Accreditation of Doctoral Training Programmes follows an independent and rigorous assessment of the training aspects of a doctoral programme. It does not assess the quality of the research produced by doctoral students, which must, quite rightly, fall under the remit of the thesis examiners.

The biosciences are predominately an experimental set of subjects, which require a hands-on approach to learning. This means that laboratory or field skills development and experience are important components of bioscience graduate training. It also means that problem solving, innovation and creativity are important characteristics of how biological subjects are understood and applied. Accredited doctoral training programmes will seek to instil these characteristics into students.

Supporters of Accreditation