Professional Doctorates in the UK and Ireland: Trends, Provision and Institutional Strategies
Professional doctorates have occupied an important, if at times contested, place within doctoral education over the last 30 years. Despite sustained interest from some universities, employers and professional communities, there has been relatively little sector-level evidence to help us understand their current position, purpose and future potential across the UK and Ireland. This report provides a valuable contribution to that conversation.
Context
Drawing on institutional data and perspectives from across the UK and Irish Higher Education sectors, it offers fresh insight into patterns of provision, recruitment trends, strategic ambitions, barriers to growth and the opportunities that professional doctorates present. It paints a picture of a landscape that is diverse and complex, characterised by uncertainty around funding, positioning and long-term sustainability.
The future of doctoral education is unlikely to be defined by a single model. Instead, it will depend upon our ability to recognise, value and support multiple routes through which doctoral-level knowledge, skills and impact can be developed. This report makes an important contribution to that discussion and provides a timely evidence base to inform future policy, institutional strategy and sector-wide debate.
Acknowledgements
The authors would particularly like to thank the Higher Education institutions across the UK and Ireland who gave their time and insights in responding to the survey. The authors extend sincere thanks to: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in the United Kingdom and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland for the national statistics used in this report; Professor Stan Taylor for giving his time to support the correlation of desk-based research on the professional doctorate provision across the UK and Ireland; Dr Owen Gower for his review, comments and editorial input into the final draft of this report; Dr Rebekah Smith McGloin, Professor Tina Ramkalawan and Dr James Bruce for their considered comments and suggestion in the final review of this report prior to publication; colleagues at the University Alliance and the UK Council for Graduate Education in reviewing various iterations of this report, providing valued feedback.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to Dr Rebekah Smith McGloin, Chair of the UK Council for Graduate Education and Professor Jane Harrington, Chair of University Alliance for taking the time to read the report and for providing a considered and thoughtful Foreword. Finally, thank you to the members of the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) and University Alliance (UA) and non-members from across the UK and Ireland for contributing to the institutional survey responses and for engaging freely in discussions at network meetings and events over the past year, all of which fed into the production of this report.