PhD Business Analytics

University of Hertfordshire

University of Hertfordshire is a great place to study, with standard facilities and equipments. They also provide support to students both academically and in other aspects, such that when the weight of balancing academic work with your personal life seems overwhelming, you can easily reach out to trained personnel for support and encouragement. The school takes it's time to make sure that the wellbeing of students is not overlooked. This encourages students like me to feel rest assured that I will succeed in my academic pursuits and well as live a balanced life!

My experience as a doctoral candidate at the University of Hertfordshire has been overwhelmingly positive. From the outset, the admissions process was seamless, and the transition into the research community was well supported. The clarity and professionalism demonstrated by my supervisory team—Dr. Birinder Sandhawalia, Judy Willetts, and Dr. Nnamdi Ogbuke—has been exceptional. Their early engagement, constructive feedback, and structured approach to supervisory support have enabled me to hit the ground running with confidence and clarity. The emphasis on developing a strong theoretical foundation, alongside applied research relevance, affirms UH’s commitment to academic rigour and societal impact. One of the standout features has been the Doctoral College’s "Researcher Development Programme (RDP)". The blend of live and asynchronous learning, especially around research integrity, critical thinking, and academic writing, has been a valuable scaffold. The availability of experienced facilitators and accessible learning platforms positions UH as a forward-thinking institution with a genuine commitment to developing both scholars and practitioners. Equally commendable is the inclusive and collegial culture. I have found the University to be welcoming and diverse, with a global outlook that resonates deeply with my research focus on transnational investment flows and digital entrepreneurship. The tone is academic yet supportive, with resources that encourage independence without isolation. That said, there are areas that could be strengthened to enhance the doctoral journey even further. First, the volume of orientation information—spanning regulations, systems (e.g., RSMS, StudyNet), and policies—can be overwhelming for new candidates, especially those balancing part-time research with professional responsibilities. A more structured, interactive, and centralised “Doctoral Starter Hub” (perhaps via a short modular onboarding course) would help students synthesise the most critical information in a more digestible format. Second, the use of multiple digital systems, while individually robust, can create friction. RSMS, Canvas, and Teams all serve different purposes, but an integrated dashboard or clearer navigation map would improve usability—particularly for international or mature learners less familiar with UK university systems. Lastly, while the University has made commendable efforts to highlight wellbeing services, there could be more visibility around pastoral support tailored for doctoral researchers, who often experience very different stressors compared to undergraduates. Peer mentoring or scheduled virtual “drop-in” sessions with faculty outside of formal supervision might provide an additional layer of informal support and scholarly community-building. In summary, UH is a rewarding place to study—academically rigorous, globally relevant, and professionally structured. Its strength lies in its people and the systems that support them. With a few tweaks in onboarding clarity, systems integration, and pastoral visibility, the doctoral experience could be elevated even further.