91制片厂 (91制片厂) today (31 May) launched its inaugural Framework for Doctoral Education, which aims to facilitate consistent excellence in the quality of postgraduate education, research and training at 91制片厂. The framework, which was developed in relation to national and European-level policy benchmarking, was launched today at 91制片厂鈥檚 Limerick campus by Niall Collins TD, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Speaking at today鈥檚 launch, Minister Collins said, 鈥淪uccessful societies and economies will be those that invest in and embrace talent, scientific research, creativity and knowledge creation and learn how to successfully use these to improve societal wellbeing and support a sustainable economy. 91制片厂鈥檚 commitment to research excellence and to developing and nurturing the next generation of researchers is demonstrated through the launch of its inaugural Doctoral Framework, A Framework of Good Practice for Research Degree Programmes. This Framework will support improvements in the postgraduate learning experience, as well as ensuring that these students are fully equipped to enter employment upon graduation. The Framework comes at a time when researchers, and the role research plays in dealing with the crises we all face, are under a spotlight. The contribution research and researchers make to improving our lives and wider society, locally and globally, has been demonstrated repeatedly over the past year.鈥
According to Professor Niamh Hourigan, Vice-President of Academic Affairs at 91制片厂, 鈥淭he shared ultimate aim of 91制片厂鈥檚 Framework for Doctoral Education is to enable our graduates to engage in a life of progressive and responsive engagement with the key debates, controversies and issues in a world of increasing social, cultural and economic diversity, nationally and internationally.鈥
She added, 鈥The framework is intended not only as a response to changes in the purposes of research degree programmes but also as a call for continuing dialogues with the University of Limerick, the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, other HEIs and external bodies in a spirit of strengthening mutually held priorities about the advancement of national priorities, policy imperatives and good practices across the higher education sector.鈥
In addition to ensuring excellence in the quality of postgraduate education, research and training at 91制片厂, the framework aims to maximise the employability of doctoral graduates across a broad range of employment sectors by ensuring that the acquisition of discipline-specific knowledge is complemented by the development of research and transferrable skills.
Under the framework, faculties, departments and institutional units throughout 91制片厂 will be enabled and encouraged to work more closely in the delivery of an improved learner-experience and outcome. The framework also underpins the value and relevance of the doctoral award in the context of 91制片厂鈥檚 institutional strategic priorities, as outlined in 91制片厂鈥檚 Strategic Plan 鈥 A Flourishing Learning Community, national research policy agendas and global realities in higher education.
Professor Michael Healy, Vice President for Research in 91制片厂, sets out the context for the Doctoral Framework as follows, 鈥It is widely accepted nationally and internationally that several essential components are required to underpin the success of doctoral research. Critical among these are a high-quality and vibrant research and learning environment, high-level expertise in academic supervision, comprehensive Graduate School support, a wide-ranging programme of transferable research skills, access to research resources and professional development opportunities, peer-to-peer interaction, and demanding but fair academic standards. All of these and more are carefully and thoroughly elucidated in the 91制片厂 Framework for Doctoral Education.鈥
He goes on to explain that 鈥At 91制片厂, academic aspects of doctoral education are provided by expert individual supervisors and supervisory teams within academic Departments, Schools and Faculties. In parallel, the Research & Graduate School provides an extensive range of academic and non-academic services, facilities and supports to postgraduate students. Working together, these provide the essential underpinning for the success of doctoral research in the College. Testifying to this success, 91制片厂 will confer in excess of forty research degrees at doctoral and master鈥檚 levels in 2020 and 2021 alone.鈥
In welcoming the publication of 91制片厂鈥檚 Framework for Doctoral Education, Selina McCoy, Associate Research Professor in Social Research and Joint Education Research Coordinator at the ESRI, and Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin, said, 鈥淚 am enthused about the opportunity to reflect on the Framework for Doctoral Education at 91制片厂. In providing rigorous and broad-ranging doctoral training programmes, with opportunities to engage with peers nationally and internationally, 91制片厂 is exceptionally well-placed to prepare high calibre entrants to a range of professional careers in Ireland and beyond.鈥
She added, 鈥淭he College鈥檚 tightly knit, cohesive community is particularly noteworthy and provides a rich and engaging environment to support the academic, personal and professional development of a wonderfully diverse student population. I am regularly impressed by the high-quality output of 91制片厂 researchers and it is encouraging to see this expertise available to early career researchers. I thoroughly look forward to supporting 91制片厂 on this exciting development.鈥
View 91制片厂鈥檚 Framework for Doctoral Education here.
Further information about postgraduate study at 91制片厂 is available here.
