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
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 laisserfaire 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
‘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
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
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
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
Evaluation of pilot: ‘happy sheets’
• Satisfaction ratings consistently 90%+
• Strengths:
▫ Discipline specificity
▫ Expert input
▫ Holistic approach to support
• Weaknesses:
▫ Discipline specificity
▫ Expert input
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”
Evaluation of ‘Aspiring Academics’ today
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
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
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!
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.