Doctoral Education Projects
Our Projects/Collaborations
We have been working with academics on several projects related to doctoral education. You can find out more about them below.
Doctoral Examination: Practices across the Globe
Co-supervision practices - international perspectives
The role of the silent supervisor in an oral exam
Duty of Care: Convening Doctoral Oral Examinations
Feedback as dialogue
A comparative study of doctoral outcomes in PhD graduates from US and NZ universities
Rethinking the doctoral curriculum
Developing online micro-credentials to support the career readiness of PhD graduates
Doctoral Inclusion Study: Studying for a doctorate and living with a disability, impairment, chronic illness, or neurodiversity
What makes a thesis by publication? An international study of university-level policies and guidelines
The doctoral viva as intellectual dialogue
Examiner and candidate experiences of online doctoral vivas
Enhancing academic writing support for postgraduates
Doctoral Examination: Practices across the Globe
Vijay Kumar, Stan Taylor, and Sharon Sharmini
The doctorate is the highest award made by universities, but the examination process involved varies considerably in form and structure across the globe. This book studies the similarities and differences systematically on a cross-national basis, providing insights into the ways in which countries have sought to ensure that the awarded degree is comparable in standards. This book presents case studies of examination policies and practices covering 20 countries, which collectively are responsible for nearly 75% of global doctoral awards. Each chapter includes a summary of the key points, and a concluding chapter analyses the case studies from a comparative perspective.
This book is written by a distinguished international team of authors who are researchers in doctoral education, and will be of interest to all those engaged in the field particularly policy-makers, graduate deans and programme leaders, supervisors, administrators, examiners, and scholars in the field.
Learn more about Vijay Kumar
Learn more about Stan Taylor
Learn more about Sharon Sharmini
Co-supervision practices - international perspectives
Nave Wald, Vijay Kumar & Lara J. Sanderson
Team or co-supervision of doctoral students has been adopted by many universities in different parts of the world. This study focuses on a key aspect of this supervision model that is both a perceived advantage and a challenge, namely the need for supervisors to work collaboratively with colleagues for the benefit of students. It argues that transparent conversations are essential in co-supervisory teams for ensuring productive working relationships.
Learn more about Nave Wald
Learn more about Vijay Kumar
Learn more about Lara J. Sanderson
The role of the silent supervisor in an oral exam
Amrita Kaur, Vijay Kumar, Sharon Sharmini, Noman Mohammad
This study examines the perspectives of convenors, examiners, supervisors, and candidates to gather their views on the presence of the supervisor in oral examinations (doctoral viva) and to reassess the role of the mainly silent supervisor in the doctoral viva. Supervisors are central to candidates’ doctoral journey, and their roles have been well documented. However, supervisors’ role in the doctoral viva remains elusive, insignificant, and misunderstood.
Learn more about Amrita Kaur
Learn more about Vijay Kumar
Learn more about Sharon Sharmini
Learn more about Noman Mohammad
Duty of Care: Convening Doctoral Oral Examinations
Vijay Kumar, Lara J. Sanderson, Amrita Kaur
The oral examination, or the viva voce, is the culmination of the doctoral examination process in many traditions. In these traditions, the chair or convenor facilitates the viva. The idea of convenors is one that has not been discussed at length within the literature of higher education. In this paper, we explore the findings of a qualitative survey that aimed to gain insights into the role of convenors in an oral examination and their views of the oral examination process at a research-intensive university in New Zealand.
Learn more about Vijay Kumar
Learn more about Lara J. Sanderson
Learn more about Amrita Kaur
Feedback as dialogue
Elke Stracke, Vijay Kumar
Feedback is a key element of learning and development and vital to developing scholarship. The literature indicates that supervisors and candidates often have different expectations about feedback. We developed the FET as a tool to encourage dialogue on feedback between supervisors and candidates so that they could understand each other’s expectations, negotiate, and work together in the most beneficial way possible.
This paper introduces the Feedback Expectation Tool (FET) as an easy-to-use and flexible pedagogical tool to encourage dialogue on feedback between supervisors and candidates. The main aim of this pedagogical innovation is to allow negotiation to understand expectations and establish boundaries through transparent practices.
A comparative study of doctoral outcomes in PhD graduates from US and NZ universities
Rachel Spronken-Smith, Kim Brown, Claire Cameron
With increasing focus on the outcomes of doctoral education, especially regarding employability, we aimed to explore how PhD graduates from humanities and social sciences (HASS), and science disciplines perceived the development of a holistic set of graduate attributes during their doctoral study and the application of these attributes in the workplace.
We analysed 136 survey responses and interviews with 21 PhD graduates from one NZ and two US universities. We found that overall, PhD graduates are satisfied with their development as researchers, but had concerns regarding the development of some transferrable skills and attributes.
Graduates from the three universities perceived the application of attributes in the workplace similarly. Comparisons of graduate attribute application to their development revealed the following areas requiring better support: teamwork, communication, project management, entrepreneurship, and networking.
While development of affective attributes related to global citizenship was lower than expected, graduates perceived these were not always required in the workplace. Universities should consider how their doctoral training programmes can promote a more holistic development of desirable skills and attributes.
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Kim Brown
Learn more about Claire Cameron
Rethinking the doctoral curriculum
Rachel Spronken-Smith, Sharon Sharmini
Rethinking the doctoral curriculum (2018-2023). Rachel Spronken-Smith, with some collaboration with Sharon Sharmini (Malaysia).
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Sharon Sharmini
Developing online micro-credentials to support the career readiness of PhD graduates
Rachel Spronken-Smith, Matt Fernandes, Russell Butson, Rob Wass, Ben Daniel, Yvonne Gaut, Alba Garcia Suarez, and Carolyn Jenkins
2022-2024. Lead: Rachel Spronken-Smith. Collaborators: Matt Fernandes, Russell Butson, Rob Wass and Ben Daniel (HEDC), Yvonne Gaut and Alba Garcia Suarez (Career Development Centre), and Carolyn Jenkins (Graduate Research School). Funded by a University of Otago Teaching Development Grant ($19,995).
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Matt Fernandes
Learn more about Russell Butson
Learn more about Rob Wass
Learn more about Ben Daniel
Learn more about Yvonne Guat
Learn more about Alba Garcia Suarez
Learn more about Carol Jenkins
Doctoral Inclusion Study: Studying for a doctorate and living with a disability, impairment, chronic illness, or neurodiversity
Kim Brown, Lara Sanderson, and Rachel Spronken-Smith.
Doctoral Inclusion Study: Studying for a doctorate and living with a disability, impairment, chronic illness, or neurodiversity (2021-2024). Lead Kim Brown (Graduate Research School and College of Education). Collaborators Lara Sanderson (Graduate Research School) and Rachel Spronken-Smith.
Learn more about Kim Brown
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Lara Sanderson
What makes a thesis by publication? An international study of university-level policies and guidelines
Shannon Mason, Liezel Frick, Rachel Spronken-Smith, Yusuke Sakurai, Cheng Wenjuan, Sin Wang Chong, Ming Sum Kong, Montserrat Castelló Badia, Marina Garcia Morante, Crista Weise, Nazila Shojaeiian and Laura Diaz Villalba
What makes a thesis by publication? An international study of university-level policies and guidelines (2022-23). Lead: Shannon Mason (Australia), Second: Liezel Frick (South Australia), Collaborators: Rachel Spronken-Smith (New Zealand), Yusuke Sakurai and Cheng Wenjuan (Japan), Sin Wang Chong and Ming Sum Kong (United Kingdom), Montserrat Castelló Badia, Marina Garcia Morante, Crista Weise, Nazila Shojaeiian and Laura Diaz Villalba (Spain).
Learn more about Shannon Mason
Learn more about Liezl Frick
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Yusuke Sakurai
Learn more about Cheng Wenjuan
Learn more about Sin Wang Chong
Learn more about Ming Sum Kong
Learn more about Montserrat Castello Badia
Learn more about Marina Garcia Morante
Learn more about Crista Weise
Learn more about Nazila Shojaeiian
Learn more about Laura Diaz Villalba
The doctoral viva as intellectual dialogue
Gina Wisker, Stanley Taylor, Ludovic Highman, Joe Waghorne, Margaret Kiley, Rachel Spronken-Smith, Darren Fa, Caroline Moss-Gibbons.
The doctoral viva as intellectual dialogue (2022-23). Lead: Gina Wisker (UK). Collaborators: Stanley Taylor, Ludovic Highman and Joe Waghorne (UK), Margaret Kiley (Australia), Rachel Spronken-Smith (NZ), and Darren Fa and Caroline Moss-Gibbons (Gibraltar). Funded by the University of Gibraltar (₤10,000).
Learn more about Gina Wisker
Learn more about Stanley Taylor
Learn more about Ludovic Highman
Learn more about Joe Waghorne
Learn more about Margaret Kiley
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Darren Fa
Learn more about Caroline Moss-Gibbons
Examiner and candidate experiences of online doctoral vivas
Gina Wisker, Ludovic Highman, Joe Waghorne, and Rachel Spronken-Smith
Examiner and candidate experiences of online doctoral vivas (2020-21). Lead: Gina Wisker (UK). Collaborators: Ludovic Highman and Joe Waghorne (UK) and Rachel Spronken-Smith (NZ).
Learn more about Gina Wisker
Learn more about Ludovic Highman
Learn more about Joe Waghorne
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Enhancing academic writing support for postgraduates
Rachel Spronken-Smith, Kim Brown and Regina Maniam
Enhancing academic writing support for postgraduates. Lead: Rachel Spronken-Smith. Collaborators: Kim Brown (Graduate Research School and College of Education) and Regina Maniam (Graduate Research School). Funded by a Quality Improvement Grant ($3,850).
Learn more about Rachel Spronken-Smith
Learn more about Kim Brown
Learn more about Regina Maniam