Annual Conference 2025 — The Hidden Lives of PGRs
For the first time, the UKCGE Annual Conference will feature a pre-cursor event by-PGRs-for-PGRs which will highlight the hidden learning inherent in the doctorate, and support the sharing of valuable ‘on the job’ insights from PGRS from HEIs across the country
Accessing the ‘Hidden Curriculum’ (unwritten rules, or implicit learning) for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) is essential to their success – particularly for those with experiences which may be seen to be atypical, e.g. those who are carers, care-experienced, international, part-time, doing professional doctorates, taking parental leave, etc. This one-day event is designed to help surface some of those invisible processes?
The formal curriculum, the doctoral structure and phases, planned learning mechanisms, length of study, rules and regulations for progression, and various support provisions within and beyond the university are by and large explicit. […] By contrast, the ‘hidden curriculum’ lacks all of these— no structure or phases, no plan, no length of time involved […] nothing is explicit. If discovered, the hidden curriculum can make a qualitative difference to doctoral researchers’ experience—for both the ‘process’ and the final ‘product’. – Eliot, et. al., The Hidden Curriculum in Doctoral Education (2020), p.9.
Have you ever wondered any of the following: how do you navigate the inter-personal relationship with your supervisory team? Wat is required for PhD success? How do you make the most of you first conference? How do you decide which development opportunities will really support your career? How do you find meaningful community, or track down and access the support you need? How do you deal with uncertainty, unexpected complexity and change. How do you develop a professional identity as a researcher? How do you handle the emotional challenges inherent to doing research?
If so, then join us for this special one-day symposium by-PGRs-for-PGRs which sets out to explore potential answers to this question and more. The day will be structured around cross-disciplinary presentations and workshops, hearing from final year PGRs who will present their experiences and reflections on the hidden lives of PGRs.
The intention for the day is to explore and examine how PGRs can be empowered to access the hidden curriculum and use it to their advantage. It is a chance for PGRs to connect and reflect on the complex and unique, yet shared, lived experience of this career stage. This is a new addition to the UKCGE annual conference, which recognises the power of peer-to-peer sharing of those in graduate education, as well as for those who support it.
This event is a pre-cursor to the UKCGE Annual Conference, details of which can be found here.
Bookings
PGRS may book to attend this event below. Tickets may be purchased The Hidden Lives of PGRS event only, or a combined ticket with the UKCGE Annual Conference.
Full details about the Annual Conference, including how to book tickets solely for the conference, can be found by clicking here.
Programme
Download as PDFRegistration with Coffee
Welcome & Introduction
Dr Cole Collins, Researcher Developer, University of Glasgow
Session 1: Practicalities
Session Chair: Silvia Renon
Featuring the following presentations.
Comfort Break
Session 2: Journeys
Session Chair: Sumayya Usmani
Featuring the following presentations.
Lunch
Keynote: “Harnessing the Hidden Curriculum: Reflecting on, Searching for & Co-creating Pedagogical Spaces in Doctoral Education”
Dr Dely Elliot, Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow
Comfort Break
Workshop: Mapping our influences: Understanding how our educational cultures shape our writing
Dr Rachel Lyon, Researcher Development Specialist in English as an Additional Language
Closing Remarks
Dr Mary Beth Kneafsey, Head of Research Governance, Policy & Integrity