Call for Expression of Interest: DDoGS Network Co-Chair

The UK Council for Graduate Education is seeking a Co-Chair for the Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools Network. Read more about the role and how to apply. 

Call for Expression of Interest: DDoGS Network Co-Chair

The UK Council for Graduate Education is seeking a Co-Chair for the Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools Network. The successful applicant will have wide-ranging knowledge of postgraduate education and the challenges facing Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools, Doctoral Colleges, Doctoral Training Partnerships and Centres for Doctoral Training.

Nominees should have an awareness of the issues facing the provision of postgraduate education and research and be able to advise on how the UKCGE DDoGS Network can help to support the development of best practice in the light of future developments in the postgraduate sector.

What Being Co-Chair of the Deans And Directors of Graduate Schools Network Involves

The Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools Network meets a minimum of 2 times a year—once for a residential meeting, and once at a Symposium during the UKCGE Annual Conference. This requires the Co-Chair of the Network to be willing to design, plan and facilitate these meetings, which may also take place at the Co-Chair’s own institution.

The Co-Chair of the Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools Network can, therefore, expect to spend at least 6 days per year in planning and hosting Network meetings, and in writing content for the DDoGS Newsletter.

The Co-Chair is expected to make reports to the UKCGE board, to help inform the strategic direction of the Council more broadly.

About Our Professional Networks

The UK Council for Graduate Education’s Professional Networks are central to our claim to be the voice of the postgraduate community” and help us to deliver our ethos of being a charity driven by the sector for the benefit of the sector.

The UKCGE currently runs three Professional Networks: for Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools; for Graduate School Managers; and for Research Supervisors. Each Professional Network is Chaired or Co-Chaired by members of the relevant professional role.

The role of the Professional Networks is to identify current challenges facing their roles and to develop a community of practice in which solutions and effective practices can be shared across institutions. In addition to running annual network meetings, they commission surveys and research which is designed and written through collaborative partnerships from among our membership.

Current and Future Priorities for the UKCGE DDoGS Network

The next meeting of the DDoGs Network is a seminar on the 20th March 2020 at King’s Manor, York. Participants at the seminar will be invited to discuss the challenges they may face at their institutions. 

The person appointed will work alongside Professor Tom Stoneham, Dean of the York Graduate School who is leading the seminar in York, and will be expected to assist with the planning and delivery of this event and should be available to participate.

The DDoGs Network is planning a second meeting at the Annual Conference in July 2020, the theme for which has yet to be decided. 

How to Submit Your Expression of Interest

To submit your expression of interest:

1. Provide a brief biographical note, of no more than 250 words, on your career in postgraduate education.

2. State how you would input into the range of activities undertaken by the Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools Network, and what you consider to be current priorities for DDoGS.

3. Email your expression of interest to: owen.gower@ukcge.ac.uk

A shortlist of 4 expressions of interest will be presented to the UKCGE Executive Committee, who will make the final decision on who is appointed.

Nominations close on Thursday 5th March 2020.

About the UK Council For Graduate Education

The UK Council for Graduate Education is a vibrant and engaged membership community of higher education institutions committed to excellence in postgraduate education. 

The Council was founded in 1994 with a mission to foster inter-institutional collaboration on the development of postgraduate education.