Graduates for the 21st 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

• 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

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

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

Overall trends in PhDs

• Numbers up

• UK domiciled broadly constant

proportion UK down

RCUK Research Studentships

• Around quarter of whole

• Guidelines can (should) have an influence beyond that quarter

RCUK PhD and PostDoc Strategy

• Fund Best

• Flexibility to Universities through DTAs and DTCs

• Retain strategic focus to protect health of disciplines

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)

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

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

Expectations of a ResearcherESRC Guidelines III -Transferable Skills

• Communication, Networking and Dissemination Skills

• Leadership, Research Management and Relationship Management Skills

• Personal Career Development

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)

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

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.

RCUK Programmes

• Energy

• Living with Environmental Change

• Lifelong Health and Well-being

• Global Uncertainties

• Resilient Economies

• Connected Communities

• Food Security

‘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

Promoting postgraduate researchers for multidisciplinarity

• Undergraduate degrees need breadth as well as monodisciplinary excellence

• Increasing examples eg Aberdeen

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?