Dr Douglas Halliday is an award winning academic who was Dean of Durham University’s Graduate School for five years. Douglas has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences on all aspects of postgraduate education. Through his wide ranging involvement in the UK and Europe, Douglas has helped shape national and European policy on doctoral education. During his period as Dean, Douglas led the Graduate School at Durham University to receive the 2009 Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Support for researchers. This significant national accolade recognised Durham as having one of the best Graduate Schools in the UK providing substantial and wide-ranging support for all postgraduate research students. Douglas is an Institutional Auditor for the Quality Assurance Agency and a member of the Executive Committee of the UK Council for Graduate Education.

Douglas is also a successful Physicist having published over 100 journal and conference papers. His research investigates new electronic materials for large area low cost solar cells. Douglas’ passion for clear and effective communication has earned him a Highly Commended Award in an Institute of Physics science writing competition and a Durham University Excellence in Teaching Award. Last year Douglas appeared as an “expert” on the CBBC children’s television programme “My Genius Idea”.

Dr Halliday tells us about his presentation:

It is a real pleasure to have the opportunity to speak at the Festival of Postgraduate Research. Postgraduate education is a vitally important aspect of the provision of all UK universities. The PhD, or doctorate, is the highest academic award that universities give. Most recognise that this is given for original research which constitutes an original contribution to knowledge. But what does this actually mean? How does it work in practice? How can you improve your chances of successfully completing your PhD? What do people outside universities think of a PhD? Is it worth it? I will be looking at all these issues in my presentation. My many years of experience as an active researcher supervising my own research students, and my wide ranging experiences as Dean of the Graduate School provide me the opportunity to present some insights into these complex questions.

I am committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to achieve the best possible outcomes as a result of their studies. This process involves a partnership between students and universities. In my presentation I will also look at how institutions can support research students, including skills training. Engaging effectively with the breadth of support available will inevitably require you to prioritise what you do with your time. I will offer some tips to help you select the opportunities that will best enable you to achieve your aims.

Change, at an ever increasing rate, is a fact of life in the 21^st Century. In the final part of my presentation I will review recent changes in the PhD, both in the UK and internationally. I will attempt what any experienced presenter should never do – to predict what the future may have in store for postgraduate research degree education.

Further information about Douglas Halliday can be found at www.dur.ac.uk/d.p.halliday

From the Times Higher Education, October 2009:

Durham University believes that young researchers in the arts and sciences have far more in common than they have differences. On this premise, the University's Graduate School established a research-skills training programme for doctoral candidates and early career research staff across the institution.

The programme is accessible to all early career researchers, irrespective of discipline or mode of study, with the aim of creating an integrated community of researchers. Over the past two years, Durham has also carried out its own research into the barriers to completion among doctoral students with disabilities and part-time doctoral candidates, and modified its training process accordingly.

The Graduate School hosts a three-day intensive summer school specifically for part-time and distance candidates who may find it more difficult to access the help they need as they work towards their doctorates. An online community is also being developed, which will provide peer support for researchers wherever they are located. An induction course is run for international doctoral students to explain the research culture at the university, the role of the supervisory team and the different styles of supervision.

The Graduate School's research-skills training programme received a 94 per cent satisfaction rating from doctoral candidates in an internal survey of 1,500 students. Our judges said it demonstrated "an impressive mix of innovative actions, generated by a real evidence base".

"It provides an inclusive approach that benefits all researchers," they added.