InterInstitutional Development of Training Modules for PhD Students

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Inter-Institutional Development of Training
Modules for PhD Students A Strategic Innovation
Fund Project between UCC, NUI Galway and
TCD Alan L. Kelly, Pat Morgan and Carol
OSullivan Deans of Graduate Studies, University
College Cork, NUI Galway and Trinity College
Dublin
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The changing model of PhD training in
Ireland Fourth-Level Ireland
Key points

• Change from apprenticeship to
• structured PhD with provision of training in
  generic, transferable and disciplinary skills
• National co-ordination of training provision
• New emphasis on career paths

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The Irish Universities PhD Skills Statement
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(No Transcript)
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New strategic focus on graduate education
The Universities response
Development of regulations for structured
programmes
Successful launch of some funded structured PhD
programmes, often inter-institutional
Introduction of generic, transferable and
disciplinary skills training
Culture change for PhD students New exposure
to training and mobility, Positive response
Increasing co-operation at institutional and
programmatic level
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The SIF Cycle 1 Project
Objective
Steering Group
To collaboratively develop a suite of modules
to develop key skills required by PhD students
Deans of Graduate Studies (UCC lead)
6 Modules

• Research Methods for the Life Sciences
  (disciplinary)
• Commercialisation of Research Technology
  Transfer (transferable)
• Research Ethics (generic)
• Information Literacy (generic)
• Statistics and Data Analysis (generic)
• Teaching and Learning Skills (transferable)

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Initial considerations

• Target audience and scale
• Development of curriculum and teaching materials
• Learning outcomes for each module and assessment
  strategies
• Recognition of student effort and workload (e.g.,
  ECTS)
• Delivery modes, e.g.,
• - Institutional/Inter-institutional
• - Face to face/on-line elements
• - Student/staff mobility
• Relevance to stakeholders
• Sustainability and embedding in the institutions

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The results

• Each module delivered at least twice
• Extensive inter-institutional and inter-team
  learning
• Multiple delivery models tested
• - joint curriculum development and separate
  delivery
• - student mobility for modules
• - staff mobility for teaching
• - on-line elements
• Institutional academic approval obtained for
  several modules already
• Significant body of innovative teaching materials
  developed

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The modules and outputs
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o
Niall McSweeney Head of Information Services NUI
Galway Margot Conrick Head of Information
Services University College Cork
Supported by
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http//www.informationliteracy.ie/
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(No Transcript)
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http//www.nuigalway.ie/remedi/poster/index.html
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Conclusions and lessons learned

• Introduction of training a new adventure for
  staff and students, but generally a positive one
• New teaching and academic paradigms required
• Thinking outside classical academic boxes needed
• Inter-institutionality the benefits
• Increased ambition
• Reduced load of individual effort
• Increased inter-disciplinarity
• Foster linkages
• Inter-institutionality the challenges
• Logistics
• Different cultures
• Administrative processes

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The legacy what the module teams have achieved
Enhanced linkages at multiple levels
between Institutions
Wealth of experience in inter-institutional progr
amme delivery
Approved modules in many cases in partner
institutions to run in the future
Huge library of teaching materials and
artefacts
Many students who have benefitted from the
training
The future mainstreaming of modules into core
graduate education and increased collaboration
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Huge thanks to the following staff who made it
happen
At UCC Margot Conrick, Dylan Evans, Bettie Higgs,
Deirdre Madden, Owen McIntyre, Ryan Morgan, John
Morrissey, Mark Rae, Brian OFlaherty, Kathleen
OSullivan.
At NUI Galway Kelly Coate, Heike Felzmann, John
Hinde, Emma Holian , Ronan Kennedy, Niall
McSweeney, Derick Mitchell, Andrew Murphy, Fiona
Neary, Lynn OConnor, Daniel OMahony, Marie
Reddan, Jerome Sheahan.
At TCD Isolde Harpur, Linda Hogan, Maureen
Junker-Kenny, Eamonn Mullins, Bridget Noone, Eoin
ONeill, Richard Porter, Jacqueline Potter.
To all the students, willing guinea pigs all! And
to you for listening....