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Graduates for the 21 st Century - Perspective from Research

Graduates for the 21 st Century - Perspective from Research. Ian Diamond RCUK. Outline. RCUK position Subjects/numbers etc Expectations of research students What Do Researchers Do?. Developing the Research Workforce. RCUK aims to promote: Flexible and dynamic research base

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Graduates for the 21 st Century - Perspective from Research

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  1. Graduates for the 21st Century- Perspective from Research Ian Diamond RCUK

  2. Outline • RCUK position • Subjects/numbers etc • Expectations of research students • What Do Researchers Do?

  3. Developing the Research Workforce RCUK aims to promote: • Flexible and dynamic research base • Strength in all key disciplines • Responsive to new knowledge, new technologies and new strategic economic and social needs Next generation of world-class researchers essential to all the above

  4. Demonstrating Benefits RCUK committed to: • Research Excellence • UK attractive for research and research training • Globally competitive research base • Highly innovative and effective business, policy and infrastructure, of benefit to UK • Excellent evidence base • Evidence of impact • Evidence informs policy and planning within institutions and nationally

  5. Destinations of UK Graduates • ~1/4 of 2004/05 full-time leavers with 1st class honours degrees were undertaking further study 3.5 years later • 37% doctorates subsequently employed in Higher Education sector • 35% went into research roles (across all sectors) • Most were using both research and generic skills at +3.5 years

  6. Overall trends in PhDs • Numbers up • UK domiciled broadly constant  proportion UK down

  7. RCUK Research Studentships • Around quarter of whole • Guidelines can (should) have an influence beyond that quarter

  8. RCUK PhD and PostDoc Strategy • Fund Best • Flexibility to Universities through DTAs and DTCs • Retain strategic focus to protect health of disciplines

  9. Demand for Postgraduate Researchers –some cross cutting issues • Mathematics, statistics and use of these in a range of disciplines including social sciences, environmental sciences, medical sciences • In vivo sciences • Languages/language based area studies • Hybrid skills and translational research • Economics (health economics, macroeconomics)

  10. Expectations of a ResearcherESRC Guidelines I • Comprehension of research design and strategy • Competence in understanding and applying a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods • Capabilities for managing research –including data, conducting and disseminating research • Understanding the significance of alternative epistemologies

  11. Expectations of a ResearcherESRC Guidelines II • Bibliographic and Computing Skills • Teaching and other work experience • Internships • Language Skills • Ethical and Legal Issues • Engaging with Users and Maximisation of Impact • IPR

  12. Expectations of a ResearcherESRC Guidelines III -Transferable Skills • Communication, Networking and Dissemination Skills • Leadership, Research Management and Relationship Management Skills • Personal Career Development

  13. Expectations of a Researcher - RCUK Joint Skills Statement • Research skills and techniques; environment; management • Personal effectiveness (eg innovative, flexible, motivated, thorough) • Communication skills (eg articulating ideas to range of audiences) • Networking and teamworking • Career management (eg ownership for career progression, insight into transferable nature of research skills)

  14. Graduates for the Research Base I • Postgraduate study is too late to start • Research attributes need to be integrated fully into undergraduate courses => departmental commitment • Methodology • Skills • Research attributes are not incompatible with employer needs • Research attributes are not incompatible with professional accreditation – engineering and built environment enhancement report

  15. Graduates for the Research Base II Multidisciplinarity • At the boundaries of the disciplines of the participating team or in the heart of one discipline. • It does not need to break new theoretical ground in all of the disciplines taking part. • It does need to be at (or near) the cutting edge of all disciplines taking part.

  16. RCUK Programmes • Energy • Living with Environmental Change • Lifelong Health and Well-being • Global Uncertainties • Resilient Economies • Connected Communities • Food Security

  17. ‘World Leading’ Interdisciplinary Research • Undertaken by ‘world leading’ social scientists working collaboratively and bravely outside their disciplines. • This needs: • Strong formal knowledge • An open mind • Time

  18. Promoting postgraduate researchers for multidisciplinarity • Undergraduate degrees need breadth as well as monodisciplinary excellence • Increasing examples eg Aberdeen

  19. What does enhancement provide? • Enthusiasm for research? • More engagement with research and research outcomes? • More informed society • Willing to enter into dialogue about issues facing research? • Better able to source and make use of research in subsequent employment?

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