Only around one in three UK postgraduate research students with invisible disabilities are satisfied with the support they receive from their university, according to a new survey.
Looking at the support offered to PhD students and other postgraduate researchers (PGRs) with conditions that are not immediately visible, such as mental illness, specific learning disabilities or chronic illness, a new survey by the University and College Union (UCU) found that only 36% were satisfied with the support they received.
The survey, released June 20 and based on responses from 135 PGRs, also found that only 44% of PGRs with invisible disabilities believe their managers allocate enough time to implement their accommodation needs, while a similar number (43%) say they are given enough support regarding oral examinations.
Additionally, only one-third (34%) of graduate students with invisible disabilities said their institution provided resources to meet their accommodation needs.
The report explains that one of the major challenges PGRs face is that they are both university students and employees, but their support systems are primarily designed with undergraduates in mind.
The report calls on universities to recognise that reasonable accommodations in doctoral programmes are likely to be more of a staff accommodation than a student accommodation, and says institutions should also consider how they can help graduate student researchers find fairly paid, part-time, flexible and accessible work, particularly work that will support their career progression within academia.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “For too long, too many disabled PGRs have been overlooked and not received the support they need.”
“This report shines a light on the issues faced by postgraduate students with invisible disabilities and shows that universities have a long way to go to fully support them,” Dr Grady said, adding: “It’s time they are properly supported and treated as employees by their universities.”
“When graduate students with disabilities drop out because they are not supported, academia loses out by losing potential lecturers, researchers and professors,” she continued. “We need universities to fully implement the recommendations so that all graduate students can receive support and reach their full potential.”
contact address