Supporting higher degree research collaboration
Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
ISSN: 2398-4686
Article publication date: 28 August 2019
Issue publication date: 18 September 2019
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate the value of a collaborative research culture framework (Gasson and Bruce, 2018a), featuring trust and respect as core elements of healthy collaborations, to support the research success of higher degree research (HDR) students. HDR is a term used in Australia to reference Doctoral and Master by research programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose that by positioning collaboration as part of a research culture built on trust and respect, discussion about and the development of healthy collaborative research culture will be facilitated. A healthy culture is defined as one that supports sustainable and productive collaborative research.
Findings
The applications of the framework demonstrate the role the framework can play in supporting researchers to understand, engage in and manage collaborations.
Research limitations/implications
Reflection on discussions to date has led to the authors’ view that collaborative success requires a unique set of skills (i.e. skills in the development of a collaborative research culture) and that the framework provides a deliberate and overt way of supporting development of those skills.
Originality/value
The framework helps HDRs develop the capacity to build healthy collaborative research cultures vital for their research productivity and longer-term success as researchers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of those who supported discussion of the framework at key events. They acknowledge: Co-presenters Sandra Nordahl, Director of Contracting and Compliance San Diego State University Research Foundation and Silke Blom, Director of Research, SOAS University of London with whom Susan Gasson presented a session on Global Research Projects: Making them work, at the Society of Research Administrators meeting on October 2017 in Vancouver Canada; Catherine Arden; Marcus Harmes who co-hosted Professor Christine Bruce who presented an Eminent Visiting Scholar program in September 2017 at the University of Southern Queensland; Catherine Arden; Marcus Harmes, Douglas Eacersall who co-hosted a SoLASE Seminar, Exploring a Research Collaboration Framework, with Professor Christine Bruce and Susan Gasson in August 2018 at the University of Southern Queensland; the Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference, April 2018, where the authors presented an earlier iteration of this paper and framework, and the Queensland University of Technology who sponsored attendance at the Conference; Dr Abigail Winter, the critical friend and enthusiastic editor.
Citation
Gasson, S.C. and Bruce, C. (2019), "Supporting higher degree research collaboration", Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 189-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-04-2019-0040
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited