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Hi all.


I made a couple of postings on this site back in August about a review which is currently underway on higher education.


One of the issues being reviewed is 'research careers'.


Some of you replied at the time with some interesting comments so I thought I'd let you know about a report which has just been published on the issue as a part of the same review.


The report and its executive summary can be found at: http://hedebate.jiscinvolve.org/research-careers/


I'm interested in hearing what you think about the recommendations outlined in this report and whether or not they tally with your experience?


For example. Paragraph viii of the executive summary states "The review concludes that the current system is working reasonably well. Thus it does not propose a complete overhaul...".


I think that it is important that students like you who might be about to embark on a research career or are in the early stages of or are established in a research career should also have your views fed into the mix. Your views are as important as anyone else's.


You can let me know what your thoughts are on this either by replying to this post or by going to the blog we have running on this issue (also at the above link) and leaving a reply.


Thanks.


Vincent.

Hi Vincent,

Your link doesn't work, so I can't comment.

As for the paragraph you mention, I would disagree with this statement insofar as it reflects on how PhD programmes operate in this country.

Out of interest, what impact will this review have on future policy? I ask because I wonder if gauging doctoral researchers' opinions from blog replies/forums isn't necessarily going to reflect the full picture of the problems facing researchers.

Will researchers be offered a more formalised avenue to input their views at some point?

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Hi.



Sorry about that.



Links have changed.



Try this link: http://hedebate.jiscinvolve.org/research-careers/



Thanks for pointing that out.



Vincent

Hi Missspacey.

To reply in a little more detail to your other questions.

This review is intended to ensure that HE in the UK in 10 to 15 years time has maintained its world class edge. To achieve this some forward thinking is required to identify potential challenges and what responses might be appropriate to them.

The idea behind using social media as a method of communicating is very much to try and reach out and engage with interested persons who might not otherwise get involved.

It is true that blog replies/forums perhaps will not reflect the full picture of problems. No single method of consultation will result in a full picture. Blog replies/forums such as these are a means of highlighting issues of concern which will be fed into the review along with other viewpoints.

A framework policy is the expected outcome of this ongoing debate. This framework policy will be consulted on in due course in more formalised, traditional ways. The dialogue which this blog/forum is a part of however represents an opportunity to provide your views and influence the formation of that framework policy. When it comes time to utilise more formalised avenues it will be on a nearly finalised framework.

http://hedebate.jiscinvolve.org/research-careers/

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Thanks for the info. Vincent.

I'll certainly have a look at that report (and probably write something directly on the blog). Unfortunately, I can't read it right now as I have a looming deadline.

Have you sought opinions from the National Postgraduate Committee (http://www.npc.org.uk/)? They are quite active about PG issues.