Launch of RSVP Collection and first report
- Feb 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 12
We’re pleased to announce the launch of our new 'RSVP Collection' featuring empirically grounded reports, scholarly papers and data and pedagogy-informed position papers on the value of professional development in transforming research supervision practice. The collection, along with our forthcoming RSVP blogposts, will spotlight particular aspects of supervision practice as part of our campaign to drive culture change and champion policy changes.
Authored by Professor Stan Taylor, Supporting Research Supervision Practice: a review of UK provision uses available data from 149 research degree awarding institutions in the UK. It builds on the 2018 Eligibility to Supervise: a study of UK Institutions and provides a snapshot of the current professional development provision for, and reward and recognition of, supervisory practice. This joint report from RSVP and UKCGE concludes by recommending that institutions review the duration and content of their development programmes, to better reflect the complex nature of modern research supervision.
The findings of this report underpin RSVP’s drive to develop what Taylor describes as Initial Professional Development (IPD) for less experienced supervisors and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for those with more experience. This provision aims to address the growing challenges that research supervisors face in providing consistent, high-quality supervision in the context of a rich and diverse PGR pipeline.
This new report reveals that professional development provision has increased and focuses predominantly on regulations and procedures. By contrast, the 2024 UK Research Supervision Survey highlights that more experienced supervisors value the opportunities to learn from each other, share practice and reflect.
Taken together, these reports are key, evidence-based touchpoints for policy makers and supervisor developers. They also highlight the importance of recognition for supervision - be that through workload planning, promotions criteria, awards, or external schemes - and its centrality to positive culture change at an institutional level.
“Postgraduate Researchers make a vital contribution to the capacity, culture and research communities within our organisations and to the research related economy. Supporting them through consistent supervision practice is critical. In this context, this report provides further empirical evidence that provision of, and engagement with, professional development positively impacts on the ability of supervisors to support the next generation of researchers”. Karen Clegg and Doug Cleaver - Co-PIs, RSVP
