7.12 Postgraduate Teaching Activities

1. Aberystwyth University values the contribution that research postgraduate students can make to teaching and demonstrating on taught degree schemes, and appreciates the benefits of this activity for the career and personal development of PGR students. The University also recognises that PGR students require support to perform teaching roles effectively and to ensure a positive experience for the students being taught.

2. The University has approved a version of the NUS/UCU Postgraduate Employment Charter, which sets out the principles which should apply to the appointment, remuneration and support for PGR students involved in teaching. The Charter is subject to regular review.  

3. All PGR students undertaking teaching, demonstrating or other learning and teaching roles, must have a contract of employment issued by Human Resources. The nature of their duties should be explicitly stated and remuneration should be at the established rate for the relevant activity.

4. Full-time research postgraduates should be employed for teaching purposes for a maximum of 6 hours per week, inclusive of preparation and marking time, or 180 hours in an academic year. Teaching duties should not interfere with the effective fulfilment of the students’ research and attendance at researcher development sessions.

5. PGR teachers will contribute to the delivery of modules, normally through demonstrating or seminar teaching. Occasional lectures may be given by PGR teachers. They should not be responsible for the entire delivery or for the design, convening, or overall administration of a module.

6. Marking and assessment carried out by postgraduate teachers should be internally moderated. Any marking at Part Two, which contributes to degree results, would also be subject to the normal external moderation.

7. PGR students should be part of the team delivering a module. To enable the effective discharge of their duties, they should be given appropriate advice and information by the module coordinator and their department on their role within the module, and the aims and objectives of the modules on which they are teaching and the degree schemes to which the modules contribute.

8. The Graduate School will organise, as part of its induction programme, a general introduction to teaching which all students must attend if they are to undertake teaching activities, and sessions on specific areas of teaching and assessment which must be attended by any PGR student who will be involved in those areas. Departments/Faculties will provide any additional training required for discipline-specific teaching. Students should not undertake teaching activities without attending the appropriate training sessions.   

9. Departments/Faculties must provide appropriate accommodation and facilities for any teaching undertaken by PGR students.

10. Departments/Faculties will ensure an appropriate level of support and guidance for PGR teachers, including induction into the working environment of the Department, responding to problems arising from the teaching arrangements and monitoring the effectiveness of the teaching of PGR teachers. PGR teachers should have access to designated staff who can advise on any issues arising from teaching, whether mentors, supervisors, module convenors or, ultimately, Directors of Learning and Teaching. 

11. Access to continuing professional development activities run by the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit (LTEU) should be offered to PGR teachers. Those wishing additional training and a recognised qualification may apply for the Teaching Postgraduates at Aberystwyth University (TPAU) scheme, accredited by the HEA and conferring Associate Fellow status on those completing successfully, and/or the PGCTHE qualification which confers the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (both schemes are subject to availability).

12. The University will provide insurance cover to indemnify postgraduate teachers against legal liability.