Background:
Over recent years there has been an evaluation and redesign of doctoral education in Ireland, which has taken place within the broader European context. The goal of this was to develop Irish doctoral education in order to attract more international applicants and to produce graduates with the skills necessary to develop and manage their careers across a broad range of employment sectors, including academia.
In 2008, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) 4 th Level Network produced a statement entitled
PhD Graduates’ Skills, which describes the desired learning outcomes and skills that doctoral students should develop during their studies, both through their research and additional taught modules, courses and master classes. Individual universities responded by providing students with a range of such training options to complement the students’ research and enhance their skills development. These training options, known as Graduate Training Elements (GTEs), were first offered to DCU doctoral students in 2009/10. While some universities in Ireland have made it compulsory for all doctoral students to take a minimum number of credits, the situation is mixed across DCU.
GTEs currently on offer in DCU include a range of modules, courses and classes developed and delivered by DCU and by institutions within the wider Dublin Regional Higher Education Alliance
(DRHEA). Doctoral students undertaking multi-institutional structured programmes can also avail of specific training options provided by institutions within the national 4 th Level Network. While the training itself is largely developed and run within Faculties, the Graduate Studies Office is continuing to work with Registry, Faculties and IUA colleagues to adopt and implement best practice for the operationalisation of structured graduate training, both within DCU and interinstitutionally.
Within DCU, each Faculty (FSH, FHSS, DCUBS, FEC) offers a suite of GTEs to its students, which includes both discipline-specific and generic training modules. The suite of Faculty GTEs are reviewed on an annual basis and communicated to students at the beginning of the academic year. Before registering for any GTE, students must first secure the approval of their supervisor.
Supervisors therefore need to be aware of the modules on offer to their student(s), and also of the student’s individual training needs. The current list of a Faculty’s GTEs can be accessed on the Graduate Studies Office website: http://www4.dcu.ie/graduatestudies/training.shtml
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The new Academic Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees and Theses for 2011/12 state that “All candidates who wish to pursue a research degree in DCU will undertake a training needs analysis
and maintain a Personal Development Plan (PDP).” In order that students can identify what additional training would be of benefit, it is important to regularly review areas that require development.
To assist in this process, we have reproduced below the IUA’s PhD Graduates’ Skills list (learning outcomes for doctoral students) as a proposed tool. It is not an exhaustive list, and relevance of any aspect to a student will vary depending upon their current year of study, their past educational achievements, experiential learning, disciplinary and professional development needs. Likewise, while some training needs may be identified now, the optimal time to address these should also be borne in mind e.g. a student may be entering the first year of their PhD and therefore lacking in commercial know-how, but it may be more beneficial to them to undertake training in Intellectual Property & Commercialisation later their studies. Other useful tools for formulating a student’s Personal Development Plan is the ‘SMART’ (Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic, Timely) system for goal setting, and the ‘MID’ (Maintenance, Improvement,
Developmental) categorisation of goals. More information on this, and how to assist students in planning their personal and professional development, is delivered as part of the DCU HR
Supervisor Training Programme.
Students and supervisors should also make themselves familiar with the total number of credits allowed for graduate training, based on the student’s particular programme, as stated in the
Academic Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees and Theses.
Research skills and awareness: Level of
competence?
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
 exhibit knowledge of advances and developments in their field
 demonstrate knowledge of research in related fields and disciplines
 comprehend and effectively employ appropriate research methodologies
 critically analyse and synthesise new and complex information from diverse sources
 formulate and apply solutions to research problems and effectively interpret research results
 exercise critical judgement and thinking to create new ways of understanding
 demonstrate, where appropriate, a knowledge of health and safety procedures and their application in the research environment
 have a broad awareness and knowledge of key relevant funding sources and grant application procedures
 appreciate basic principles of project and time management
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Personal effectiveness/development: Level of
competence?
 operate in an independent and self-directed manner, showing initiative to accomplish clearly defined goals
 appreciate key rhetorical skills, including how to persuade others of a viewpoint’s merits, demonstrating and communicating credible suggestions to achieve one’s aims
 appreciate the importance of initiating new projects, proactively reacting to newly identified needs or aiming to resolve persistent problems
 ability to handle difficulties in research or other professional activities in an appropriate way
 critically reflect on experiences and act on such in a cycle of self-improvement
Ethics and social understanding: Level of
competence?
 understand, and apply in their research, principles of ethical conduct of research, including avoidance of plagiarism, allocation of credit and authorship and definitions of research misconduct
 understand the relevance of research in society and the potential impact of research on individuals, groups and society
 where applicable, understand and apply the relevant guidelines for the ethical conduct of research involving people, human tissue and animals
Communication skills: Level of
competence?
 demonstrate effective writing and publishing skills
 effectively use and decide on appropriate forms and levels of communication
 communicate and explain research to diverse audiences, including both specialist and non-specialist
 teach and support the learning of undergraduate students when involved in teaching and demonstrating
Team-working and leadership:
 develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues
 work in a collaborative environment
 demonstrate awareness of their own working style, that of others, and how they interact
 understand how to acknowledge others’ views, with a willingness to reflect on and critically appraise them
 understand leadership in team environments, recognising the strengths of team members and work effectively to achieve mutual goals
Level of
competence?
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
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Career management:
 demonstrate an awareness of transferable skills and their applicability to both academic and non-academic positions and how they are applied in different circumstances
 take ownership of their own career management, forming credible career plans
 initiate and sustain networks and relationships that may encourage opportunities for employment
 present themselves and their skills, attributes, experiences and qualifications, through effective job applications, CVs and interviews
 understand the broadest possible range of their employment opportunities
Entrepreneurship & innovation:
Level of
competence?
Level of
competence?
 understand the role of innovation and creativity in research
 demonstrate an awareness and understanding of intellectual property issues, appreciate and, where appropriate, contribute to knowledge exchange
 appreciate the skills required for the development of entrepreneurial enterprises in the public and private sectors
 understand different cultural environments, including the business world, and the contribution that knowledge transfer can make to society
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
Training need
identified?
Training
opportunity?
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