Welcome

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this website. Research students are one of the essential elements which make London South Bank an exciting intellectual environment. You have already done your first degrees, and many of you already have a Masters. You are now
developing the potential and intellectual interests you developed earlier. Probably for the first time in your life you are engaged in a major piece
of independent research. A PhD, by definition,is an original contribution
to knowledge. You are, therefore, also by definition, the world expert
in whatever field of research you are engaged in.
That is a scary realisation.

It is also a challenge that can't be missed. Rarely again, in whatever career you pursue,
will you be able to devote such a sustained effort to a piece of research of your own choosing.
We want to make sure you make the most of this period of study at LSBU.

Many find postgraduate research at times a lonely experience. We aim therefore to make sure that this doesn't happen to you here. We want to provide you with first class supervision, because the relationship with your supervisors is the key to success. We want to provide the best facilities we can - and as part of this in 2004 we launched a common room for PhD students in the London Road Building (Room no: L265). We want to ensure that all PhD students get an opportunity to get the best skills mix they can, and can take related studies to enhance your research. And we also want to provide opportunities for career advancement - for example, by offering opportunities to do the certificate of learning and teaching in HE, which is a nationally recognised qualification for university teaching. You can find out more about all these things from this web site.

But the most important thing is that you gain from the LSBU experience. We are committed to high quality teaching, underpinned by excellence in research. Some of our research institutes, centres and groupings are known nationally and internationally. You are gaining from but also contributing to that reputation. We want to make sure that it is one of the most fruitful and enjoyable periods of your life.

Dr Phil Cardew
Chair, Research Degrees Committee