Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash
The last couple of weeks have seen a group of talented and ambitious students start their doctoral journey in our school here at the University of Birmingham on the Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Science. It’s always a privilege to welcome new researchers into the programme. The individuals that enrol come from a range of professional backgrounds where they all in their own way impact their organisations and those around them. These experiences enable them all to bring individual perspectives, experiences, and aspirations to the course which enrich the experience both for other students and us as staff. These differences do, however, also create the unique challenges that can accompany doctoral study. Its not easy to work at this level (though I believe that the majority of people can do it with the right motivation and support) and the test is even greater when the learning takes place against a background of high professional work demand.
Ahead of this year we have been working hard behind the scenes to actively redevelop some of the support systems around the programme. The aim of these changes is simple but significant: to better help students manage the demands of doctoral study. Doctoral study is a unique academic experience in my view. It requires not only academic rigour but also resilience, independence, and the ability to navigate ambiguity and uncertainty at certain periods. For many, it’s the first time they’ve had to really define their own path, set their own goals, and manage their own progress in a learning environment. This shift from taught modules and clear deadlines that are seen on most academic programmes to more open-ended inquiry and direction can be initially daunting. Our thinking is that if we can guide them through the transition from a structured learning environment to one that is more flexible and self-directed in the initial stages of the programme more effectively we will build a better platform for them to deal with the uncertainty that will lie ahead as they develop new skills and knowledge for their independent research projects.
Having worked on these programmes for nearly 10 years now I am personally really interested to see how these new approaches work in practice. I want to understand what helps, what doesn’t, and how we can keep improving. Despite reflecting on numerous students across numerous intakes I am not sure that I am that much closer to understanding the best way to create an environment that works for everyone. In a lot of ways though this is one of the key things that maintains my interest and excitement in this aspect of my job. Can the changes that we make move us closer to a system that works for a bigger majority of students and what do these insights tell me about the underlying things that might underpin success in developing researching professionals. Perhaps I’ll just continue to add to my hypothesis that successful support in these situations requires highly bespoke strategies that embrace the group not just as researchers, but as people who will inevitably experience a wide range of ups and downs on their journey that are often unpredictable both in their nature and their timing. This relates I guess to my view that ultimately, doctoral study isn’t just about producing a thesis. It’s about growth, discovery, and learning about yourself as much as research methods! If we can build a programme that nurtures that, as well as the main technical research competencies then we’re doing something right.
B.Drust@bham.ac.uk