Policies
Policies
Brenkley Doctoral College maintains a suite of policies that govern how we operate, how we treat our researchers and staff, and how we uphold academic and professional standards. Key policies are summarised below.
Academic Integrity Policy
Brenkley Doctoral College is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity. All researchers are expected to conduct their research honestly, attribute sources accurately, and avoid any form of academic misconduct including plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification of data.
Suspected breaches of academic integrity are investigated under a formal procedure, with outcomes ranging from additional support and training to withdrawal from the programme in serious cases. Researchers are made aware of academic integrity requirements at induction and throughout their programme.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy
Brenkley Doctoral College is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. We welcome researchers from all backgrounds and are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion commitments are embedded in our admissions, supervision, and assessment processes. Any concerns relating to discrimination or harassment should be raised with the Academic Lead for Operations & Finance.
Complaints Policy
Brenkley Doctoral College takes all complaints seriously and is committed to resolving concerns fairly, promptly, and confidentially. Researchers who wish to raise a concern are encouraged to do so in the first instance informally with their supervisor or the Academic Lead for Operations & Finance.
Where informal resolution is not possible, a formal complaint can be submitted in writing. The formal procedure involves an investigation, a written response, and a right of appeal. Full details of the complaints procedure are available on request.
Data Protection Policy
Brenkley Doctoral College processes personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We collect only the data necessary for the purposes of delivering our programmes and services, and we do not share personal data with third parties without lawful basis.
Full details of how we collect, use, and protect your data are set out in our Privacy Policy. Subject access requests and data protection queries should be directed to the Academic Lead for Operations & Finance.
Supervisor Code of Practice
All supervisors at Brenkley Doctoral College are expected to adhere to our Supervisor Code of Practice, which sets out standards for meeting frequency, feedback quality, record-keeping, impartiality, and the pastoral duty of care owed to researchers.
Supervisors are reviewed annually as part of the Quality Assurance process. Researchers who have concerns about their supervision should raise them with the Academic Lead for Research & Enterprise.
Research Ethics Policy
All doctoral research at Brenkley Doctoral College must be conducted in accordance with ethical principles, including informed consent, participant confidentiality, data security, and minimisation of harm. Researchers whose work involves human participants, sensitive data, or vulnerable groups must obtain ethical approval before data collection begins.
Research ethics applications are reviewed by the Academic Lead for Research & Enterprise. Guidance on ethical research design is provided as part of the Research Training programme.
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
Brenkley Doctoral College adopts a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking in all its forms, and is committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships. As a provider of online higher education, our supply chains are digitally focused, spanning educational technology, professional services, and operational resources such as awarding bodies and digital library providers.
We operate an Employment and Recruitment Policy, a Whistleblowing Policy, and a Supplier Code of Conduct to reflect this commitment, and we conduct due diligence on our major suppliers and partners, with particular attention to IT hardware procurement and third-party software vendors. This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and is reviewed annually.
Sustainability Policy
As an online college, our sustainability policy focuses on digital sustainability, remote workplace operations, curriculum integration, and community engagement. We commit to hosting data on renewable-energy-powered servers, responsibly recycling institutional hardware, embedding environmental standards into procurement, and maintaining a 100% digital-first, paperless workflow across admissions, marketing, and assessment.
We integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals and digital carbon literacy into our online learning modules, and use the SET4HEI Self-Evaluation Framework to benchmark our contributions against goals such as Quality Education, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Climate Action. This policy is audited and updated annually to reflect evolving green technology and cloud computing standards.
For a full copy of any policy, or to raise a concern, please contact us via the Connect page.