Doctoral education at the intersection between academia and the profession in Europe: towards innovative pedagogies of writing

Research Project, 2024

This project aims to address the evolving writing needs of doctoral students as they increasingly move beyond academia. It is of scientific relevance due to the changing landscape of doctoral education, which increasingly encompasses partnerships with professional entities, governmental organizations, and the industry. The project involves an international interdisciplinary network to identify the types of writing undertaken by professional PhDs—whose education is fully or partially funded by governmental or professional organizations—and develop innovative approaches for doctoral writing education. We have previously conducted studies highlighting the need for training PhD students to write for a variety of purposes and contexts, yet research has not explored how to promote this rhetorical flexibility. In this proposed network, we plan to establish a shared research agenda, organize meetings to draft a funding application, and present our initiative at a key conference. The detailed program includes three meetings aimed at refining the project, drafting and finalizing a larger funding application. These meetings involve discussions, presentations, feedback collection, and strategic planning. Overall, this project addresses a critical gap in doctoral education by enhancing doctoral students' ability to write effectively for diverse contexts.