Frequently doctoral candidates struggle to know where they are, what comes next, or whether they are making progress. They are simply lost in their journey.
But what if the problem isn’t the candidate — but the way the doctoral journey is designed?
A complex, multi-year learning journey should not require candidates to find their own way through it.
So perhaps the question isn’t “Why are doctoral candidates getting lost?”🤔
Perhaps it is:
“Why did we design the journey without a clear map?” 🗺️
Over the coming weeks, we invite you to join us as we explore eight chapters, each examining an assumption that has shaped doctoral education. Some assumptions have stood the test of time. Others may deserve to be reconsidered.
Each chapter consists of a series of campaign visuals, reflections and questions. Together, they are designed not to provide definitive answers, but to stimulate discussion.
These are the chapters that we invite you to explore with us:
📖 Chapter 1 – Know What You Commit To
Making Doctoral Learning Explicit
What exactly are candidates committing to when they begin a doctorate?
📖 Chapter 2 – When Does a Doctorate Begin?
Recognising the Development of Doctoral Capability
Does doctoral capability appear at graduation—or develop throughout the journey?
📖 Chapter 3 – Finding Your Way
Transparency and Navigation in the Doctoral Journey
How can doctoral progress become more visible and meaningful?
📖 Chapter 4 – Learning to Think Doctorally
Developing Doctoral Capability
What actually changes during a doctorate?
📖 Chapter 5 – Beyond “Just Write”
Understanding the Relationship Between Research and Thesis
Is the doctorate about producing a thesis—or developing the capability to produce one?
📖 Chapter 6 – Who Teaches the Supervisors?
Recognising Doctoral Supervision as a Profession
Why do we expect doctoral supervisors to supervise without first preparing them for the role?
📖 Chapter 7 – What Makes Great Doctoral Supervision?
Developing Supervisory Capability
What capabilities distinguish effective doctoral supervisors?
📖 Chapter 8 – Supervising Learning, Not Just Progress
Supporting Doctoral Development
How can supervision better support learning throughout the doctoral journey?
Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore these questions through a series of campaign visuals 🕶️ and reflections 🤔 .
✅ Some ideas may resonate with you.
✅ Others may challenge your thinking.
✅ That is precisely the purpose.
✅ We don’t expect everyone to agree.
✅ We invite everyone to join the conversation.
