Doctoral supervision of multi-disciplinary practice based doctorates: an appreciative inquiry into best practice in their design, development and delivery Erasmus Project

Project Title

Doctoral supervision of multi-disciplinary practice based doctorates: an appreciative inquiry into best practice in their design, development and delivery

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Research and innovation

Project Summary

Background: Doctoral degrees are no longer simply a training ground for the next generation of academics. Different forms have evolved to encompass multi-and trans-disciplinary study by practitioners within their work context (Lester, 2004). The designation has also changed to include terms such as professional, industrial or practice-based PhDs or Doctorates (Fillery-Travis, 2012), called modern doctorates for the rest of this text. These developments are driven by the contribution to knowledge exchange these degrees make and how they facilitate innovation and growth within diverse sectors. But supervision of modern doctorates is currently not fully codified although it requires a number of capabilities (academic and professional) recognised as being beyond those needed for conventional PhD supervision such as advising and facilitation (Boud & Costley, 2007). Previous research on PhD programmes has largely focused on the competences required of candidates (Vitae, 2010) not of their supervisors. However without effective supervision, delivery of the full benefits of these degrees to the host/sponsoring organisation (and the progression and attainment of the candidates) will be compromised. This project identified best practice in the supervision of modern doctorates and codified it within a framework supported by appropriate resources (training workshop, handbook and social media) for European universities and companies to leverage the innovation and new knowledge these degrees can produce.
Objectives: In moving beyond the current state of the art the project objectives were to:
(1) Access best practice in the supervision/advising of modern doctorates:
(2) Identify the host/sponsoring organisation’s requirements from supervision (if any) and their contribution to it
(3) Develop a framework of practice (supported by training resources) suitable for modern doctorates
(4) Disseminate this best practice framework to all stakeholders
(5) Produce a sustainable impact on supervisory practice throughout the EU.
Consortium: The consortium consisted of 3 HEIs providing modern doctorates (.EdD, DProf, DBA) a research centre providing industrial PhDs and the research activity obtained input on the candidate’s perspective from EURODOC.
Project Activity: All of these objectives have been met through an Appreciative Inquiry(AI) (Cooperrider, Whitney, Stavros, & Fry, 2008) to gather and analyse the rich stories of emerging supervisory practice in the field and the challenges/dilemmas faced by stakeholders (using the Discovery and Dream Stages of AI). The stories, perceptions and practice examples were collected and analysed using thematic analysis (Guest, 2012) in terms of opportunities and barriers to learning and how these have been addressed within supervisory practice. These themes were collated within a practice framework using the meta-model approach of Lane & Corrie, 2006 (Design Stage). The resulting framework of practice is the major output of the project and has been disseminated through a number of routes: workshops across Europe, a website containing all resources including explanatory webinar, a special edition of the journal Studies in Higher Education and conference presentations at the international conference on professional and practice based doctorates.
Impact: The impact of the project at national level for candidates is on progression as supervision practice facilitates their studies more appropriately and corresponding completion rates should improve. Overall there is now an evidence base for the doctoral journey for these candidates and that will manage expectations of their study and hence their overall satisfaction with their degree. An evidenced-based framework for supervision will lower the perceived barriers for development of these programme across the sector and drive growth in the area for the benefit of all stakeholders. Specifically the framework will enable HEIs to enter a market of industry/academic collaboration with an evidence based practice guide. This will enhance the capacity to leverage the full impact of such work both for the sponsoring organisation and the academic.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 138850,25 Eur

Project Coordinator

MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATION & Country: UK

Project Partners

• THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN
• UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT
• FONDAZIONE ADAPT
• European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers