Third Party Monitoring

Pastoral support for students will be provided to achieve the intent of the third party monitoring system as proposed by the Open University:

Within the first month of registering with the Open University, each student will be assigned a faculty member who is outside the supervisory environment to provide pastoral support to  the student as outlined in the Third Party Monitoring guidance from the Open University (OU-ARC\S6G, Open University, Research Degree Third Party Monitoring Guidelines; OU-ARC\S7G, Open University, Research Degree Third Party Monitoring Guidelines for Students).

The Graduate Programme Coordinating Committee will review the potential third party monitors’ qualifications according to the criteria as outlined in Appendix 1 of the Third Party Monitor Guidance (OU-ARC\S6G, Open University, Research Degree Third Party Monitoring Guidelines). Each student’s Third Party Monitor will be appointed by the Research Degree Coordinator from an approved list. Third party monitors will be asked to review the information in Appendix 2 of the guidance notes prior to each meeting with students they are monitoring and to seek out advice and support from our Institute Member Relations and the Employee Assistance Programme at the Institute, if required. The “Best Practices” in the Open University guidance will be followed. 

The Third Party Monitor will be responsible for notifying the appropriate person(s) of any issues raised during third party monitoring.

 

The Institute also provides access to a number of resources which include the Employee Assistance Programme and access to “LifeWorks”, a service provided by the Stowers Institute that offers help with personal and work-related issues.  LifeWorks trained consultants are available to help with family problems, managing relationships, preparing for a new baby, getting out of debt, stress, depression and other problems affecting personal or work life.  LifeWorks is free, confidential, and provides resources to help with many life issues. Information about this programme and how to access it, are provided at the time of Orientation (See also SIMR Policy 213, Employee Assistance Program).

In developing our third party monitoring arrangements we have referred to and referenced the Research School Third Party Monitoring Guidelines (OU-ARC\S6G, Open University, Research Degree Third Party Monitoring Guidelines; OU-ARC\S7G, Open University, Research Degree Third Party Monitoring Guidelines for Students).