Developing professional researchers: research students’ graduate attributes

Manathunga, Catherine; Lant, Paul; Mellick, George D.

doi:10.1080/01580370601146270

Cited by 29 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…If, as a society, we want to benefit from the research knowledge and skills of higher degree by research graduates, then we need approaches to research education that are neither reductive nor instrumental. An instrumental, reductive view of generic capabilities development is necessarily detrimental to efforts to address skilful research practice (Barnacle, 2004;; Bowden et al, 2000;; Manathunga, Lant & Mellick, 2007;; Pearson & Brew, 2002). Given the diversity of researcher career pathways, it is particularly important that a contribution to knowledge and practice be recognised both within and beyond the production of scientific knowledge.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research degrees as professional education?

Barnacle

Dall’Alba

2010

Studies in Higher Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:There is an increasing trend within higher education and, more specifically, in higher degrees by research, to treat a professional skills set as a desirable graduate outcome. The increasing value that is being placed on a professional skills set in large part reflects growing interest around the world in the role of research degrees in labour markets and economic prosperity. Some have seen this shift as an opportunity to re-situate higher degrees by research as a form of professional education in the practices of research and scholarship. This raises a number of important issues for research education, which we aim to identify in this article. While a range of scholars has previously noted several of these issues, we draw together key issues for interrogating the notion of research degrees as a form of professional education. In doing so, we point to ambiguities in expectations about what is produced through higher degrees by research programs.Some university programs have a relatively long history of being perceived as professional degrees by virtue of their discipline, such as medicine, architecture and law. Increasingly, however, graduates of all university degrees are seen as possessing a professional skill set when compared with others, such as those in trades. This trend is also evident in higher degrees by research. The increasing value being placed on a professional skills set in large part reflects growing interest around the world in the role of research degrees in labour markets and economic prosperity (Chambaz, 2008;; Department of Education, Science and Training, 2003;; Roberts, 2002). So-called generic skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, lifelong learning, intercultural understanding, entrepreneurship and leadership, are often deemed necessary to professionals and are considered favourable to the needs of a globalised knowledge-based economy. Scholars such as Margot Pearson have seen this shift as an opportunity to re-situate higher degrees by research as a form of professional education in the practices of research and scholarship, with the aim of assisting candidates to become "…autonomous professional practitioners for the future " (1996: 304). This raises a number of important issues for research education, which we aim to identify in this article. These issues include questions concerning what constitutes a profession, the status of professional knowledge, the role of generic skills in the higher degrees by research curriculum, the value and potential contribution of the research degree, diversity in researcher careers, and how to re-engage with the practice of research. While a range of scholars has previously noted several of these issues, as we acknowledge below, we aim to draw together key issues for interrogating the notion of research degrees as a form of professional education. Our analysis of knowledge generation will draw primarily on the work of scholars such as Donald Schön to address how higher degrees by research candidates learn to engage in r...

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research degrees as professional education?

Barnacle

Dall’Alba

2010

Studies in Higher Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Such strategy creates problems when later on one has to seek employment outside academia (Manathunga, Lant & Mellick, 2007). Some disciplines (e.g., humanities, social sciences) are further removed than others (sciences, applied sciences,…) from the non-academic labour market and industry in particular.…”

Section: The Skills Mismatchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The aspirations to work in specific non-academic labour markets is expected to vary according to field of study (Becher & Trowler, 2001;Manathunga et al, 2007) and phase of doctorate (Delamont et al, 2000).…”

Section: The Skills Mismatchmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Academia to Industry: Are Doctorate Holders Ready?

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract.In policy debates related to innovation potential, the limited mobility from academia to industry is often explained by the supposed mismatch of skills needed in these different settings. We contribute to this debate by (1) examining the attitudes of Flemish doctoral candidates towards careers in industry; and (2) by analysing the extent to which doctoral candidates and employers in industry in Flanders differ in their views on the skills needed to perform well in this sector. We combined survey data with qualitative research. The Survey of Junior Researchers provides information on the doctoral candidates' perspective on these matters, whereas the Research & Development Survey of Flemish companies reflects the employers' views. Additional data obtained through interviews with both doctorate holders and employers provide a more in depth understanding of the transition from academia to industry. A mismatch between what doctoral candidates consider important skills for a job in industry, and what employers expect from researchers is observed. The importance of technical skills and more transferable competencies such as project management and business skills are underestimated by doctoral candidates. The findings raise questions on the awareness among doctoral candidates of the skills needed for a career outside academia. Addressing possible negative attitudes, and providing adequate training and career planning could improve their preparation for work in non-academic settings, confirming findings in other countries that institutional programmes have a role to play in bridging the gap between employers' expectations and those of doctoral candidates.

show abstract

“…Whilst there is certainly a growing research-informed body of literature relating to research and researchers, and the interaction between the two (e.g. Åkerlind 2008; Coleridge et al 2004;Drnach 2002;Fairweather 2002;Fox 1992;Fox and Mohapatra 2007;Hemming et al 2007;Manathunga et al 2007;McGrail et al 2006;Rath 2009;Wimsatt et al 2009), we know relatively little about how researchers (particularly academics as researchers) conduct their work and what attitudes they hold towards it, and about the nature of their development and the process(es) whereby it occurs. Moreover, research emanating from Europe, and relating to European contexts, is under-represented.…”

Section: Understanding Researcher Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing the Quality of Research in Europe: Theoretical Perspectives on and Guiding Principles for Researcher Development

Evans

2015

The European Higher Education Area

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Developing professional researchers: research students’ graduate attributes

Cited by 29 publications

References 21 publications

Research degrees as professional education?

Research degrees as professional education?

From Academia to Industry: Are Doctorate Holders Ready?

Enhancing the Quality of Research in Europe: Theoretical Perspectives on and Guiding Principles for Researcher Development

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About