Featured Article: Anderson and Gold’s ​‘The Value of the Research Doctorate: A Conceptual Examination’

What do we actually mean when we say that a doctorate is valuable, and who gets to define that value?

The authors explore how doctoral value is understood and articulated, identifying differences between the perspectives of our supervisors and the accounts of value found in doctoral theses. While supervisors have a tendency to emphasise the generation of knowledge, doctoral researchers also articulate contributions to professional practice and organisational development. 

The article provides a useful starting point for looking beyond conventional measures of doctoral success, reflecting on whose perspectives inform that recognition and what might also be overlooked.