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Preparing for a research career in business. Tony Donohoe, Head of Education Policy. PhDs and Masters enrolments, 2005-2010. PhD graduates from universities and IOTs. Higher education researchers, 2004-2009. First destination of graduates by sector (%). Contrasting views.
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Preparing for a research career in business Tony Donohoe, Head of Education Policy
Contrasting views ‘The training of PHD is too narrow, too campus-centred and too long. Furthermore, many have much too narrow a set of personal and career expectations. Most do not know what it is they know that is of most value’. John Armstrong, ‘Rethinking the PhD’ ‘The core component of doctoral training is the advancement of knowledge through original research. At the same time it is recognised that doctoral training must increasingly meet the needs of an employment market that is wider than academia’ Salzburg Principles ‘… expert in their discipline, but with a thorough understanding of how innovation can rapidly convert knowledge, ideas and inventions into products, services and policies for economic and social benefit’. Trinity-UCD Innovation Academy
Talent fishers Trawlers Researchers are simply caught up in the net of employers who recruit to meet more general requirements. Spearfishers Employers who seek recruits with specific capabilities to fill specific job roles Source: CIHE Graduate Review
Talent fishing Anglers Employers may prefer researchers/ postgraduates because they are expected to have a distinct advantage over a first degree graduate for a particular role or function and because they are more mature and can contribute more quickly to the business. Harvesters Employers may use multiple means of attracting and retaining talent for different parts of the business. These often hire specialists into research roles, but generalists into finance, HR, and other professional functions.
Invest in employability skills • Research skills awareness • Ethics and social understanding • Communication skills • Personal effectiveness/ development • Team-working/leadership • Career management • Entrepreneurship and innovation
Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework Further information: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/
Learn a language • Globalisation • 75% of world’s population does not speak English • End of US global economic dominance • Impact of the BRICs • Chinese economic growth …every 11 weeks … equates to the total value of the Greek economy! • Foreign nationals will engage through English to a certain extent …but language capability will be a competitive advantage
Understand relevance of your research • Pervasiveness of technology and its impact on the human condition • Convergent technologies • Complex, dynamic and interconnected markets • Respond to customers, governments, markets, economic and social instabilities • Growth of services • 70% of employment and 50% of exports • Interdisciplinary opportunities
Research prioritisation exercise Food for Health Sustainable Food Production and Processing Marine Renewable Energy Smart Grids & Smart Cities Manufacturing Competitiveness Processing Technologies and Novel Materials Innovation in Services and Business Processes • Future Networks & Communications • Data Analytics, Management, Security & Privacy • Digital Platforms, Content & Applications • Connected Health and Independent Living • Medical Devices • Diagnostics • Therapeutics: Synthesis, Formulation, Processing and Drug Delivery
Build networks and knowledge transfer Source: www.pacec.co.uk
Be ambitious … but realistic • Is there an oversupply of postdocs? • Premium over masters degree may not match expectations • Also important to retain an open mind and to be flexible
Less ‘grantsmanship’ … more entrepreneurship • Process that transforms discovery and innovation into enterprises that generate value • Common interest in creativity and originality binds entrepreneurship and fourth level education • A distinctive kind of human agency that derives from business but can operate in any realm of human endeavour • A basic exercise in social responsibility - yields improvement of our goods, services, and institutions that affects large numbers of people. • Specific policy requirement to link researchers to SMEs
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