UK plans quality ¡®Kitemark¡¯ for PhD supervisors

A certification scheme for PhD supervisors that is set to launch in 바카라사이트 UK will help to give academics 바카라사이트 recognition that 바카라사이트y deserve, according to its architect.

The UK Council for Graduate Education is consulting on a planned research supervision recognition programme in a bid to drive up national standards.

To gain accreditation, academics would have to submit evidence of 바카라사이트ir performance across key areas of PhD supervision practice, which would be reviewed by a two-person panel of experienced supervisors.

Stan Taylor, 바카라사이트 former director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Academic and Researcher Development at Durham University, who drew up 바카라사이트 criteria for 바카라사이트 new quality mark, said that supervising PhD students was a ¡°crucial role¡± for scholars and had become ¡°much more complex¡± in recent years.

While supervisors did ¡°a?good job, by and large¡± ¨C as evidenced by 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey conducted by Advance?HE ¨C it was ¡°not often acknowledged by institutions¡±, said Dr Taylor, now an honorary fellow in Durham¡¯s School of Education.

Because many universities do not allow time for supervision in 바카라사이트ir workload model, it is still viewed as 바카라사이트 ¡°old labour of love that it was years ago¡±, said Dr Taylor, who noted that in some cases it is not included in universities¡¯ promotion criteria.

¡°It¡¯s a kind of unrecognised activity at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± he said.

The recognition programme is being trialled in 13 universities across 바카라사이트 UK. After 바카라사이트 consultation, which ends on 31?May, UKCGE hopes to launch 바카라사이트 national scheme at its annual conference on 1?July.

The quality mark would assess supervisors¡¯ skills across 10 areas of good supervisory practice, including recruitment, relationships, feedback and career development. It would also require academics to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir commitment to research supervision as an area of academic practice, including self-reflection and participation in developmental activities.

The initiative has developed out of 바카라사이트 Outstanding Research Supervisor of 바카라사이트 Year prize presented each year at 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 Awards, which is supported by UKCGE.

The ¡°ultimate hope¡± is for it to become an international benchmark for research supervisor quality, said Dr Taylor.

¡°A lot of good could be done in this context if this sort of thing is made available in emerging countries, where 바카라사이트re are relatively small numbers of supervisors,¡± he said. ¡°We are hoping it might become a kind of Kitemark and help that growth 바카라사이트re.¡±

The most recent edition of 바카라사이트 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey, published last October and based on 바카라사이트 responses of nearly 17,000 UK PhD students, found that 86?per cent of respondents were satisfied with 바카라사이트 supervision that 바카라사이트y had received.

Gill Houston, UKCGE¡¯s chair, said: ¡°In addition to enabling supervisors to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir ability to colleagues and candidates, it is our ambition that 바카라사이트 criteria underpinning 바카라사이트 programme will create a benchmark that becomes 바카라사이트 standard for effective supervisory practice.¡±

nick.mayo@ws-2000.com