision should be raised in a professional manner and, if possible, with evidence. We advise that you contact HDRAC first for advice on how your faculty manages requests for confidentiality in your PEM. If you are going to bring up a serious issue, you may want to seek confidential advice from us first. Remember that anything you write on your PR form will not be confidential.

You have the right to bring a support person to your interview, and this could be one of our caseworkers. You will need to notify HDRAC, or the faculty unit organising your PEM, beforehand that you will be bringing a support person.

Preparing for your progress evaluation meeting

Some students may feel anxious, nervous or even overwhelmed by their PEM. Remember this is not an examination, it’s a review of your progress.

Tips for a successful meeting:

Know your rights and responsibilities by reading Supervision, as well as the relevant University policies.

Know the process for your progress review.

Get support if you need it, such as having a support person at your interview.

Think of your PEM as a way to demonstrate achievement of milestones, and gain support and feedback.

Review the responses you wrote in the PR form and prepare examples of achievements, or reasons for any difficulties, and possible solutions.

Practice speaking about your research and progress plan.

Break down your progress plan into ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’, and prepare a concise and developed answer for each.

Demonstrate interest and passion in your research project and don’t be afraid to tell the panel what you find exciting.

Take your time to respond to any difficult questions and refer to your notes if necessary. It’s OK to admit you were not expecting that question and ask if you can email the panel with a response after the meeting.

Bring support documents, especially if you have experienced delays and haven’t made the progress you want (e.g. medical certificates, draft papers, emails, etc.).

Ask for additional resources, like software, tools or training, an additional supervisor or other assistance, if you need them.

Raise sensitive issues by writing to your panel chair prior to your interview to arrange a confidential discussion at the interview.

Be aware that complaints about supervision should be raised in a professional manner and with evidence – your supervisor will be informed. Any confidentiality that you request is only extended to the discussion you have with the panel, not the fact that you made a written complaint about supervision.

Contact us if you need advice or support.

Outcomes of your progress review

There are 3 possible outcomes of a progress review:

Progress meets or exceeds objectives

This means the faculty is satisfied that since your last progress review you have completed, or are close to completing, your milestones and are on track for submitting your thesis on time.

Marginal progress

If it is decided that you have made marginal progress, you will be given some required actions to complete and deadlines. Your lead supervisor will be responsible for overseeing completion of the required actions. You will also need to do an extra or supplementary progress review in the next 2–6 months.

A marginal progress decision is considered satisfactory for continuation of a scholarship (where the terms and conditions of the scholarship are under the University’s control). A marginal progress rating will not mean that you have to Show Good Cause.

Unsatisfactory progress

If it is decided that you have made unsatisfactory progress, the associate dean of research education may allow you to continue and set conditions for your continuation. You will be required to meet the same conditions as for a marginal progress outcome, but your scholarship may be suspended. The postgraduate coordinator may also recommend to the University that your scholarship be terminated and recommend to the associate dean that you be asked to Show Good Cause as to why you should be allowed to continue your candidature.

If this is the second time in consecutive progress reviews that you have received an unsatisfactory progress rating you will be asked to Show Good Cause.

Right to appeal

If it is decided that you have made marginal progress or unsatisfactory progress, you have the right to appeal. The conditions and time frame for appeal will be in your outcome letter. You have the right to a faculty-level appeal by lodging an application for review to your faculty, or you can proceed directly to appealing to the Student Appeals Body.

An application for review to your faculty must be submitted within 20 working days from the date of decision. If your review is rejected, you still have the option to appeal to the Student Appeals Body (SAB). SUPRA recommends, in most cases, to make a faculty-level review since the faculty can consider a broader range of issues regarding a progress review outcome whereas the SAB is restricted to reviewing the faculty’s compliance with policies and procedures.

SAB appeals must be submitted within 15 working days from the date of the outcome. It’s important to know that an SAB appeal is your final level of appeal.

If you’re enrolled on a probationary basis

Some students may be enrolled in a master’s degree by research or PhD on a probationary basis, for up to 4 research periods. There is a lot to get done within this period so please read our article: Starting your PhD.

After your probationary period, you will participate in a progress review and the associate dean will either confirm your candidature or ask you to Show Good Cause as to why your candidature should not be terminated.