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Clare Saunders Rebecca O’Loughlin

Aspiring Academics: Supporting humanities postgraduate students and early career academics through changing times. Clare Saunders Rebecca O’Loughlin. Outline of this paper. Aspiring Academics – a (very) brief history Programme findings and lessons learned Preparing for the future.

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Clare Saunders Rebecca O’Loughlin

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  1. Aspiring Academics: Supporting humanities postgraduate students and early career academics through changing times Clare Saunders Rebecca O’Loughlin

  2. Outline of this paper • Aspiring Academics – a (very) brief history • Programme findings and lessons learned • Preparing for the future

  3. Aspiring Academics – a (very) brief history

  4. Origins of ‘Aspiring Academics’ • 2004: AHRC launches research training framework • 2004: Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies (PRS) survey of departments: • Very little subject-specific provision other than thesis supervision • NB “… an absence of generalised training is not a consequence of laisser-faire attitudes on the part of staff or an unwillingness to put time and effort into the development of students’ research skills. It is, rather, a reflection of the nature of the disciplinary knowledge in question…” (Becher et al. 1994:106) • PRS research students are relatively isolated; strongest identified need was for support and development networks • 2005: Successful bid for AHRC ‘seed corn’ funding to establish a regional research training network

  5. ‘Aspiring Academics’: the pilot, 2005-7 • 10 departments from six HEIs in Yorkshire and the North East of England • Programme design and delivery in collaboration with participating departments • Two-day residential workshop (winter) + one-day graduate conference (summer) p.a. for two years • Parallel discipline-specific sessions wherever possible • Free of charge to delegates • 85 participants, of whom +25% attended two or more events • Cf. 35 AHRC-funded doctoral students in YNE at the time • Very low attrition rate

  6. Typical programme: pilot Day 1 Day 2  • 1030 Welcome and Introduction • 1045 Research Methods and Trends • Philosophy, HPSTM – The Future of Philosophy (Dr Kathleen Lennon, Hull) • TRS, Biblical Studies – The Insider/Outsider Approach (Pauline Kollontai, York St John)   • 1200 Research in Context (Dr Matthew Eddy, Durham) • 1315 Lunch  • 1400 Building Your Bibliography (Dr James Wilson, HUMBUL)  • 1600 Delivering Effective Presentations (Dr Clare Saunders & Dr Darlene Bird, Subject Centre for PRS) • 0915 The Conference Scene • Philosophy, HPSTM – Mahlete-Tsige Getachew, York & Dr Jonathan Tallant, Leeds • TRS, Biblical Studies – Dawn Llewellyn, Lancaster • 1030 Converting a Conference Paper into an Article (Dr Hugh Pyper, Sheffield ) • 1145 Breaking in to the Publishing Racket (Professor Tom Baldwin, York & Professor Lester Grabbe, Hull) • 1315 Lunch • 1400 So I’ve Got a PhD… Now What? (Dr David Efird, York; Dr Jonathan Tallant, Leeds & Julie Gallimore, Subject Centre for PRS) • 1530 Discussion / Conclusion

  7. Evolution of ‘Aspiring Academics’, 2008-11 • Maintained (in response to feedback): • Subject focus • Contributions from recognised experts in the field • Opportunities for ‘networking’ • Free of charge to delegates • Changed: • One-day events only (to reduce costs) • Extended nationwide (to meet demand) • Topics extended to cover all aspects of academic life – research, learning & teaching, ‘service’/admin/management • 5 events with a total of 275 participants

  8. Typical programme: today • 11:00   Welcome and introduction • 11:20   Panel: Views of the 21st Century Academic Landscape • Winning an Academic Post: Getting on the Career Ladder (Jason Turner, Philosophy, Leeds) • The Role of the AHRC, Funding and the Impact Agenda (Shearer West, AHRC) • The Influence of the REF and Trends in Academia (Seán McLoughlin, TRS, Leeds) • Plenary discussion • 12:50   Lunch • 13:45   Getting Published as an Early-Career Scholar (Chris Renwick, History, York) • 14:20   Parallel workshops on teaching and curriculum design • Philosophy & HPS (Keith Crome, Philosophy, Manchester Met) • Theology & Religious Studies (Mel Prideaux, TRS, Leeds) • 15:20   Closing plenary: open surgery

  9. Programme findings and lessons learned

  10. Evaluation of pilot: ‘happy sheets’ • Satisfaction ratings consistently 90%+ • Strengths: • Discipline specificity • Expert input • Holistic approach to support • Weaknesses: • Discipline specificity • Expert input

  11. Evaluation of pilot: reflective • “A lot of things were said that we needed to hear, and hadn’t heard from anyone.” • “… this was an invaluable insight into what lies ahead. It should be mandatory for anyone considering a doctorate… I feel I am much better equipped and happier about the prospect.” • “Really helped to edify my thinking about how to approach academic development.” • “… I have learned a lot more from the Subject Centre courses than from any other training that I have been involved in…” … and from a Director of Graduate Studies: • “It helped [students] to think about their long-term goals and the ways in which their research fit in with their teaching”

  12. Evaluation of ‘Aspiring Academics’ today

  13. Lessons learned • Value of discipline focus • Relevance • Stakeholder ‘buy in’ • Genuine demand for professional development opportunities among early career academics • Growing popularity of Subject Centre programme • ‘Spin-off’ programmes for subject association conferences • Importance of addressing ‘unknown’ as well as ‘known’ needs • For participants – potential need/demand gap • For ‘provider’ - anticipating and addressing changes in the sector

  14. Preparing for the future

  15. Challenges and changes? • Maintaining/developing tailored and holistic provision • HEA restructuring • HEI capacity (esp. post-Roberts) • Changing role of Vitae? • Preparing early career academics for the future • Post-Browne – impact of tuition fees, NSS, KIS… • Changing research landscape – impact, collaboration, knowledge transfer, public engagement… • ‘Juggling’ – and making space for professional development amidst – these increasing demands

  16. Questions, comments…? Contact: Clare Saunders Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies E: clare@prs.heacademy.ac.uk T: 0113 343 1166 W: http://prs.heacademy.ac.uk Thank you for participating!

  17. References Becher, T, Henkel, M & Kogan, M (1994). Graduate Education in Britain. London & Bristol, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Saunders, C (2009). Developing researchers in the arts and humanities: lessons from a pilot programme. International Journal for Researcher Development, vol. 1:1, pp. 45-70. Saunders, C & Closs, J (2010). Discipline perspectives: philosophical and religious studies. Academy Exchange 9: The Postgraduate Student Experience, no. 9, pp. 18-20.

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