Aspiring Academics Supporting humanities postgraduate students and early

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

Aspiring Academics – a (very) brief history

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 • 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) Day 2 • 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 Ph. D… 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 21 st 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 Mc. Loughlin, 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

Programme findings and lessons learned

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

Preparing for the future

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.