---
title: "Evaluation of the Post Graduate Research Student Experience"
ocid: "ocds-kuma6s-126576"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-kuma6s-126576"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-126576.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-126576.json"
source: "Sell2Wales"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR WALES"
published: "2023-02-15"
---

# Evaluation of the Post Graduate Research Student Experience

Buyer: HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR WALES  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-kuma6s-126576

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-126576.json)

## Summary

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has awarded a contract for the "Evaluation of the Post Graduate Research Student Experience" to Arad Research. The procurement process involved research and development services within the industry category of research and development. The contract is active, signed on February 8, 2023, with a duration of six months. The procurement process was initiated on November 22, 2022, with the tender closing on December 12, 2022. The main focus is on understanding the academic experience of postgraduate research students across Wales.

This tender provides an opportunity for businesses involved in research and development services related to consultancy, research services, and evaluation services to compete. Companies well-versed in market and economic research, as well as those with experience in research consultancy services would be suited to participate. The contract aims to generate evidence-based findings and recommendations for the higher education sector in Wales, offering a significant opportunity for growth and collaboration in this specialized field.

## Notice

The 2021 annual report from the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) stated that postgraduate (PhD and other postgraduate students) were consistently over-represented in terms of complaints. For example, in 2021 45% of complaints received came from these students, who make up 27% of the student population in England and Wales. The OIA has considered the potential reasons for this, which included the fact that these students may have made substantial personal financial investment in their course, considerations for non-EU students (such as visas and sponsorship), and issues that only affect postgraduate or postgraduate research students such as issues with the supervisory relationship. As there are various means for obtaining information regarding the postgraduate taught student experience at institutional level, this proposal focuses on postgraduate research students (PGR).This procurement aims to appoint a contractor to carry out research into the Postgraduate research student academic experience across Wales. This work would look into the various areas of the postgraduate research student academic experience, as noted in the specification, to produce evidence-based findings into a report complete with recommendations for the Wales higher education sector.There is no standard system or mechanism across the whole UK sector to monitor the postgraduate research student experience, other than monitoring of retention and completion data. The proposed work is designed to provide HEFCW with insights and understanding of the issues faced by these students. Anecdotally HEFCW is aware of lack of consistency of the postgraduate research student experience both within and between institutions, both in Wales and across the UK. This work aims to understand the experience, and identify recommendations that would achieve greater consistency, where appropriate.With the Tertiary Education and Research Act (Wales) recently having received royal assent HEFCW will be dissolved and its functions moved to the Commission of Tertiary Education and Research (CTER). This work will provide the commission with a firm foundation of knowledge of the postgraduate research student experience.The contract will be for a period of six months. We anticipate that the contract will begin January 2023 and that it will take approximately 20-25 days to complete the work. The final report will be expected the end of June 2023.NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Sell2Wales |
| Latest notice | https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=126576 |
| Notice type | S2W Notice - Website Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Feb 2023 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Dec 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 8 Feb 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Not specified |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR WALES |
| Locality | CAERPHILLY |
| Post town | Cardiff |
| Postcode | CF83 8WT |
| Country | Wales |
| ITL 1 | TLL Wales |
| ITL 2 | TLL5 South East Wales |
| ITL 3 | TLL53 Gwent Valleys |
| Local authority | Caerphilly |
| Electoral ward | Bedwas and Trethomas |
| Westminster constituency | Caerphilly |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ARAD RESEARCH |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 73110000 - Research services
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79300000 - Market and economic research; polling and statistics
- 79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services

## Release History

- 15 Feb 2023 at 16:19 - Award - S2W Notice - Website Contract Award Notice - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=126576
- 22 Nov 2022 at 10:02 - Tender - S2W Notice - Website Invitation to Tender Notice - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=126576

## Notice URLs

- http://www.hefcw.ac.uk
- https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk/home.html
- https://www.aradresearch.com

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-kuma6s-126576. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-kuma6s-126576.json.