We are in the middle of an experiment

Professor Mick Fuller, UKCGE Chair drew a close to proceedings at the council’s 2nd International Conference in Developments in Doctoral Education and Training (ICDDET) by concluding that the sector is in the middle of an experiment’ where, due to funding arrangements, structured PhDs are guiding practice within institutions. 

We are in the middle of an experiment

The councils chair then went onto question whether structured PhD programmes are actually delivering for universities, but more importantly for the students?’.

The conference which was held at the Examination Schools at the University of Oxford on the 30th and 31st March 2015 attracted nearly 150 delegates from all over the world and was kindly supported by Epigeum.

Summarising the event Professor Mick Fuller said;

For me it has been a really interesting and vibrant conference that has seen some outstanding contributions that particularly celebrate the diversity that is out there with respect to delivery and institutional practice of doctoral education.

Over the coming few weeks, the ICDDET organising committee will be putting forward an Oxford Statement developed directly from presentations and discussions made at the conference.

Professor Fuller said,

We hope that delegates and council supporters will buy into the statement, as sometimes these things have great resonance such as the Dublin Descriptors and Salzburg Principles, both made at a significant conferences like this one.

Dr Douglas Halliday, Conference Chair said,

““ICDDET2 proved to be one of the largest and most successful conferences organised by the UK Council for Graduate Education with 140 delegates from 14 countries considering over 110 conference papers. The conference learned of numerous exciting and innovative approaches to supporting doctoral candidates in many countries.

This confirms the doctorate as an internationally recognised qualification with significant common ground and shared understanding amongst conference delegates. The UK Council for Graduate Education is delighted to be able to provide an international forum for delegates to share good practice, identify common themes, and develop new approaches. Given the success of the Oxford meeting, initial discussions have already started regarding the next conference in two year’s time.”