Digitalization of Higher Degree Research (HRD) and Its Benefit to Postgraduate Researchers

Background

Digitalisation as an issue is permeating higher education policy across Europe. It is noted by the European Commission that “… rapid technological development is transforming the way in which higher education is delivered and students participate”, so much so that “[d]igital technologies and online resources now permeate all areas of teaching and learning” (European Commission, 2016, p. 1). These advances have not surpassed doctoral level education and regardless of whether doctoral graduate find themselves pursuing academic or other careers, the “digital transformation of research and the skills they acquire” will be of major important to current and future cohorts (EUA-CDE, 2017).

The growing focus on digitalisation in research and doctoral education was called out in 2016 in the European University Association Publication Doctoral Education – Taking Salzburg Forward. This key publication highlights three key challenges for doctoral education in the coming years. One of these, the digital challenge, emphasises that “… universities must develop coherent policies and infrastructures for online sharing and learning in doctoral education that can be used in a coherent and responsible manner across the institution” (EUA, 2016). Digitalisation in this area brings with it many new possibilities including open access, big data research, possibilities to grow the diversity of doctoral candidates, greater collaboration, and more flexible approaches to doctoral education more broadly.