PhD-handbook-2022-23-Imperial College London

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Bioengineering
Postgraduate Research
Student Handbook
2022-23
0
Contents
College Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1

Welcome to the College ................................................................................................................ 1
Our Principles ................................................................................................................................ 2
Doctoral Proposition ..................................................................................................................... 3
Mutual Expectations for the Research Degree Student Supervisor Partnership ................... 3
Cornerstone ................................................................................................................................... 3
Welcome from the Graduate School ........................................................................................................ 4
The Graduate School .................................................................................................................... 5
Imperial Mobile app ....................................................................................................................... 6
Welcome to Imperial app .............................................................................................................. 6
Imperial Success Guide ................................................................................................................ 6
Key Dates 2022-23 ......................................................................................................................... 7
Location and Facilities .................................................................................................................. 7
1. Introduction to the Department ......................................................................................................... 11
Welcome from the Department .................................................................................................. 11
Key Postgraduate Research Student Contacts ........................................................................ 13
2. Departmental Procedures .................................................................................................................. 14
Professional Skills ...................................................................................................................... 14
English Language Requirement ................................................................................................ 14
Attendance and Absence ........................................................................................................... 14
Health and Safety Information ................................................................................................... 14
Safety Induction........................................................................................................................... 15
Procedure for new starters who require use of laboratories – October 2022 ....................... 15
Accidents and Near Misses ........................................................................................................ 16
Emergency Procedures .............................................................................................................. 17
The College Safety Department ................................................................................................. 17
Occupational Health requirements ........................................................................................... 17
3. Doctoral Milestones and Progress Reports ..................................................................................... 18
A Timeline of your PhD journey ................................................................................................. 18
Research Proposal Confirmation (RPC) ................................................................................... 19
Early-Stage Assessment (ESA).................................................................................................. 20
Doctoral Academic Communication Requirement (DACR) .................................................... 22
Graduate School professional skills development requirements .......................................... 23
Late-Stage Assessment (LSA) ................................................................................................... 24
Writing Up and End of Initial Registration ................................................................................ 25
Examination Entry ....................................................................................................................... 25
Blackboard ................................................................................................................................... 26
My Imperial - Postgraduate Research Milestones ................................................................... 27
4. Academic Support .............................................................................................................................. 27
Departmental Support and Faculty Senior Tutors ................................................................... 27
5. Examination Procedures .................................................................................................................... 27
My Imperial - Postgraduate Research Milestones ................................................................... 27
Vivas ............................................................................................................................................. 27
E-theses: Requesting an Embargo ............................................................................................ 28
Plagiarism .................................................................................................................................... 28
Collusion ...................................................................................................................................... 29
Dishonest practice ...................................................................................................................... 29
College Policies and Procedures ........................................................................................................... 29
Regulations for Students ............................................................................................................ 29
Unsatisfactory Engagement ....................................................................................................... 29
Academic and Research Integrity ............................................................................................. 30
Research Misconduct ................................................................................................................. 30
Academic Appeals Procedures.................................................................................................. 30
Student Complaints .................................................................................................................... 30
Student Disciplinary Procedure ................................................................................................. 31
Copyright ...................................................................................................................................... 31
Intellectual Property Rights Policy ............................................................................................ 31
Use of IT Facilities ....................................................................................................................... 31
Employment During Studies ...................................................................................................... 32
Study Leave ................................................................................................................................. 32
Ethics ............................................................................................................................................ 32
Good Research Conduct ............................................................................................................ 32
Leave ............................................................................................................................................ 33
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ............................................................................ 33
7. Animal Research .................................................................................................................................. 34
8. Wellbeing and Support ........................................................................................................................ 35
Student Support Zone ................................................................................................................. 35
Pastoral Care ............................................................................................................................... 35
Departmental Support and Faculty Senior Tutors ................................................................... 37
Postgraduate Coaching and Research Degree Mediation ...................................................... 37
Advice Services ........................................................................................................................... 38
Health Services ............................................................................................................................ 39
Disability Support ........................................................................................................................ 40
Library and IT ............................................................................................................................... 42
Religious Support ....................................................................................................................... 42
Support for International Students ............................................................................................ 42
In Your Hall of Residence ........................................................................................................... 43
9. Student Administration ....................................................................................................................... 44
10. Work-life Balance ............................................................................................................................... 45
Imperial College Union ............................................................................................................... 45
Move Imperial............................................................................................................................... 45
11. Student feedback and representation .............................................................................................. 46
Feedback from Students ............................................................................................................ 46
Student Representation .............................................................................................................. 46
Staff-Student Committee ............................................................................................................ 46
12. Student Surveys ................................................................................................................................ 46
13. Personal Development Opportunities for Research Degree Students ......................................... 48
Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) ....................................................................................... 48
Imperial Outreach ........................................................................................................................ 48
Professional Skills Development Programme .......................................................................... 48
14. And finally ........................................................................................................................................... 49
Alumni Services........................................................................................................................... 49
College Introduction
Welcome to the College
Congratulations on joining Imperial College
London, the only university in the UK to
focus exclusively on science, medicine,
engineering and business.
From Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin to

Gabor’s invention of holography, Imperial
has been changing the world for well over
100 years.
You’re now very much a part of this

community of discovery and we hope you
will take this opportunity to make your own
unique contribution. At Imperial, we expect
all members of our community, whether
students or staff, to share and demonstrate
our values of respect, integrity,
collaboration, innovation and excellence in
all we do and strive to achieve.
We understand that this is a challenging

time for our student community. We are
committed to providing you with the very
best academic resources to enrich your
experience. Information on teaching, learning, supervision, and services and facilities to support the
wider student experience can be found on the College’s webpages, alongside local information
provided by your Department and the Graduate School. We also provide a dedicated support network
and a range of specialist support services to make sure you have access to the appropriate help,
whether that’s further training in an academic skill like writing your literature review or simply having
someone to talk to.
You’ll have access to an innovative range of professional development courses within our Graduate
School throughout your time here, as well as opportunities to meet students from across the College
at academic and social events – see page 6 for more information.
We actively encourage you to seek out help when you need it and try to maintain a healthy work-life
balance. Our choice of over 360 clubs, societies and projects is one of the largest of any UK
university, making it easy to do something different with your downtime. Access to the gym and other
sporting facilities will be dependent on government guidance. We are working to ensure that you have
access to a variety of resources online to support your health and wellbeing if there are restrictions.
As one of the best universities in the world, we are committed to inspiring the next generation of
scientists, engineers, clinicians and business leaders by continuing to share the wonder of what we
do through public engagement events. Postgraduate students, alongside our academics and
undergraduate students, make a significant contribution to events such as our annual Imperial
Festival and our term-time Imperial Fringe events – if you’re interested in getting involved then there
will be opportunities for you to do so.
1
Our Principles
In 2012 the College and Imperial College Union agreed ‘Our Principles’, a series of commitments
made between students and the College. The Principles are reviewed annually by the Quality
Assurance and Enhancement Committee and changes recommended for Senate approval.
Imperial will provide through its staff:

• A world class education embedded in a research environment
• Advice, guidance and support
• The opportunity for students to contribute to the evaluation and development of programmes
and services
Imperial will provide students with:

• Clear programme information and assessment criteria
• Clear and fair academic regulations, policies and procedures
• Details of full programme costs and financial support
• An appropriate and inclusive framework for study, learning and research
Imperial students should:

• Take responsibility for managing their own learning
• Engage with the College to review and enhance provision
• Respect, and contribute to, the Imperial community
The Imperial College Students' Union will:

• Support all students through the provision of independent academic and welfare assistance
• Encourage student participation in all aspects of the College
• Provide a range of clubs, societies, student-led projects and social activities throughout the year
• Represent the interests of students at local, national and international level
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/our-principles
2
Doctoral Proposition
Imperial College London will:
Provide a world-class research programme

• focused on performing cutting-edge research that makes a significant contribution to the
knowledge base
• throughout which internationally-acclaimed academics support, inspire and challenge you as
you develop into an independent researcher
• in a vibrant and diverse community united by the aims of advancing the frontiers of science,
technology, medicine and business, and addressing key economic and societal challenges
Provide innovative and effective professional development

• equipping you with skills to increase your research and personal effectiveness
• that gives you an insight into a wide range of career opportunities
• helping to ensure that you have the necessary attributes to excel in your chosen career
Deliver outstanding networking opportunities

• providing access to the elite international research community
• that arise from our extensive engagement with industry and business
• by organising a wide range of interdisciplinary meetings and social events within the College
Offer life-long membership of the Imperial community

• supporting you as a student and afterwards as an alumna/us
• enabling you to share your professional advice and experience with future students
•
Mutual Expectations for the Research Degree Student Supervisor

Partnership
The Graduate School has produced a list of minimum expectations that students and supervisors can
expect from each other. It is designed to facilitate conversations to establish effective partnerships
and the College requires that the document is discussed at the first meeting between a main
supervisor and a new student. It should be noted that this is not exhaustive and that the student and
supervisor may wish to discuss and personalise each point to suit.
https://bb.imperial.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/xid-11805857_1
Cornerstone
In April 2022 the Cornerstone Programme was launched. This dedicated umbrella support and
development programme helps Imperial’s doctoral supervisors better support and guide their students
throughout the PhD journey. Cornerstone was developed by experts from across College in
partnership with doctoral students.
The programme includes a new online self-paced course for supervisors and a website hub where all
information and resources to support doctoral supervision at Imperial are available. The new online
course is mandatory for all new supervisors and is available for all supervisors to access at any time
to keep up to date with College supervisory processes and to enhance their supervisory practice. In
addition, every six years, all supervisors are required to attend a Focus on Best Practice in
Supervision CPD workshop tailored to their Department. Cornerstone is a continually evolving
provision and welcomes feedback from supervisors and students – please contact Dr Victoria
Crossley, the Cornerstone Programme Lead.
v.crossley@imperial.ac.uk
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/staff/cornerstone/
3
Welcome from the Graduate School
Welcome to Imperial College London and the Graduate School!
The Graduate School is responsible for the postgraduate experience at the College and we work closely
with the Students’ Union to ensure that when decisions are being made, which affect your time at
Imperial, your voice is heard.
Another important aspect of our role is to offer you a free and exciting range of professional development
opportunities. Our programme is offered to you through multi-mode delivery so that you can access it
wherever you are in the world.
Our team of tutors have a variety of research and other career experiences. We understand the
importance of developing professional skills and our programmes will help you to progress in your
academic studies and research and will prepare you for your future career. Whether you wish to pursue
a career in academia, industry or something completely different, professional development training will
improve your personal impact. You will also get to meet students from other Departments when
attending our courses.
The Graduate School runs exciting competitions throughout the year which are an opportunity to
broaden your knowledge as well as to meet other students and have fun.
Our primary way to communicate to you will be through our monthly newsletter. However, do check
our website, blog and social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest activities available to
you.
Finally, Imperial College is an extremely exciting, stimulating and diverse environment in which to work,
to study and to research. Do make the most of all that the College and your programme has to offer.
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The Graduate School
You automatically become a member of the Graduate School when you register as a postgraduate
student at Imperial.
The Graduate School has been established to support all postgraduate students at the College
through:
• Training and development courses and retreats

• Networking activities, social and academic events to
encourage cross-disciplinary interactions
• Forums to represent the views of postgraduate
students throughout the College
• Coaching
• Research Degree Mediation
Professional skills courses
You can see the full range of free professional skills courses for
postgraduate students on the Graduate School website:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-
support/graduate-school/students/doctoral/professional-
development/
All courses can be booked online.
Contact us
Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus

020 7594 1383
graduate.school@imperial.ac.uk
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/
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Imperial Mobile app
Don’t forget to download the free Imperial Mobile app for access to College
information and services, including your programme timetable, College emails and a
library catalogue search tool.
www.imperial.ac.uk/imperialmobile
Welcome to Imperial app

The College has a Welcome to Imperial app which contains important information
about campus operations, aspects of student life, a schedule of welcome activities
and information about life in halls. All new students should download this guide to
ensure they have the most up to date information and event schedule for the start of
term.
You can download the App from the Apple or Google App Stores.
Imperial Success Guide

The Imperial Success Guide is an online resource with advice and tips on the
transition to a research degree. More than just a study guide, it is packed with
advice created especially for Imperial Research students, including information
from across the College on support, health and well-being and ideas to help
you make the most of London.
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/success-guide/pgr/
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Key Dates 2022-23
Term dates
Autumn term: 1 October 2022 - 16 December 2022

Spring term: 7 January 2023- 24 March 2023
Summer term: 29 April 2023 - 30 June 2023
Closure dates
Christmas/New year: 24 December 2022 - 2 January 2023
(College reopens on 3 January 2023)
Easter Holiday: 6 April 2023 – 12 April 2023

(College reopens on 13 April 2023)
Early May Bank Holiday: 1 May 2023

Spring Bank Holiday: 29 May 2023
Summer Bank Holiday: 28 August 2023
Key events
Great Exhibition Road Festival: 17 June 2023 – 18 June 2023
Location and Facilities

Imperial has a number of campuses in London and the South East. All have excellent travel links and
are easily accessible via public transport.
Your main location(s) of study will be:

Royal School of Mines
South Kensington Campus SW7 2AZ
Michael Uren Building

White City Campus W12 0BZ
Café and refreshments
If you are based on the South Kensington campus, the nearest café to the Department is located on
Level 3 of the Royal School of Mines. The College Café, located off Dalby Court, is also nearby. If you
are based on the White City campus, the nearest café is in the I-Hub Building. Should you require a
campus map of the cafés, you may view it here:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/visit/public/WhiteCityCampus.pdf
You can find out more about our catering facilities here:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/food-and-drink/catering-outlets/
Desk Allocations
The Department aims to allocate desks to its current PhD students with at least 50% FTE of their
registration based within Bioengineering. Due to space constraints, this may not always be possible.
The standard desk provision is one desk, an under-desk set of drawers and another personal storage
space (such as a locker). The full desk policy can be found at:
7
www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/admin/info/policies/
If you are allocated a desk, you will need to collect your keys giving a £5 deposit for each key (typically
two). You will get the deposit back upon returning the keys.
Computer Access and College Network
Computer access is available in RSM G.08 and RSM 3.06 which can be used if you have
permission to be on site.
Instructions for accessing the College’s wireless networks can be found at:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/connect-communicate/wifi-and-
networks/.
Postgraduate Research Office
The Department’s postgraduate office is located at RSM 3.21c and open Monday–Friday, 09.00 –
17.00.
Rules for using the College network
The content and level of network traffic is monitored continuously.
The College has strict rules regarding downloading illegal, inflammatory, pornographic or
obscene material onto computers connected to the campus network. Infringement of these
rules can have serious repercussions, including expulsion or legal proceedings being brought
against the offender. Be sure to read the College’s Information Systems Security Policies at
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/adminservices/ict/self-service/be-secure/information-systems-
security-policies/.
View the Conditions of Use of IT Facilities:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers-printing/conditions-of-use-
of-it-resources/
Printing
In the Royal School of Mines, the Department has ID swipe-accessible photocopiers in the
utility areas of Levels 3 and 4 as well as in room 3.06. These can also be used as printers and
scanners via the ICT print service. Visit for the information on using this service.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers-
printing/printingphotocopying-and-scanning/
An additional colour (ICT) copier/printer is available in RSM 3.38. An additional colour (ICT)
copier/printer is available in RSM 3.38. There are printers on Bessemer level 3 breakout and
on Bessemer level 1 opposite to B107.
In the Uren Building there is printer on each floor at the south breakout area.
If you have problems with these machines or your ID card, please contact ICT. Do not try to
correct problems yourself. All students will receive an initial print credit on their account. Please
try to use Departmental printers for your printing where possible, as opposed to those in other
areas of the College.
Library Services
The Central Library at South Kensington is open around the clock for study space pretty much all year.
Make sure you find out who your departmental librarian is as they’ll be able to help you find resources
for your subject area. Also, don’t forget to check out the Library’s range of training workshops and our
other campus libraries for access to specialist medicine and life sciences resources. Alongside these
physical spaces and resources, the Library provides over 300,000 electronic books, journals and
8
databases available both on and off campus and a free document delivery service to help you source
books and articles from around the UK and the rest of the world.
Keep up to date with the latest developments on our website and social media
@imperiallibrary
www.imperial.ac.uk/library
You can contact the Bioengineering librarian for referencing advice and reference management
software, plagiarism workshops, finding books, using e-journals and more
Bioengineering Librarian:
Eleni Zazani
+44 (0)20 7594 8880
e.zazani@imperial.ac.uk
Information and Communications Technologies
If you’re having problems with technology (including computers, laptops and mobile devices), you can
get help from the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) group Service Desk:
020 7594 9000
www.imperial.ac.uk/ict/service-desk.
Any problems or queries relating to computing, including requests for new software, should be
addressed to ICT (service.desk@imperial.ac.uk) or our IT Support Officer Edit Toth,
e.toth@imperial.ac.uk. To avoid infringement of licensing arrangements and to prevent the introduction
of viruses, you are strictly forbidden from bringing in external programs.
Once you have completed Imperial's online registration process, you can use your College credentials
to get Microsoft Office 365 software for free. You can install the latest version of Microsoft Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, OneNote and much more on up to five compatible PCs and Macs, plus five tablets
(including iPad). All work can be saved online in OneDrive for Business, so it can be accessed no matter
which device you use.
Shuttle bus
A free shuttle bus runs between our South Kensington, White City and Hammersmith Campuses on
weekdays. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You need to show your College ID
card to board. You can download the timetable and check the latest service updates at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/travel/shuttle-bus
Maps
Campus maps and travel directions are available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/visit/campuses
Accessibility
Information about the accessibility of our South Kensington Campus is available online through the
AccessAble access guides:
www.accessable.co.uk/organisations/imperial-college-london
9
Smoke-Free Policy
All Imperial campuses and properties are smoke-free. This means that smoking by staff, students or
visitors is not permitted on or within 20 metres of College land. The policy covers all College
properties, including student accommodation and sports grounds.
www.imperial.ac.uk/smoke-free
SafeZone
SafeZone is a College app through which you can quickly and directly contact
the Security team whenever you need them. Whether you're in an emergency
situation, in need of First Aid or want to report an incident on campus,
SafeZone allows you to be immediately put in touch with a member of our
Security team and, at the touch of a button, can share your location and
personal profile so that they can respond quickly and effectively to your specific
needs. It also allows the entire College community to stay informed in the event
of a major incident in London or wherever you may be in the world. Safezone
also provides information on other services, such as real-time updates on the
College shuttle bus.
SafeZone is optional to register for and is now available to download on the

Apple and Android App stores. Visit www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/security/safezone/ for more
details about SafeZone.
All existing phone numbers for the Security team are still operational. In the event of an emergency,
you can still call 4444 from any internal College phone. In the event of a wider incident in London, you
can now also call 0300 131 4444, Imperial’s Emergency Recorded Message Line, which will point you
in the direction of up-to-date information and advice.
10
1. Introduction to the Department
Welcome from the Department

...from the Head of Department
Welcome to the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London! I’d
like to congratulate you on gaining admission to the PhD program at Imperial,
where we have world class research and state-of-the-art facilities to support
your studies. In particular, bioengineering is an exciting field at the
intersection of engineering, medicine, and the life sciences. We, in the
Department of Bioengineering have a wide variety of research themes with
programs that focus on making sure people are fit and healthy, designing
therapeutic solutions and addressing wider environmental challenges that
impact on our daily life. As society emerges from the shadow of a global
pandemic, bioengineering is well-positioned to not only address the problems that currently exist, but
also ensure that we are prepared for the future. Leading researchers and alumni from our department
have already played their part in combating the pandemic through influencing policy, practice, and
technology for patient benefit and we are truly proud of their achievements. Through your own PhD
studies, you will be exploring the cutting edge of future developments with the potential to have wide
reaching and perpetual impact on the human race.
Professor Rylie Green

Head of Department
October 2022
…from the Director of Postgraduate Studies

A warm welcome to the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College
London. Congratulations on your achievements that have brought you to a
leading department for bioengineering in the UK. As Director of
Postgraduate Studies (Research), I work with the Student Office Team, the
Postgraduate Tutor, the Deputy Directors of Postgraduate Studies, your
supervisor, and your mentor to optimise your experience as a research
student in the Department. Together, we strive to support you in achieving
success in your studies, and to ensure that your welfare is taken care of.
Your studies will be challenging and will require you to take responsibility for your own learning and
welfare, but there are plenty of people and resources to help you with this, so don’t be afraid to utilise
them.
The Department of Bioengineering is young, dynamic, and extremely interdisciplinary, and we host
world-class, cutting edge research. I am confident that you will find it to be a lively and inspiring place.
I urge you to take advantage of the many opportunities to engage with colleagues who have different
perspectives, backgrounds, and research interests, such as through our seminar series, networking
events, celebrations, or through simply talking to colleagues in the corridor or coffee shop. I
encourage you to make the most of all the Imperial has to offer, not just academically within your
research groups and in the labs and lecture theatres, but also through the clubs, societies, and teams
at the College.
As a postgraduate research student, you will be actively encouraged, empowered, and challenged to
develop your own unique outlook, as you become an expert in your chosen field. Your research work
will be challenging, and is likely the largest venture you have ever taken so far, but it will likely be
incredibly interesting, fascinating, and impactful, and at the end, it will likely be a memorable
experience for you. I hope you can take ownership of your project, and be active in taking initiatives to
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work towards your goals, and I hope you will enjoy the journey from start to finish. All the best with
your studies..!
Dr Choon Hwai Yap

Director of Postgraduate Studies (Research)
October 2022
…from the PhD Student Representatives

Dear PhD student,
Congratulations on starting your PhD studies within the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial
College London!
We are your PhD student representatives, and our mission is to make sure that your time here is
outstanding in both academic and personal ways.
Our role is to meet regularly with academic and administrative staff to discuss experiences and raise
any potential issues that PhD students encounter in our Department. We also collaborate with the
Student Union and Reps in other departments to enrich PhD life across the College.
Your thoughts and voice matter so please do not hesitate to speak to us about anything, whether that
is a problem you are having, administrative concerns or suggestions about how to improve the
department. We are always open to discuss!
In addition, we organise social events in our Department. The past year, we have organised several
events, such as “Meet and Greet” PhD parties, several Coffee Mornings and a series of informal
seminars called Science Fridays. Prior to the pandemic we also organised the Summer Barbecue and
Christmas party which we are hoping to see return bigger and better this year! If you have any ideas
or want to help, just let us know! Our goal is to gather all the PhD students from the Department, get
to know each other and have a lot of fun!
We wish you a great time at Imperial and we look forward to meeting you soon! Enjoy every moment
and welcome to our Department!!
Your PhD Student Representatives
Konstantinos, Leah, Krystyna, Maria and Andra
PS. Do not forget to follow our twitter account @ICLBioengPhD for updates!
Konstantinos Kalyviotis Leah Xu Krystyna Broda Maria Nikolaidi Andra Topan
Department of Bioengineering PhD Student Representatives 2022-23
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Key Postgraduate Research Student Contacts
Dr Choon Hwai Yap Professor Tom Ellis Dr Sylvain Ladame Raleigh Mangsat
c.yap@imperial.ac.uk t.ellis@imperial.ac.uk s.ladame@imperial.ac.uk r.mangsat@imperial.ac.uk bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk
Director of Deputy Director for Senior Tutor for Postgraduate Student General Email for
Postgraduate Studies Postgraduate Research Postgraduate Research Research Programmes Postgraduate Student
Manager Administration
Konstantinos
Maria Nikolaidi Andra Topan
Kalyviotis Leah Xu Krystyna Broda
m.nikolaidi21@imperial.ac andra.topan17@imperial.ac.
k.kalyviotis@imperial.ac.u l.xu20@imperial.ac.uk k.broda19@imperial.ac.uk
.uk uk
k
PhD Student PhD Student
PhD Student PhD Student
PhD Student Representative Representative
Representative Representative
Representative
Dr Nicolas Newell Ms Edit Toth Ana-Maria Safta Mr Robert Ferguson Ms Sandra Roscoe
t.ellis@imperial.ac.uk e.toth@imperial.ac.uk a.safta@imperial.ac.uk robert.ferguson@imperial. s.roscoe@imperial.ac.uk
ac.uk
GTA Coordinator for Student Data Officer Finance Assistant Student Wellbeing
Postgraduate Research and Systems Developer Industrial Liaison Advisor
Manager
For further information,

• Full list of Academic Staff and Research Fellows and Professional Services Staff.
• Roles and Responsibilities Guidance
13
2. Departmental Procedures
Professional Skills
All doctoral students are expected to complete 4 Graduate School Professional Development credits as
part of their doctoral degree registration. In addition to this, all doctoral students must complete
mandatory plagiarism awareness training by their Early Stage Assessment (ESA).
The Graduate School's Professional Development attendance requirement exists in order to ensure
that all students receive a broad range of skills development training while at Imperial and have the
opportunity to engage with students from outside their programme and in different departments.
See the Graduate School’s website for details:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-
school/students/doctoral/professional-development/attendance-requirement/
English Language Requirement

If you are not a native English speaker you must meet the College’s English language requirements.
See the Admissions website for details:
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english
Attendance and Absence

You must inform your Supervisor if you are absent from College for more than three days during term.
If the absence is due to illness you must produce a medical certificate after seven days. You should
also contact your supervisor for support and guidance if your research is being impacted by personal
circumstances. This may include making a submission deadline extension request.
Postgraduate Research students undertaking taught elements of a doctoral programme of study should
also refer to the College’s Mitigating Circumstances Policy and Procedure:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-and-
assessment/
The Registry will be informed of all student non-attendances as the College is obliged to report the non-
attendance of students on Tier 4/Student Route visas to the Home Office .
Health and Safety Information

Keeping you safe is a top priority for us. Though Covid restrictions are not enforced at present, we
would like to remind you to stay at home if you are ill so as not inadvertently spread it, to cover your
coughs and sneezes, and to respect others’ personal space.
The Safety websites to note:

College Covid: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/covid-19/
Departmental: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/admin/info/safety/
College: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/safety/
The College’s Health and Safety Statement can be found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/safety/safety-by-topic/safety-management/health-and-safety-policy-
statement/
14
Departmental Safety Manager
Ken Keating
B211, 2nd Floor, Bessemer Building, South Ken. Campus
+44 (0)20 7590 250 478
k.keating@imperial.ac.uk
Departmental Technical and Professional support staff:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/people/professional-services-technical-and-operations-
staff/
Safety Induction
Laboratories and workshops
You are required to undertake a safety induction as soon as possible upon joining the Department.
Your initial Day One Safety Induction will be a combination of online and in person. That will walk you
through the basic safety considerations of on-campus work.
Day One Safety Induction
After completing this online form, you will receive an email to confirm its completion that can then be
used to obtain your college ID card.
Once a date has been agreed with your supervisor for you to begin on-campus work, a member of
your research group will go over the main points of the Day One Safety Induction again with you in
the building, so that you are familiar with the building-specific points.
Procedure for new starters who require use of laboratories –

October 2022
1. Complete the online Day 1 Safety Induction to enable the new ID card to become active. (This
includes short induction video on Health and Safety for new postgraduates)
2. Discuss expectations and needs for lab and any essential office use with supervisor, focusing
on any specific health and safety matters including any pre-existing medical condition to note,
significant allergies and any requirements for a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. Then
complete the Department’s Safety Registration form.
3. All new PhD students must complete the following safety related courses within one month of
starting:
• Complete an online computer health assessment for your workstation

• Month One Safety Training (MOST)
• Risk Assessment Foundation Training (RAFT) - The Risk Assessment Foundation
Training Course (RAFT) is strongly recommended for anyone with line management,
area, equipment or process management responsibilities as they will be required to
undertake a risk assessment.
• Fire Safety and Awareness Training e-learning course
4. All new starters should:
15
a) Be familiar with college and departmental safety policies, including sickness absence
procedures
b) Arrange a date and time to meet the group member who will oversee the in-person
lab induction. This will guide you in the specific hazards of your work environment.
5. On date of induction, new starter to meet the group member as agreed and for the day 1 on
site induction.
a) PhD and MRes students can collect their ID cards from the Student Office
b) Staff (inc. postdocs) need to get ID cards from the Sherfield Building ID card office
6. Group member to give a general building tour and introduction to the new starter (use Day 1
Safety form information as guide)
7. Some may choose to where face coverings when indoors. Masks, face shields and hand
sanitiser is available around the building should you require
8. Group member to give in person Lab Induction(s) to the new starter, describing the local rules
of lab work and of COVID-19 related considerations. Noting that any work within hazardous
areas (labs/workshops etc.) must not be undertaken until all risk assessments and standard
operating procedures, including risk mitigation, emergency and waste procedures, are read
and acknowledged by the new starter.
9. Card access requests for high hazardous restricted areas, including labs and workshops,
are to be done online as usual after the room-specific inductions are done. The new starter
must be aware of the need of further training for specific work and equipment. The link for
these is given below: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/admin/info/swipe/
10. Working out of standard hours (as listed on the website) will require an out-of-hours and or
lone working request to be approved prior to work commencing.
The Department is available to PGR students from Monday through Friday between 08:00 and
18:30.
Accidents and Near Misses
All accidents, dangerous occurrences or near misses must be reported via a SALUS report. The
Department fosters a strict no-blame culture and feels that reporting all occurrences will ensure the
safety of every researcher, staff member and student.
To report concerns or to ask for advice you should contact your supervisor, one of the technical team
or the Departmental Safety Manager (Ken Keating, k.keating@imperial.ac.uk) in the first instance.
You may also contact the Safety Department directly.
Full information on reporting accidents and incidents can be found at
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/safety/safety-by-topic/accidents--incidents/
16
Emergency Procedures
In an emergency, dial 4444 (internal) or 020 7589 1000 (external). This line is supported 24 hours
a day. State your exact location, name and extension number. Security Control will immediately
mobilise the required emergency services.
NB: Do not ring 999 while on campus—instead call Security, who will coordinate this to ensure that
emergency services gain site access.
The College Safety Department
The Safety Department offers a range of specialist advice on all aspects of safety. This includes
anything which you feel might affect you directly, or which may be associated with teaching, research
or support service activities.
The College’s activities range from the use of hazardous materials (biological, chemical and radiological
substances) to field work, heavy or awkward lifting, driving, and working alone or late.
All College activities are covered by general health and safety regulations, but higher risk activities will
have additional requirements.
The Safety Department helps departments and individuals ensure effective safety management
systems are in place throughout the College to comply with specific legal requirements.
Sometimes the management systems fail, and an accident or a near-miss incident arises; it is important
that we learn lessons from such situations to prevent recurrence and the Safety Department can support
such investigations. All accidents and incidents should be reported online at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/safety
To report concerns or to ask for advice you should contact your programme director, academic
supervisor or departmental safety officer in the first instance. You may also contact the Safety
Department directly.
Occupational Health requirements
The College Occupational Health Service provides services to:
• protect health at work

• assess and advise on fitness for work
• ensure that health issues are effectively managed
The Service promotes and supports a culture where the physical and psychological health of staff,
students and others involved in the College is respected, protected and improved whilst at work.
www.imperial.ac.uk/occupational-health
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3. Doctoral Milestones and Progress Reports
A Timeline of your PhD journey
Deadline Activity Description Possible Outcome
31 October 2022 Doctoral Academic Provide Student Office with evidence • Levels 3-4: no further
(Within first month) Communication of having completed the DACR A1 DACR assessments
Requirement (DACR) online assessment required
Assessment 1
(if required) (if required – exemptions apply) • Levels 1-2: take DACR
Assessment 2 before
ESA and additional
College courses
12 noon Submission of Assess project potential, ensure • Progress

28 November 2022 Research Proposal student-supervisor communication • Re-submit
(within 8 weeks) Confirmation (RPC)
by 8 June 2023 at Compulsory Graduate Provide Student Office with evidence • Transferral to MPhil if
the latest School Requirements of completing: registration not
(before ESA) (Part 1) • Plagiarism awareness course completed
• min 2 professional skills courses
DACR Assessment 2 • academic communication
(if required) requirement (if applicable)
12 noon 8 June 2023 Submission of The Early Stage Assessment is a key • Progress
Early Stage Assessment milestone that assesses through a • Re-submit by 11 months
(ESA) Report report and a presentation:
• Transferral to MPhil
15 June 2023 ESA Presentation at • Your understanding of your • Withdraw
Early Stage Assessment research field
(ESA) Day • Critical awareness of literature
• Understanding of project direction
• Detailed research plan
• Potential to pursue research
NB: at this stage data may be minimal

and more indicative of ability to
conduct research
by 27 March 2024 at Graduate School Provide Student Office with evidence • If not completed,
the latest Requirements (part 2) of completing of professional skills transferral to MPhil
(before LSR) course
27 March 2024 Late Stage Review The LSR milestone assesses: • Progress
(LSR) • Your capacity to pursue research • Re-submit within 3
• Understanding of the problem months
• Reasonable plan for completing
• Transferral to MPhil
within the registration period
(must be complete within
• Scope for future work
3 months of LSR)
MD(Res): Exam Entry at 18 – 24 • Withdraw
months can allow exemption from
LSR.
Graduate School Course requirement
must be complete.
October 2025 36 Month review and Following 36 months of full-time study • Continue with Research
Writing up Stage (WUS) or 72 months of part-time study, all
research students must complete a
18
formal progress report. This is required • Complete – ready to
regardless of whether a student is in write up
Writing Up Status. The aim of this • Entering complete
review is to help students successfully
complete their PhD on time. research status (CRS)
• Still need access to
Students must submit the progress resources.
report form and a one page report
documenting work remaining and
the timeline for completion of the
research and thesis. Reports and
forms should be submitted via the
link on Blackboard, where more
complete guidance on the
milestone can be found.
Following the equivalent of 24 months

of full-time study, students are
permitted to enter ‘Writing Up Status’.
In order to be eligible, a student must
be able to demonstrate that they will
be in a position to submit their thesis
within 12 months. An application form,
which may also be found with the
electronic milestones documents, must
be completed.
Please note that writing up or

extending registration status does not
affect your thesis submission deadline,
which will always be 4 years from your
initial registration, plus any approved
extensions and Interruption of Studies
taken.
Should you require additional advice

then it is advised to contact the
Postgraduate Research Student
support team at bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk
or speak with the Director of
Postgraduate Studies.
Research Proposal Confirmation (RPC)

The Department requires all new research students to submit a plan of their proposed research 8 weeks
after starting. The research plan is the basis against which your future progress will be measured. It
should be completed in conjunction with your supervisor and should include a methodological approach,
potential difficulties and back-up strategies as well as a timeline.
To submit your research plan, please upload your report within the Research Plan Confirmation
submission folder in Blackboard. You will also need to complete Section A of an online PhD form with
each of your milestones via the PhD forms system (log in via Student View).
Teaching systems (ic.ac.uk)
Further details on this milestone can be found using the link below and in the corresponding Blackboard
folder.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/admin/research/doctoral/initial-research-plan/
19
Early-Stage Assessment (ESA)
All students must pass an assessment of their research potential no later than 12 months (full-
time) after their start date in order to determine whether registration for the PhD can continue.
This is done through the Early Stage Assessment (ESA), which is typically held 9 months after
their start date. The ESA confirms that you understand your field of research and the direction of
your project, and that you have the potential to pursue independent research. Data presented at
this stage may be minimal but should be indicative of your ability to perform. Where appropriate,
the assessment will also consider whether you need support for academic communication, i.e.
writing and/or presenting.
For the ESA, you must submit a written report and give a seminar-style presentation.
Students are notified of the deadlines associated with their ESA at the start of their
programme. As such, extension requests and seminar date changes are highly unlikely to
be accommodated.
Your report should be no more than 9000 words in length excluding captions, appendices,
references/bibliography, and the title page. Please ensure you keep to this limit as reports
over the word limit will not be accepted; you will be asked to revise the report to meet
the requirement. You should include the word count on the front of your report.
Use spellchecking, and make sure that you are consistently using one version of English
spellchecker i.e. do not swap between US and British spelling conventions. All symbols must be
defined and equations should be dimensionally correct. All symbols must be defined, figure
axes must be correctly labelled, and equations should be dimensionally correct.
Get feedback on your writing style from a colleague or friend. Any scientists (and many
non-scientists) can give constructive feedback on writing, so impose on friends, family and
officemates to look at your report with a critical eye. Ensure that you allow sufficient time to send
a draft of the report to your supervisor(s), so that you can get critical feedback from them as
well.
The structure of the report is as follows, unless your supervisor specifically asks to use another:
• Cover page (available in the Blackboard folder)

• Abstract
• Background/literature review
• Research strategies/methods
• Progress to date
• Plan to completion (including a Gant chart)
• References
Reports must be submitted in PDF format via Blackboard:
https://bb.imperial.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/execute/courseMain?course_id=_24764_1
The file name should adhere to the naming convention of SURNAME INITIALS CID -
ESAReport, e.g. SMITH J 01234567-ESAReport.
ESA form completion
Before your scheduled seminar, you must complete Section A of the ESA form via the PhD
forms system (log in via Student View):
Click Student View and then the ESA tab to complete your section of the form. You will be able
to view feedback from your assessors and supervisor as soon as they upload it to their
respective sections, which they must complete by two weeks after the seminar.
20
Assessment
Your report will be read by your primary supervisor and by two independent academic staff
(assessors). The assessors have been selected by the Director of Postgraduate Studies, with
input from your supervisor and considering the involvement of other departments in the project.
Seminars will be 20 minutes duration plus 15 minutes questions. Your supervisor(s) and
assessors will be present at the seminar and question session, along with other members of the
Department’s academic staff, potentially including members of the Postgraduate Committee, to
ensure consistency. Assessors and the Postgraduate Committee meet directly after the
seminars to discuss the reports and presentations and decide upon results. Final decisions will
be made by the two assessors, sometimes in agreement with academic staff present during the
ESA presentation and question session.
Outcomes
There are four possible outcomes of the ESA:

1) Pass (continuation of PhD registration),
2) Resubmission/re-assessment within 2 months,
3) Transfer of registration to MPhil status,
4) Failure (withdrawal from College).
An interview or viva voce examination will be required only if the two assessors are dissatisfied
by the report, talk, or handling of questions at the talk, or if the supervisor requests this.
Interviews will be conducted by the two assessors.
If a student is asked to resubmit, this must be done within 2 months. Only one resubmission will
be allowed. Resubmitting students will be provided with a clear written statement on which
areas of the report were below standard and why.
In the event of failure, the student may be required to withdraw from College or transferred to
MPhil status, in which case they will be given guidance on how to write up for MPhil within the 24
month deadline. Failure decisions require consultation with the supervisor and Director of
Postgraduate Studies.
Results will normally be communicated to the student within a week of the seminar. Once
students have been informed of their result, they should arrange to meet with their
assessors to obtain more detailed feedback on their report, presentation, and their
proposed work.
21
Doctoral Academic Communication Requirement (DACR)
All postgraduate research students must demonstrate an appropriate level of academic English writing
before the PhD is awarded. This is done by their fulfilment of the Imperial College London Doctoral
Academic Communication Requirement (DACR).
Visit the Centre for Academic English website for full details of the requirement (including exemptions),
assessments and the range of courses on offer:
www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-english/current-students/doctoral/.
Please note students who are required to take the DACR Assessment 1 should have done this as
soon as possible after beginning their PhD studies. Students who are required to take the DACR
Assessment 2 should do this prior to the ESA seminar, if possible. More information about these
assessments can be obtained from the Centre for Academic English.
22
Graduate School professional skills development requirements
Students must complete two credits of the Graduate School’s professional skills development
courses before their ESA and a further two credits before their LSR. Find out more about the
requirement from the Graduate School’s website. Students must also complete the online Plagiarism
Awareness course before the ESA. Please send completion confirmation to the Bioengineering PGR
Team at least one week before your ESA.
Professional Development activity To be completed by
Ideally during Welcome Week and by

Mandatory online Plagiarism Awareness course
ESA report submission at the very latest
Minimum 2 credits worth of courses from

by ESA milestone
Graduate School Professional Development Programme
Total of at least 4 credits worth of courses completed

by LSR milestone
Graduate School Professional Development Programme
Please note: these are compulsory elements of your doctoral research degree programme. Failure to
complete the required activities by the milestones specified may result in transferring your status from
PhD to MPhil. See the full range of free professional skills courses on offer at the Graduate School
website:
school/students/doctoral/professional-development/attendance-requirement/
Useful links:
Departmental ESA information:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/admin/research/doctoral/early-stage-assessment/
Registry ESA information: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-

and-support-services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/milestones-for-
pgr/Early-Stage-Assessment-Guidance-Notes.pdf
Research Degrees: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-

students/research-degrees/
Centre for Academic English: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-english
Graduate School information on Professional Skills courses:

school/students/doctoral/professional-development/
23
Late-Stage Assessment (LSA)
The Department requires a second review of doctoral research ability that must be completed within 24
months for full time students. This includes any potential re-submissions, and as such, this assessment
is thus typically done at 18 months from the start date, to allow time for re-submission if required.
MD(Res) students who submit an exam entry within 24 months may be exempt from this requirement.
Part time milestones are double that of full-time students.
At the Late-Stage Review (LSR), you must present a poster detailing your achievements and your plan
for completion. The purpose of the LSR is to confirm that you have:
• A realistic research plan and schedule for completion within the registration period
• An in-depth understanding of the research topic
• The ability to communicate their research
• The capacity to make contributions to their research field
• A critical awareness of the relevant literature on the subject
You will be assessed by two academic staff members not involved in your supervision. Abstract
deadline one week prior to your LSR date @ 12noon
A short abstract (approximately 200 words) is required. This is to provide a short summary of the
context of your project and your progress for your assessors.
Please submit this via Turnitin using the Late Stage Review submission link on Blackboard no later
than one week prior to your LSR date @12noon for the PGR Team to distribute to your assessors.
LSR poster days are held on the last Wednesdays of March and September each year.
As is the case for your ESA, you will need to complete Section A of the online PhD form via the PhD
forms system.
Log in to the Milestone system:
Full details on the LSR can be found on Blackboard and at

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/admin/research/doctoral/late-stage-review/
Registry LSA information:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/milestones-for-pgr/Late-Stage-Review-
Guidance-Notes.pdf
Progress Review and Entering Writing Up
Following 36 months of full-time study, all research students must complete a formal progress report.
This is required regardless of whether a student is in Writing Up Status. The aim of this review is to
help students successfully complete their PhD on time.
Students must submit the progress report form and a one-page report documenting work remaining
and the timeline for completion of the research and thesis. Reports and forms should be submitted
via the link on Blackboard, where more complete guidance on the milestone can be found.
Following the equivalent of 24 months of full-time study, students are permitted to enter ‘Writing Up
Status’. In order to be eligible, a student must be able to demonstrate that they will be in a position to
submit their thesis within 12 months. An application form, which may also be found with the electronic
milestones documents, must be completed.
24
Please note that writing up or extending registration status does not affect your thesis
submission deadline, which will always be 4 years from your initial registration, plus any
approved extensions and Interruption of Studies taken.
Should you require additional advice then it is advised to contact the Postgraduate Research Student
support team at bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk or speak with the Director of Postgraduate Studies.
Writing Up and End of Initial Registration
Once you have finished all your experimental work and/or data collection, and you have completed your
minimum registration period, you can enter a different student status which is often called “Writing up
Status”.
You must confirm your plans for your fourth year by emailing the PGR team.
bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk
There are four options for you when you complete your minimum registration.
1. If you have not completed all your experimental/data collection work, then you must remain a
registered student. Fees will be charged on a pro-rata basis for the period you wish to extend your
status by. If you are sponsored by a 3rd party, we will need to see evidence that the funder is willing to
pay for the extra fees.
2. You can enter “Continuing Research Student (CRS)” status. This will allow you to maintain access
to your email, VPN connection, building access and library access. You will remain a registered student
and therefore be eligible for things like student Oyster card and Council Tax Exemption. Whether you
will be able to maintain your current workspace will have to be negotiated with the department.
To enter into CRS, you will pay a £200 fee, and you can remain in this status up to 12 months or to your
submission deadline whichever is sooner. This £200 fee with be invoiced to you directly unless you tell
PGR team otherwise at the time of entering the status.
3. You can enter “Writing Up Away from College (WUAC)” status. You will only maintain access to your
email and VPN connection.
4. If you do not advise us of what you intend to do at the end of your minimum registration period, your
student registration lapse completely. You may lose access to ICT, facilities and/or VPN and online
library access. It can be a very time consuming, length process to get your student record back in order
once your registration has lapsed. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to avoid this option at all costs.
Please note, no experimental work or data collection can be completed once you enter CRS or WUAC
status. Your supervisor must agree to you entering either status by completing the writing up form.
Please note, once you enter writing up status you will no longer be charged tuition fees. For further
information please see the Registry pages on writing up.
Complete the Writing Up form with your supervisor and email it to bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk.
Examination Entry
All candidates must enter for examination at least four months prior to thesis submission.
To enter for examination, candidates should refer to the Examination Entry milestone visible in
the Postgraduate Research Milestones tile in My Imperial, where you will be asked to provide
details relating to your research topic, thesis title and expected date of submission.
Your main supervisor will be asked to nominate examiners for your thesis, in accordance with the
College's Procedure for Appointment of Examiners for Research Degrees.
25
The examination entry details and the examiner nominations will then be considered by the Director of
Postgraduate Studies. Upon their approval, the examination entry will be processed by the Registry
Assessment Records Team and you will receive written notification via email once your entry to
examination is confirmed.
Please note that candidates must submit their thesis by the given deadline displayed via My Imperial,
regardless of the status of the examination entry paperwork.
Step-by-step guidance for using My Imperial Postgraduate Research Milestones is available from
the PGR Milestones Manual - Students.
There is a Step-by-step guidance to the Examination Entry form process and Thesis Submission
process is available online at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/student-systems/student-records/student-journey/PGR-Manual---Students.pdf
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/research-
programmes/
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/research-degree-
examinations/Plagiarism-issues-in-theses.pdf
Blackboard
PhD milestones must be submitted through Blackboard to allow for plagiarism detection:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/teaching-learning/turnitin/.
Login at bb.imperial.ac.uk/.
The PhD programme materials can be found under ‘My Organisations’.
If you have any problems accessing Blackboard, try troubleshooting:
• Check if your computer allows Java pop ups

• Try using another browser such as Firefox or Chrome if you had been using Internet Explorer
26
Report any technical problems to ICT so that they can keep a record and help you swiftly. You can
contact ICT from at 49000 (internal) or 0207 59 49000 (external). Alternatively, you can raise an issue
via the ASK ICT service: imperial.service-now.com/ict/.
NB: If the formatting of your submission changes after you upload it to Blackboard, you must email a
PDF with the intended format to bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk before the assignment deadline.
My Imperial - Postgraduate Research Milestones
You will be able to upload and submit your Exam Entry Form, Thesis Declaration Form and Thesis
online, as well as view up-to-date information about your Early Stage Assessment, Late Stage Review
and Viva Examination milestone status.
You will receive email notification when online access to Postgraduate Research Milestones is available
to you. Access is via My Imperial using your College single sign-on.
https://my.imperial.ac.uk/
4. Academic Support
Departmental Support and Faculty Senior Tutors
Your Department has a system of academic and pastoral care in place to make sure you have access
to the appropriate support throughout your time here. This includes:
Senior Tutor (PGR)
The Department’s Senior Tutor (PGR) can offer pastoral support and advice. You can arrange to have
a meeting with them at any time – what you discuss will be completely confidential.
If necessary, they will direct you to an appropriate source of support.
5. Examination Procedures
My Imperial - Postgraduate Research Milestones
You will be able to upload and submit your exam entry form, thesis declaration form and thesis online,
as well as view up-to-date information about your Early-Stage Assessment, Late Stage Review and
Viva Examination milestone status.
You will receive email notification when online access to Postgraduate Research Milestones is available
to you. Access is via My Imperial using your College single sign-on.
www.my.imperial.ac.uk/
There is a Step-by-step guidance to the Examination Entry form process and Thesis Submission
process is available online at:
services/registry/student-systems/student-records/student-journey/PGR-Manual---Students.pdf
Vivas
Once you have submitted your thesis, the Registry will ensure that copies are provided to your
examiners, in advance of your viva examination.
Your supervisor, or another member of staff in your department/division, will be responsible for
organising the viva and making all the necessary arrangements.
27
When your viva has taken place, you will be informed of the outcome.
Please read the Success Guide for postgraduate research students for more advice on preparing for
your viva:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/success-guide/pgr/progression-and-feedback/thesis-submission-
and-viva/preparing-for-your-viva/
Research degree vivas should take place on-site, in person. Exceptionally, where travel restrictions
make it difficult for external examiners or students to attend, mixed mode or remote vivas can be
scheduled, subject to the approval of the Director of Postgraduate Studies. Where remote or mixed
mode vivas are necessary, there is dedicated guidance for students on preparing for the remote
assessments:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/remote-phd-
supervision/phd-students-remote-supervision--exams-/
E-theses: Requesting an Embargo

In some cases, it may be necessary to delay the release of a thesis to the public by applying for an
embargo.
If you decide that your thesis should have an embargo, discuss this with your supervisor and tick the
appropriate box on the Thesis declaration form:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/research-and-innovation/scholarly-
communication/public/thesis-declaration-form.pdf
Reasons for requesting an embargo include:
• You plan to publish your thesis

• To avoid invalidating a potential patent application, see Intellectual Property:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/research-policies/research-
related-policies/ip-policy-college-login/
• It contains commercially sensitive research or research with confidentiality obligations
• It contains information collected under the promise of confidentiality and anonymity e.g. patient
information
• It shows evidence of animal experimentation and release to the public would pose a significant
risk to the researchers involved or to Imperial staff and students
• It contains information of significance for national security
For further information please contact the Assessment Records team
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/support-for-staff/scholarly-communication/open-
access/theses/requesting-an-embargo/
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's thoughts, words or images and diagrams as though
they were your own. Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional, but must be avoided at all times.
When studying for a research degree (and as you continue in your research career) it is your
responsibility to conduct and disseminate research results in an honest and ethical matter. When you
prepare your Early Stage Review or Assessment, Late State Research, or final thesis, as well as
other publications and presentations throughout your studies, it is essential to avoid plagiarism.
An online course on plagiarism awareness is available through the Graduate School. The course is
compulsory, and will provide you with guidance and information about proper citation and attribution in
writing.
28
school/students/doctoral/professional-development/online-courses/
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/success-guide/pgr/progression-and-feedback/writing-reports-and-
presentations/being-original-and-plagiarism/
More information about plagiarism awareness for postgraduate research students is available on
the Library website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-support/plagiarism-awareness/phd-
students/
TurnitinUK is an online text matching service which assists staff in detecting possible plagiarism. The
system enables institutions and staff to compare students' work with a vast database of electronic
sources. You will be expected to run your early stage assessment through the Turnitin software – your
department will be able to give you further information about this process.
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/teaching-learning/turnitin/
The Graduate School, in conjunction with the Library, has developed a mandatory online plagiarism
awareness course which needs to be completed before your Early Stage Assessment. It aims to equip
Imperial PhD students with a working knowledge of the concept of plagiarism and how to avoid it. This
enables students to use and share information ethically, with academic integrity.
Collusion
This is the term used for work that has been conducted by more than one individual, where this has not
been permitted in the assessment brief. Where it is alleged that there has been collusion, all parties will
be investigated under the Academic Misconduct procedure.
You should note that whilst the College encourages students to support each other in their studies you
should be careful to ensure that you do not exceed any assessment brief with regards to individual
work, acknowledge the contributions of others in your work, and do not leave yourself open to
allegations that you have supplied answers to enable another student to commit academic misconduct.
Dishonest practice
This is the most serious category under the procedure. Examples of dishonest practice include
bribery, contact cheating (buying work from an essay mill (which is illegal in the UK) or other
individual to submit as your own), attempting to access exam papers before the exam, making a
false claim for mitigating circumstances or providing fraudulent evidence, falsifying
documentation or signatures in relation to assessment or a claim for mitigating circumstances.
College Policies and Procedures

Regulations for Students
All registered postgraduate research students of the College are subject to the Regulations for Students
General Regulations, and the Academic Regulations that apply to your degree.
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/terms-and-conditions
Unsatisfactory Engagement
Unfortunately, sometimes students struggle to make satisfactory progress in their study or their
engagement with their studies falls below our expectations. The College has a process to identify and
support students by reaffirming these expectations with an action plan. If a student does not engage
satisfactorily engage with these supportive measures, they can be withdrawn from their studies. The
full details of this process, and the appeals procedure relating to it can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations
29
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/complaints-
appeals-and-discipline
Academic and Research Integrity

You are expected to conduct all aspects of your academic life in a professional manner. A full
explanation of academic integrity, including information on the College’s approach to plagiarism is
available on the College website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/research-governance-and-
integrity/research-integrity/what-is-research-integrity/
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/academic-integrity/Examination-
and-assessments---academic-integrity.pdf
Research Misconduct
Research Misconduct can be characterised as behaviours or actions that fall short of the standards of
ethics, research and scholarship required to ensure that the integrity of research is upheld. It can
cause harm to people and the environment, wastes resources, undermines the research record and
damages the credibility of research.
Regardless of discipline and institution, the fundamental factor in ensuring the quality of research and
research practices has to be the honesty of the individual investigator. Investigators should be honest
with respect to their own work, which means subscribing to proper scientific practices such as
acknowledging the contributions of colleagues or collaborators, ensuring veracity of data, and acting
with integrity in the depiction of results and conclusions. However, investigators are also expected to
be honest in relation to the work of their colleagues and peers. Colluding in, or concealing, the
misconduct of others is not compatible with an environment which encourages intellectual honesty
and is, therefore, in itself misconduct.
The College’s policy on, and procedures for, the investigation of allegations of research misconduct:
services/secretariat/public/college-governance/charters-statutes-ordinances-
regulations/ordinances/Ordinance-D17-Nov-2020.pdf
Where a student completes taught module(s) as part of their research programme, they will also be
subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-and-
assessment/
Academic Appeals Procedures

We have rigorous regulations in place to ensure assessments are conducted with fairness and
consistency, claims for mitigating circumstances have been considered reasonably and in line with the
regulations of the College, and that the decisions of the Boards of Examiners maintain the integrity of
our academic awards. Should you believe that you have grounds to appeal these decisions, we have
laid out clear and consistent procedures through which appeals can be investigated and considered:
Student Complaints
The College strives to ensure that all students are well supported in their studies and receive a good
experience of their programme and the wider College activities. If you feel that your experience has not
30
lived up to these expectations the College has an agreed Students Complaints process through which
your concern can be investigated and considered.
If you have any concerns about your experience at the College and have been unable to address these
informally, you should contact Student Complaints who can provide advice about what is the appropriate
way to seek to resolve this at:
student.complaints@imperial.ac.uk
Student Disciplinary Procedure

The College has the right to investigate any allegation of misconduct against a student and may take
disciplinary action where it decides, on the balance of probabilities, that a breach of discipline has been
committed. This Procedure is currently under review and will be updated during the 2022-23 academic
year. The general principles of the Student Disciplinary Procedure are available on the College website:
appeals-and-discipline/
Copyright
Copyright is an automatic right given to creators that allows them to control who copies, adapts,
translates and makes public their work. Unless you have the copyright holder’s permission, you cannot
do these things unless permitted by law or licence.
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-support/copyright-guidance/
The Graduate School provides training on Copyright:
school/students/doctoral/professional-development/research-integrity/copyright-for-researchers-
online-course/
Intellectual Property Rights Policy

For further guidance on the College’s Intellectual Property Rights Policy is available on the College
website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/research-policies/research-related-
policies/ip-policy-college-login/
Further information about the Imperial Enterprise Lab can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/enterprising-students
www.imperialenterpriselab.com/support/experts-in-residence
The Graduate School provides training on Intellectual Property:
school/students/doctoral/professional-development/research-integrity/
Use of IT Facilities
View the Conditions of Use of IT Facilities:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers-printing/conditions-of-use-of-it-
resources/
31
Employment During Studies
If you are studying full time, the College recommends that you do not work part-time during term time.
If this is unavoidable we advise you to work no more than 10–15 hours per week, which should be
principally at weekends and not within normal College working hours.
Working in excess of these hours could impact adversely on your studies or health.
If you are here on a Tier 4/Student Route visa you can work no more than 20 hours a week during term
time. Some sponsors may not permit you to take up work outside your studies and others may specify
a limit.
If you are considering part-time work during term time you are strongly advised to discuss this issue
with your supervisor or Senior Tutor (PGR). If you are on a Tier 4/Student Route visa you should also
seek advice from the International Student Support team regarding visa limitations on employment.
Please note that these rules also apply to your work as a GTA:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/study/graduate-school/public/gta-website/GTA-
Framework_Updated-May-2021.pdf
The College’s examination boards will not normally consider as mitigating circumstances any negative
impact that part-time work during term-time may have had on your performance in examinations or in
other assessed work. Examinations or vivas cannot be rescheduled to accommodate your part-time
working arrangements.
Study Leave
If you plan to carry out research away from College for a period of 2 weeks or more as part of your PhD
student registration, your department can approve study leave using the External Study Leave form
(which is then submitted by your department to the Registry Records Team for recording). Study leave
is normally pursued either as a placement under the supervision of a third party organisation
(placements are managed by your department and are subject to College Placement Learning Policy,
Good Practice under the College’s overall off-site working protocols) or fieldwork managed by your
department under off-site working protocols. Contact your departmental postgraduate administrator for
further guidance if you and your supervisor wish to have study leave considered.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/placements/information-for-imperial-college-students/
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/research-
degrees/administration/
Ethics
The College has an overall Ethics code which sets out key behaviours which the College expects of all
its members in order to facilitate a leading academic community which demonstrates integrity in all its
activities, and which manages relationships with third parties appropriately. These behaviours include
honesty, fairness and transparency. The Code is intended to provide a starting point to help members
of the College identify and tackle ethical issues faced in the course of their activities. It also describes
routes available for members of the College community to escalate ethical concerns where appropriate.
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-ethics-committee
Good Research Conduct

Imperial College London is committed to undertaking research of the highest international quality within
an intellectually challenging and inspiring environment, to extending the frontiers of research within and
beyond existing research disciplines, and to bringing together research expertise within and beyond the
College to address the science challenges of today and the future. The College's achievements in
research are underpinned by the quality and expertise of the individuals within it, and the pages in the
link below define the standards of research governance and integrity essential to the College's
reputation and success.
32
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/
Leave
www.imperial.ac.uk/human-resources/leave/
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

All staff and students who work with personal data are responsible for complying with GDPR. The
College will provide support and guidance, but you do have a personal responsibility to comply.
In line with the above please see the College’s privacy notice for students which form part of the
terms and conditions of registration with the College.
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/admissions/Privacy-Notice-for-
Students-and-Prospective-Students.pdf
33
7. Animal Research
Understanding the basic biology of infections, injuries and chronic diseases is an essential step in
finding new treatments and cures. From cancer to malaria and war wounds to heart disease, research
using animals forms an important element of Imperial's work.
The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health
and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be
necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances.
Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in
the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff and students involved with this work
show due consideration at every level.
For more information please see:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/animal-
research
34
8. Wellbeing and Support
Student Support Zone

Student Support Zone has lots of information about the resources available at Imperial and beyond to
help you to stay healthy and happy. It’s a great place to start when you’re looking for some support – it
covers advice about housing and money, health, wellbeing and maintaining a good work-life balance,
and provides the details of who you can contact if you need some extra support.
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-support-zone
Pastoral Care
The Department has a system of academic and pastoral care in place to make sure you have access
to the appropriate support throughout your time here. We take the welfare of our students seriously and
will provide all the help we can if you encounter any problems. Below is a list of postgraduate research
student support contacts and resources, both in the Department and beyond. The Departmental Student
Office PGR contact: bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk
Bioengineering Confidential Feedback form:
https://imperial.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3rZqnEbkjXTg7wa
Student-supervisor partnership
The College has created a document summarising the Mutual Expectations for the Research Degree
Student-Supervisor Partnership to help establish effective working relationships between students
and their supervisors.
In addition, please see how supervision roles are defined here.
Departmental mentor
The Department’s doctoral student mentorship scheme is designed to provide you with another avenue
for pastoral care. Your mentor is not intended to act as a supervisor; instead, they are an additional
person in the Department with whom you can consult informally.
You will be emailed by the Student Office with details of who your mentor is shortly after your arrival.
They will be your mentor for the duration of your PhD programme, you can contact them at any time to
get advice, support or just have a chat.
35
DPS(R) Deputy DPS(R) Senior Tutor for Supervisor
Postgraduate Research
Choon Hwai Yap Tom Ellis ➢ Oversight of your research progress
c.yap@imperial.ac.uk t.ellis@imperial.ac.uk from start to finish
Uren 511A 020 7594 7615 Sylvain Ladame ➢ Advice on academic issues
Bessemer 7.04 s.ladame@imperial.ac.uk ➢ Support for personal matters
020 7594 5308 ➢ Guidance on training and
Uren 321A development
Oversight of the Department’s research
programmes, including: Find out more about the role of your
➢ Responsibility for the
welfare of the supervisor at
➢ Providing academic advice in cases where a www.imperial.ac.uk/students/success-
student’s supervisor cannot help Department’s
postgraduate students guide/pgr/effective-research/working-
➢ Providing general and pastoral student
➢ Advice on matters that with-your-supervisor/.
support
you would rather not
discuss with your
supervisor or mentor
Mentor Student Office Doctoral Student Representatives

postgraduate research
contacts Maria Nikolaidi
Every PhD student is allocated a mentor; if you m.nikolaidi21@imperial.ac.uk
aren’t sure of who your mentor is, please contact bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk
bg-pgr@imperial.ac.uk. RSM 3.21c Konstantinos Kalyviotis
k.kalyviotis18@imperial.ac.uk
➢ Can provide additional independent and Emily Yillah
confidential academic or personal advice Student Administrator Leah Xu
and support (Interim) l.xu20@imperial.ac.uk
➢ Termly lunches
Krystyna Broda
Raleigh Mangsat k.broda19@imperial.ac.uk
Student Wellbeing Adviser Postgraduate Research
Student Programmes Andra Topan
Sandra Roscoe Manager k.broda19@imperial.ac.uk
s.roscoe@imperial.ac.uk
+44 (0) 7395 252288 College and Faculty Support Services
All aspects of postgraduate
➢ Wellbeing advice and mentoring research student www.imperial.ac.uk/health-and-
administration, including: wellbeing/
To book an appointment with Sandra, please ➢ General welfare and
pastoral support Faculty Senior Tutor
follow this link: Bioengineering Student Wellbeing
Appointments (office365.com) ➢ Advice on regulations,
Lorraine Craig
policies and procedures
➢ Supporting student l.craig@imperial.ac.uk
progress and registration 020 7594 6436
changes
➢ Academic and personal student
support.
36
Departmental Support and Faculty Senior Tutors
Your Department has a system of academic and pastoral care in place to make sure you have
access to the appropriate support throughout your time here. This includes:
Senior Tutor (PGR)
The Department’s Senior Tutor (PGR) can offer pastoral support and advice. You can arrange to have
a meeting with them at any time during your studies – what you discuss will be completely confidential.
If necessary, they will direct you to an appropriate source of support.
Senior Tutor for Bioengineering PGR contact:

Dr. Sylvain Ladame
321A, 3rd Floor, Michael Uren Building, White City campus
+44 (0)20 7594 5308
s.ladame@imperial.ac.uk
Student Wellbeing Adviser
The Student Wellbeing Adviser, Sandra Roscoe, can be contacted by any student in the department
for a confidential conversation about whatever is on their mind. She can provide advice and support
and direct students to other sources of support as needed. Sandra is also the departmental disability
officer and can advise on support/exam adjustments available to students with any type of disability or
long-term condition. Her working hours are 9am-5pm on Monday-Friday.
Student Wellbeing Adviser contact:
Sandra Roscoe
323A, 3rd Floor, Royal School of Mines, South Kensington campus
+44 (0) 7395 252288
To book an appointment with Sandra, please follow this link: Bioengineering Student Wellbeing
Appointments (office365.com)
Postgraduate Coaching and Research Degree Mediation

As well as professional development opportunities, the Graduate School has a dedicated coaching
programme designed to help you through challenging times. The Postgraduate student coaching
programme has been established to provide an opportunity to talk, independently from your academic
department, about challenges you may be experiencing during the course of your studies. The
programme primarily focuses on building effective working relationships and there may be other self-
development issues that you can explore with a trained coach.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/community-
support/coaching/
The School also provides support for students and supervisors who are finding their partnership
difficult. The confidential and non-judgemental research degree mediation programme is
designed to support students and supervisors to work through challenges they may be
experiencing, to find ways to move forward and work together more effectively.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/mediation/
37
Advice Services
The tutor system is complemented by a College-wide network of advice and support. This includes a
number of specialist services.
Careers Service
The Careers Service has strong links to your Department and you will have a named Careers
Consultant and Placement and Internship Adviser who will run both group sessions and individual
meetings within your Department. You can arrange to meet with your linked Careers Consultant or
Placement and Internship Adviser either in your Department or centrally at the South Kensington
Campus on Level 5, Sherfield Building where the Careers Service is based.
Visit the Career Service’s website to:
• Book a careers appointment

• Find resources and advice on successful career planning
www.imperial.ac.uk/careers
Student Counselling and Mental Health
The Student Counselling and Mental Health Advice Service offers short-term counselling to all
registered students. The service is free and confidential. Counsellors are available at the South
Kensington, Hammersmith and Silwood Park Campuses.
www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling
Financial support and tuition fees
If you’ve got any questions about student financial support (loans, scholarships and research council
studentships, US and Canadian loans) then contact the Student Financial Support team:
020 7594 9014

student.funding@imperial.ac.uk
If you suddenly find yourself in financial difficulties or experience an unexpected change in

circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for emergency financial help through the Student Support
Fund. The Fund offers a one-off payment of up to £2,000 to cover such emergencies as last-minute
accommodation and travel necessities, equipment and childcare. It does not have to be repaid.
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/fees-and-funding/financial-assistance/student-support-fund/
For tuition fees queries, contact the Tuition Fees team:
020 7594 8011

tuition.fees@imperial.ac.uk
Imperial College Union Advice Centre
Imperial College Union runs the Advice Centre independently of the College with advisers on hand to
provide free, confidential, independent advice on a wide range of welfare issues including housing,
money and debt, employment and consumer rights, and personal safety.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/advice
38
Student Hub
The Student Hub represents a single point of contact for all key administrative information and support.
The Student Hub team can help you with enquiries about:
▪ Accommodation (including checking contracts for private accommodation)

▪ Admissions
▪ International student enquiries
▪ Research degrees
▪ Student financial support
▪ Student records
▪ Tuition fees
020 7594 9444
student.hub@imperial.ac.uk
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-hub
Accommodation
Imperial offers a wide range of accommodation to suit a range of budgets and in a variety of locations.
The Student Hub team can help you find the right place to live, whether it’s the College
accommodation or private accommodation.
020 7594 9444
student.hub@imperial.ac.uk
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/campus-life/accommodation/
Health Services
NHS Health Centre and finding a doctor
Even if you’re fit and healthy we recommend that you register with a local doctor (GP) as soon as you
arrive in London. For help finding your nearest GP see the Student Space website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-support-zone/your-health/doctor-and-dentist/
There is the Imperial College Health Centre on our South Kensington Campus which you may visit
during clinic hours if you’re feeling unwell. Students living within the practice catchment area are
encouraged to register with the Centre.
www.imperialcollegehealthcentre.co.uk
NHS Dentist (based in the Imperial College Health Centre)
Imperial College Dental Centre offers a full range of NHS and private treatment options.
www.imperialcollegedental.co.uk/
39
Disability Support
Disability Advisory Service
The Disability Advisory Service provides confidential advice and support for all disabled students and
students with specific learning difficulties.
If you think you may have dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty but have never been formally
assessed, the Disability Advisory Service offers initial screening appointments.
Room 566, Level 5, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 9755
disabilities@imperial.ac.uk
www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service
Departmental Disability Officers
Departmental Disability Officers are the first point of contact within your department. They can apply for
additional exam arrangements on your behalf, and will facilitate support within your Department.
The Departmental Disability Officer, Sandra Roscoe, is your first point of contact within your
department and is there to help you with arranging any support within the department that you need.
She is also the person who will apply for Special Examination arrangements on your behalf. You need
to contact her without delay if you think that you may need extra time or other adjustments for your
examinations.
At Imperial College London we recognise that studying at university can be a challenge, especially if
you have a disability. We are keen that you have every opportunity to fulfil your potential and graduate
with the degree you deserve. Therefore, it is important that you let us know about any disability,
specific learning difficulty or health problem as soon as possible so that we can give expert advice
and support to enable you to do this. This service is strictly confidential between you and the relevant
College personnel and support services.
Some people never think of themselves as having a disability, but students who have experienced
any of the issues listed below have found that a little extra help and support has made all the
difference to their study experience.
• Specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, AD[H]D)

• Autistic spectrum disorder (such as Asperger’s)
• Deafness or hearing difficulties
• Long term mental health difficulties (such as chronic anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression)
• Medical conditions (such as epilepsy, arthritis, diabetes, Crohn’s disease)
• Physical disabilities or mobility impairments
• Visual difficulties
More information on Departmental Disability Officers is available at:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service/current-students/support-
available/departmental-disability-officers/
More information about how to request additional arrangements for exams if you have a disability is
available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-taught-
postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/additional-exam-arrangements-in-respect-
of-disability
40
Bioengineering Departmental Disability contact:
Sandra Roscoe
323A, 3rd Floor, Royal School of Mines, South Kensington campus
+44 (0) 7395 252288
To book an appointment with Sandra, please follow this link: Bioengineering Student Wellbeing
Appointments (office365.com)
Disability Advisory Service
The Disability Advisory Service works with individual students no matter what their disability to ensure
that they have the support they need. We can also help if you think that you may have an
unrecognised study problem such as dyslexia. Our service is both confidential (information about you
is only passed on to other people in the university with your agreement) and individual in that any
support is tailored to what you need.
Some of the sorts of things we can help with are:
• Being an advocate on your behalf with others in the College such as your departmental
liaison officer, Senior Tutor or exams officer, the accommodation office or the estates
department
• Checking that your evidence of disability is appropriate and up to date
• Arranging a diagnostic assessment for specific learning difficulties
• Help with applying to the College for the cost of an assessment
• Help with your application for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) see below
• Helping students not eligible for the Disabled Students Allowance in obtaining support from
other sources
• Help with arranging extra Library support
• Supporting applications for continuing accommodation for your second or later years
You can find about more about the Disability Advisory Service on the website at:
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/disabilityadvisoryservice
Disabled Students Allowance
All home students who are UK residents, pay home fees and who have a disability are eligible to
apply for a grant called the Disabled Students Allowance, which can pay any extra costs that are a
direct result of disability. This fund is not means-tested and is also a grant not a loan you will not be
expected to pay it back. Remember students with unseen disabilities such as mental health
difficulties, learning difficulties or long-term health problems are also eligible
More information on Departmental Disability Officers is available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service/current-students/support-available/departmental-
disability-officers/
More information on procedures for the consideration of additional exam arrangements in respect of
disability is available at:
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/exam-arrangements-and-re-
sits/Exam-arrangements-in-respect-of-disability.pdf
41
Library and IT
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
If you’re having problems with technology (including computers, laptops and mobile devices), you can
get help from ICT’s Service Desk.
020 7594 9000
www.imperial.ac.uk/ict/service-desk
Software shop
The Software shop offers a variety of general and subject specific software programs and packages for
free or at a discounted price for Imperial students.
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers-printing/devices-and-software/
Library services
The Central Library at South Kensington is open 24 hours for study space, and further space is available
to all students in GoStudy on levels 4 and 5 of the Chemistry Building.
Make sure you find out who your subject librarian is as they’ll be able to help you find books and online
resources for your assignments. Also, don’t forget to check out the Library’s range of training workshops
and our other campus libraries for access to specialist medicine and life sciences resources. You can
borrow up to 40 books and, whether you’re working on or off site, you’ll be able to access e-books, e-
journals and databases from our collection of almost 400,000 titles. If we don’t have what you need,
we can get it for you, simply ask us to buy it or request a copy through our free Document Delivery
service.
For any questions our staff will be happy to help, simply chat with us online or contact us via email,
phone or social media, just check our website for details:
www.imperial.ac.uk/library
Religious Support
The Chaplaincy Multi-faith Centre has chaplains from many different religions, as well as prayer rooms
and information on places of worship. In addition, it runs meditation classes and mindfulness workshops
for stress management.
www.imperial.ac.uk/chaplaincy
Support for International Students
English language support
The Centre for Academic English provides free in-sessional English courses for international students
while they are studying. These include classes and workshops on academic language, social language,
the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, 1-1 consultations with a tutor to work on a
piece of academic writing or an oral presentation, self-study resources in the VLE Blackboard, and the
Conversation Project, which partners students with a native-speaker volunteer to practise social and
conversational English.
www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-english
International Student Support team
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Students from outside the UK make up around half of our student population, so our International
Student Support team offers year-round support to help our international students settle into Imperial
life. This includes UK visa and immigration advice and trips to different places of interest.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/international-students/
Visa Compliance
It is very important that you comply with all the conditions of your visa.
If you need help or advice about visas and your visa conditions, please contact the International Student
Support team:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/international-students/visas-and-immigration/
Whilst in the UK on a student visa, you are required to comply with all the conditions of your visa. This
means that you must be engaged in full-time study for the duration of your visa. You should therefore
be aware that if you need to take time out from your programme for any reason (e.g. an interruption of
studies), you may be in breach of your visa conditions, unless you return home.
In addition, you should note that the UKVI require the College to monitor attendance for overseas
students. Any student not in attendance at the College (e.g. missing meetings with their supervisor
and/or group, etc.) will be reported to the UKVI via the College Registry. Students in breach of their visa
conditions may face serious consequences, including refusal of British visas in the future.
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) require students to collect their BRP within 10 days of arrival in
the UK, from either the nearest approved Post Office (in the College’s case, High Street Kensington) or
from the Registry team at the College. The pickup location depends on what the student has indicated
in their visa application:
Students who select Imperial College as their location for collection will be emailed inviting them to book
a slot, so they can pick up their BRP which they should be able to slot around their Departmental
induction activity and programme timetable. The collection point is likely to be Sherfield Building.
For further information, please get in touch with the College’s International Student Support team
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/international-students/
In Your Hall of Residence
If you’re staying in College accommodation you will have access to a range of support within your hall.
All halls have a Hall Warden team who are on call 24/7 to look after your wellbeing and maintain a
friendly living environment so that all residents can study, sleep, relax and enjoy themselves.
They also play an important part in the social life of the hall, organising a rolling programme of events
to bring everyone together. Your rent includes a contribution towards your hall’s activity fund.
The team includes returning students, known as Hall Seniors, who can offer first-hand advice about
making the most of life at Imperial.
Each hall also has a Hall Supervisor or a Reception team who oversee the day-to-day running of the
residence. So, if you have any enquiries or want to report a maintenance issue there are people on
hand to help you.
Your health, safety and wellbeing are our top priority in halls of residence. We have made a number of
changes in response to COVID-19, so that we can ensure our residents are safe, secure and
comfortable and can comfortably adhere to social distancing guidelines. This will include staggered
arrival times, clear self-isolation procedures, and amendments to corridor and communal space usage.
More information and the latest guidance around accommodation can be found at:
43
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/campus-life/accommodation
9. Student Administration
The Student Administration Team are responsible for the administration and maintenance of the student
records for all students studying at the College. This includes enrolments, programme transfers,
interruption of studies, withdrawals and processing of examination entry for research degree students.
The team also use this information to fulfil reporting duties to the Student Loans Company, Transport
for London and the UKVI, as well as other external bodies.
The Team is responsible for the processing of student results and awards on the student record system
as well as the production and distribution of academic transcripts and certificates of award.
The Student Records and Data Team produce a variety of standard document requests for both current
and previous students including council tax letters, standard statements of attendance and confirmation
of degree letters.
Student records and examinations
+44 (0)20 7594 7268

student.records@imperial.ac.uk
Degree certificates
+44 (0) 20 7594 7267

certificates@imperial.ac.uk
44
10. Work-life Balance
The pace and intensity of study at Imperial can be demanding so it’s important to find time for outside
interests.
Imperial College Union

The Union’s range of 380+ student-led clubs, societies and projects is one of the largest of any UK
university, opening up lots of ways for you to enjoy your downtime.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/about-us
Imperial College Union Bioengineering Society

The Imperial College Union Bioengineering Society is a constituent society of the Imperial College
Union under the wing of the City and Guilds College Union (CGCU). Started 14 years ago by a group
of enthusiastic MSc students, the ICU Bioengineering Society aims to broaden the experiences of
Bioengineering students beyond that of the curriculum: https://www.union.ic.ac.uk/guilds/bioeng/.
Imperial College Union Advice Centre

The Union’s advisers are on hand to provide free, confidential, independent advice on a wide range of
welfare issues including housing, money and debt, employment and consumer rights, and personal
safety.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/advice
Student representatives
Imperial College Union operates two Representation Networks of over 600 elected student
representatives – the Academic Representation Network and the Wellbeing Representation Network.
Reps represent the voice of students and can direct you to internal and external support services. The
Union’s Liberation Officers also work to make sure that the views of under-represented and interest
groups are heard at the College.
If you have any feedback about issues in your department relating to academic or wellbeing issues, you
can speak to one of your student representatives.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/a-to-z
Move Imperial
Imperial College has a wide range of sports and activities on offer that cater for all experience levels
and abilities. We have a recreational activity offer, competitive sports teams and an elite sport
programme. We are dedicated to ensuring we have a diverse, inclusive and exciting offer for all.
More information about Imperial student memberships and updates to our services can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/ethos/memberships/students
With an annual fee of £35 you will get use of the gym and swimming facilities on our campuses.
www.imperial.ac.uk/sport
We have a huge collection of online resources, home workout videos, healthy recipes and playlists
available to all as part of our MoveMore campaign, more information can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/sport/move-more/
45
11. Student feedback and representation
Feedback from Students
The College and Union is committed to continually improving your education and wider experience and a key part of
this is your feedback. Feedback is thoroughly discussed by your student representatives and staff.
A great way to complement and improve your doctoral research is through providing feedback. The Department
values your feedback and there are multiple mechanisms through which you can provide it. From talking to your
student representatives, the Student Office or the Director of Postgraduate Studies to answering confidential surveys,
your feedback is always welcome and encouraged.
Student Representation
Student Representatives are recruited from every department to gather feedback from students to discuss with staff.
More information about the role, and instructions on how to become an academic representative, are available on the
Imperial College Union website.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/academic-representatives/overview
Staff-Student Committee
Staff-Student Committees are designed to strengthen understanding and improve the flow of communication between
staff and students and, through open dialogue, promote high standards of education and training, in a co-operative
and constructive atmosphere. College good practice guidelines for staff-student committees are available here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/student-feedback
The Staff-Student Research Committee is chaired by the DPS, is constituted to support all of Bioengineering’s
postgraduate activities. The Committee monitors postgraduate study on behalf of the College and the Graduate
School, and helps to ensure that students and supervisors comply with the necessary procedures and regulations.
The SSRCM is comprised of the PGR Education Team, the PGR Representatives, and the Department’s Student
Representatives.
Committees & supplementary roles | Faculty of Engineering | Imperial College London
12. Student Surveys
Your feedback is important to your department, the College and Imperial College Union. Whilst there are a variety of
ways to give your feedback on your College experience, the following survey gives you regular opportunities to make
your voice heard:
• Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES)
The PRES is your chance to tell us about your experience of supervision; resources; research community;
progress and assessment; skills and professional development; and wellbeing. This is a national survey
that helps us to compare how we are doing against other institutions, to make changes that will improve
what we do in future and to keep doing the things that are valued by our students. The survey is open to
postgraduate research students and runs across the spring and summer terms. PTES is run bi-annually at
the College. The survey is confidential. The more you take part the more representative the results so
please take a few minutes to give your views.
The Union’s “You Said, We Did” campaign shows you some of the changes made as a result of survey feedback:
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/you-said-we-did
The Union’s response to surveys can be found here:
46
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/responses
If you would like to know more about any of these surveys or see the results from previous surveys, please visit:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/student-surveys/pg-student-surveys
47
13. Personal Development Opportunities for Research Degree Students
Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA)

Many research students across the College are involved with teaching, supervision and assessment (in the form of
marking) of both undergraduate and Master’s level students. Working as a GTA provides research students with an
opportunity to broaden their experience at Imperial College, and develop further skills. These include learning to
teach, convey complex technical concepts, writing/communication skills, etc. Furthermore, research students may
find that acting as a GTA helps improve their own technical abilities (both theoretical and practical), enables them to
broaden their knowledge base, and gain communication and task management experience. When considering a
career in academia, teaching experience is important and GTA work allows building up a teaching portfolio and even
becoming aware of one’s own teaching style.
www.imperial.ac.uk/staff/tools-and-reference/quality-assurance-enhancement/roles-and-responsibilities/
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/students/doctoral/gta/framework-/
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/students/doctoral/gta/teaching-
opportunities/
Imperial Outreach
The Outreach team at Imperial is responsible for delivering the College’s programme of activities for schools and
colleges. The team deliver a wide range of exciting and inspiring activities for students from disadvantaged
backgrounds right across the United Kingdom.
The team focuses on raising attainment, changing perceptions, supporting teaching staff and stimulating interest in
STEM subjects from primary through to A-Level education, as part of Imperial's widening participation and outreach
agenda.
By working with teaching staff, schools, colleges and community organisations they are able to offer support
specifically where it is needed through a dedicated portfolio of programmes for young people These programmes
form part of the College’s Access Agreement.
To make sure the team offer the fullest breadth of activities, they collaborate with many members of academic staff,
as well as student ambassadors who add the valuable perspective of life as a current Imperial student.
www.imperial.ac.uk/be-inspired/schools-outreach/
Recruitment and Outreach student ambassadors / Outreach STEM Leaders
Our ambassador and leader schemes provides you with an opportunity to work young people to help inspire them to
consider studying science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. .
Some activities will draw on your subject expertise, giving you the chance to communicate your research in a way
that is suitable for a school age audience. Other opportunities may be more generally focused on your experience of
higher education through talks about student life for sixth form students or mock interview sessions for potential
applicants.
www.imperial.ac.uk/be-inspired/volunteering/outreach-student-ambassadors/
www.imperial.ac.uk/be-inspired/volunteering/outreach-stem-leaders/
Professional Skills Development Programme

The Graduate School at Imperial provides an internationally renowned and award winning Professional Development
Programme for Postgraduate Research and Postgraduate Taught students.
48
Funders of doctoral programmes, including governments, industry and research councils expect that you spend time
on your professional development (RCUK, 2013), and developing generic research, personal and professional
development is an important part of your postgraduate training.
Our Professional Development Programme offers you support in your study and research, as well as the opportunity
to develop knowledge, attributes, and skills relevant to your Master’s or Doctorate and your future career whether
inside or outside academia. These development opportunities can improve your ability to undertake focused and
successful research, present your work to a variety of audiences, and enhance your overall experience at College.
Postgraduate alumni, academics and employers have noted the value of the programme.
We work across College with academic and support departments, alumni, students and externals to enable and
enhance joined up opportunities. This has a social benefit, fostering networking and collaboration, as our courses,
events and activities provide fora for students to interact with others from different departments and divisions.
The Postgraduate Development Unit (PDU) ensures that the Programme is educationally relevant, developing new
initiatives and safeguarding quality and relevance. Our Programme is underpinned by educational research focused
on the postgraduate student experience.
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/graduate-school/professional-skills/
14. And finally

Alumni Services
When you graduate you will be part of a lifelong community of over 190,000 alumni, with access to a range of alumni
benefits including:
• discounts on further study at the College and at Imperial College Business School
• alumni email service
• networking events
• access to the Library and online resources
• access to the full range of careers support offered to current students for up to three years after you graduate
• access to our Alumni Visitor Centre at the South Kensington Campus, with free Wi-Fi, complimentary drinks,
newspapers and magazines, and daytime left luggage facility
Visit the Alumni website to find out more about your new community, including case studies of other alumni and a
directory of local alumni groups in countries across the world.
www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni
49

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Faculty of Engineering

College Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1

From Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin to

You’re now very much a part of this

We understand that this is a challenging

Imperial will provide through its staff:

Imperial will provide students with:

Imperial students should:

The Imperial College Students' Union will:

Provide a world-class research programme

Provide innovative and effective professional development

Deliver outstanding networking opportunities

Offer life-long membership of the Imperial community

Mutual Expectations for the Research Degree Student Supervisor

Welcome to Imperial College London and the Graduate School!

• Training and development courses and retreats

Professional skills courses

Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus

Welcome to Imperial app

Imperial Success Guide

Autumn term: 1 October 2022 - 16 December 2022

Easter Holiday: 6 April 2023 – 12 April 2023

Early May Bank Holiday: 1 May 2023

Location and Facilities

Your main location(s) of study will be:

Michael Uren Building

Café and refreshments

Computer Access and College Network

Postgraduate Research Office

Rules for using the College network

The content and level of network traffic is monitored continuously.

View the Conditions of Use of IT Facilities:

Information and Communications Technologies

020 7594 9000

Campus maps and travel directions are available at:

SafeZone is optional to register for and is now available to download on the

Welcome from the Department

Professor Rylie Green

…from the Director of Postgraduate Studies

Dr Choon Hwai Yap

…from the PhD Student Representatives

Your PhD Student Representatives

Konstantinos, Leah, Krystyna, Maria and Andra

Konstantinos Kalyviotis Leah Xu Krystyna Broda Maria Nikolaidi Andra Topan

Department of Bioengineering PhD Student Representatives 2022-23

For further information,

See the Graduate School’s website for details:

English Language Requirement

See the Admissions website for details:

Attendance and Absence

Health and Safety Information

The Safety websites to note:

The College’s Health and Safety Statement can be found at:

Departmental Technical and Professional support staff:

Day One Safety Induction

Procedure for new starters who require use of laboratories –

• Complete an online computer health assessment for your workstation

4. All new starters should:

Accidents and Near Misses

Full information on reporting accidents and incidents can be found at