How we work

Below are the PDG’s Guiding Principles. All PGRs who are registered at the University of Liverpool are automatically members and are encouraged to get involved with PDG activities. We invite you to Join us.

Aims and Values

The PDG is:

Community-owned and peer-led. The PDG committee is run on a voluntary basis by PGRs for PGRs.

Inclusive and representative. Upon registration of their doctoral studies, all PGRs automatically become members of the PDG. The committee takes into consideration the diverse nature and background of the entire PGR community, including but not limited to gender, race, sexuality, nationality, language, stage of study, mode of study, funding status, faculty, and so on. The PDG committee represents all PGRs on matters relating to the personal and professional development of the PGR community the University of Liverpool.

Collaborative and collective. The PDG committee operates in a cooperative and collective manner to avoid overburdening individuals.

Development-focused. The PDG committee is primarily concerned with the personal and professional development of PGRs. As PGRs ourselves, we have a unique insight into the development wants and needs of PGRs. As well as organising our own events and initiatives, we work collaboratively with The Academy to inform the ongoing design of the PGR Development Programme and enhance the wider offer to support the PGR community

Connection-minded. The PDG provides a cross-university space for connecting, networking, and communicating with other PGRs and the wider University community.

Opportunity-oriented. The PDG aims to help PGRs make the most out of their time at the University of Liverpool.

Roles and Responsibilities

There are two roles on the PDG committee: co-chairs and representatives. Find out more about Who we are.

Responsibilities of the PDG Co-chairs include:

To ensure the PDG committee adheres to the aforementioned principles.
To attend Concordat Steering Group <<Link to Concordat pages>> meetings (4 meetings a year, which can be attended online or in-person) to represent PGRs.
To meet with the Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Environment and PGRs.
To liaise with The Academy.
To attend, to the best of their ability, PDG meetings, events, and initiatives.
To lead the PDG committee in a collaborative and collective fashion.
To work with the other co-chairs to oversee the tasks of the PDG committee.
To help plan, promote, and deliver PDG events and initiatives.
To oversee the onboarding of new PDG committee members.
To help new co-chairs transition into the role.
To head one of the PDG subcommittees.
To write up a PDG annual report of activities.

Responsibilities of the PDG Representatives include:

To attend, to the best of their ability, PDG meetings, events, and initiatives.
To contribute collaboratively and collectively to the running of the PDG committee.
To help plan, promote, and deliver PDG events and initiatives.
To provide feedback to The Academy and other University institutions on PGR-related initiatives.
To represent PGRs of their faculty.
To participate in the activities of one of the PDG subcommittees.
To contribute to the co-chairs’ annual report of activities.

Usually, a co-chair will have been a representative for a period of time before becoming a co-chair. Preferably, there will be a co-chair from each faculty, although this is not always possible. All roles and responsibilities are intended to be undertaken collaboratively and collectively, to reduce the burden on individuals.

Obligations and Tasks

The PDG committee is responsible for the following tasks:

To organise and promote monthly (during term-time) Coffee & Connect meet-ups for PGRs.
To organise and promote monthly (during term-time) Lunch & Learn sessions for PGRs.
To publish monthly (during term-time) E-bulletins for PGRs.
To organise and promote termly Networking events for PGRs.
To monitor the PDG email account.
To manage the PDG’s social media presence.
To publish the PDG blog.
To liaise with and provide feedback to The Academy and other University institutions on PGR-related initiatives.

In all of these tasks, the PDG committee is supported by The Academy. The Academy provides guidance and administrative support for the PDG committee, but the primary responsibility for the completion of these tasks remains with the PDG committee.

Operating framework

The PDG committee meets every month. Representatives from The Academy also attend these meetings.
The monthly meetings are where many of the PDG committee’s key decisions occur. PDG committee members are strongly encouraged to attend all meetings. If they are unable to attend, they should contact a representative of The Academy.
The PDG committee has its own Teams channel. PDG committee members are strongly encouraged to check this regularly.
The PDG committee has three subcommittees: the communications subcommittee; the connections subcommittee; and the capabilities subcommittee.
The PDG communications subcommittee is primarily responsible for the monthly E-bulletin, managing the PDG email account, the PDG blog, and overseeing PDG social media activity.
The PDG connections subcommittee is primarily responsible for Coffee & Connect meet-ups and Networking events.
The PDG capabilities subcommittee is primarily responsible for Lunch & Learn sessions.
Each PDG committee member will contribute primarily to a particular subcommittee. They may, however, contribute to another subcommittee’s tasks if needed.
There is an understanding that, at times, a PDG committee member’s own PGR responsibilities will take priority.