It is widely recognised that an important aspect of doctoral study is the development of a researcher identity. However, little is known about how to support this. Although previous research has highlighted the importance of discursive engagement for researcher identity development, no studies examine talk or discuss how identities are constructed…

Interest plays a major role in the doctoral experience. However, previous research has not considered how the national context might influence interest. This study focused on exploring cross-national variation in doctoral students' experiences by comparing Finnish, UK and Spanish doctoral students' research interests. Participants (n = 2.426)…

Involving young people in the co-production of whole-school wellbeing strategies is aligned with the United Nations rights of the child and current UK legislation. This exploratory participatory action research (PAR) project aimed to facilitate teacher-student collaboration in one high school to develop whole-school practice with a focus on…

In qualitative doctoral research the methodological approach, and the research design are extremely important when ensuring the rigorousness of the work. This is particularly significant for all researchers, and even more for doctoral students who are still developing their research and analytical skills. This paper aims to support doctoral…

Independent learning is one of the cornerstones of UK higher education yet it is poorly understood by students and is seen by politicians as a poor substitute for face to face teaching. This paper explores students' understandings, approaches and experiences of independent learning and how they may become more effective independent learners. This…

The organisation of a STEM-wide summer undergraduate research internship scheme to ensure equal opportunities for all students is reported. Student engagement in the internship programme is much greater in the Biological, Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences (142 applications in 2016) than in Engineering and Computing (30 applications in 2016). To…

Involving students in state-of-the-art research from an early age eliminates the idea that science is only for the scientists and empowers young people to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. It is also a great opportunity to dispel harmful stereotypes about who is suitable for STEM careers, while leaving students…

This article will provide ideas for teaching methods that aim to provide undergraduate students with the experience of working with mathematics in a business context. These teaching methods have been employed at a mainstream U.K. university in a final-year module, and employers have been heavily involved in designing and assessing learning…

Much international doctoral learning research focuses on personal, institutional and learning support provided by supervisors, managed relationships,"nudging" robust, conceptual, critical, creative work. Other work focuses on stresses experienced in supervisor-student relationships and doctoral journeys. Some considers formal and…

Our study explored undergraduates' experiences of the research culture at a research-intensive university in southern New Zealand. In 2009, 1281 students responded to a survey that probed aspects of the research culture. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics and an inductive analysis of comments. Survey results for final-year students…

Interdisciplinary research teams and departments are seen by some as a way of addressing problems that cannot be understood using a traditionally narrow and uniform approach rooted in a particular discipline. This paper presents a postgraduate perspective by discussing the positive and negative impacts on Ph.D. research of this type of work and…

This article presents a "COMPARE" forum specifically designed for research students. The forum reflects a view from the ground on what is considered to be a pertinent and deeply personal issue among international research students, and also an issue of concern for the higher-education sector in the UK: that of the recently announced…

This report fills a major gap in understanding the development of research-based curricula, focusing on college-based higher education (CBHE). Estimates suggest that, in England, somewhere between 8-10% of HE undergraduate students are taught in CBHE. In 2009, 17% of HE students in Scotland were enrolled in CBHE. In Wales this was 15% and in…

This Forum issue discusses the centrality of the fieldwork in doctoral research. The inevitability of researchers' influence and of their values apparent during and after their fieldwork calls for a high degree of reflexivity. Since the standard methodology textbooks do not sufficiently guide on addressing such challenges, doctoral researchers go…

The past few decades have witnessed an increasing separation of research and teaching, particularly in the area of undergraduate education. Supporters of such a separation have argued that involvement of undergraduates in research is incompatible with the idea of the research university. However, one of the founding principles of the research…