phd by publication griffith

Doctor of Philosophy by Prior Publication

Griffith university.

Type of institution: University/Higher Education Institution Level: Postgraduate CRICOS: 00233E

The PhD by Prior Publication allows for formal recognition for established researchers who do not already hold a doctoral level qualification and who have substantial international standing in their respective fields based on their record of academic publication.The degree will be awarded to a student who, through published work of which the student is either sole author or primary author, has made an original scholarly contribution to knowledge in a research area of strategic importance to the University and demonstrated a capacity for independent research.

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Home > Research > Griffith Graduate Research School > Preparing your thesis > Inclusion of papers within the thesis

• Inclusion of papers within the thesis
• Candidature changes
• Milestones and requirements
• HDR Careers Week
• HDR-Skills-Week
• HDR Internships
• Thesis preparation overview
• PhD by prior publication
• Theses with creative components
• Steps to submit a thesis
• Examination overview
• Nominating and Appointing HDR Examiners and Chairperson of Examiners
• Conclusion of examination
• Conducting research
• Candidate support

Please note: Candidates enrolled in the PhD by Prior Publication should refer to the degree finder for program-specific thesis formatting information.

HDR candidates may include one or more papers within the body of their thesis if the papers have been produced under supervision and during the period of candidature; and where the quality is appropriate to Doctoral or Masters (Research) level research. A thesis prepared in this way is a different thesis format, it is not a different degree. There are several advantages to organising a thesis in this way:

• Preparing papers for publication saves time when preparing the thesis for examination as papers may make up one or several chapters within the thesis
• It is to your advantage to publish work from your thesis as a means of disseminating your research and developing your writing skills
• It may improve the quality of your thesis as part of your thesis has already been subjected to peer review
• Examiners may have more confidence in your thesis if they can see that you have already published your research and you will have already met one of the criteria of examination, with the thesis suitable for publication.

As a candidature requirement, all doctoral candidates are expected to have at least one peer reviewed output accepted for publication during candidature . Candidates are encouraged to include this publication in the body of the thesis.

Requirement for inclusion of papers within the thesis

Inclusion of papers within a thesis is not a suitable thesis format for all research projects (e.g. collaborative projects where there may be several co-authors for each paper which may make it difficult for the examiner to establish the independence of the candidates work; where primary data is not collected or results obtained until late in the candidature; or where the research will not produce a logical sequence of papers that are able to be presented as an integrated whole).

Candidates should also consider whether this thesis format is an accepted practice within their discipline and likely to be received well by the thesis examiners (refer also to the examination requirements below). Candidates are required to consult with their supervisor(s) early in their candidature to determine if this thesis format is appropriate. It is expected that candidates will identify as part of the confirmation of candidature milestone if their thesis is to be prepared in this format. Candidates should consult their Group specific guidelines in addition to the requirements detailed below. Candidates are also encouraged to attend the workshop : ‘Inclusion of papers within a thesis’ offered by the Griffith Graduate Research School.

Refer also to the Griffith University code for the Responsible Conduct of Research ( PDF , 202k) , specifically the sections pertaining to publication ethics and the dissemination of research findings, and authorship.

Status of papers

A thesis may include papers that have been submitted, accepted for publication, or published. Some disciplines may specify a variation to the status of papers requirement, refer to your Group specific guidelines.

Type of papers

For the purpose of this requirement, papers are defined as a journal article, conference publication, book or book chapter. Papers which have been rejected by a publisher must not be included unless they have been substantially rewritten to address the reviewers’ comments or have since been accepted for publication. Some disciplines may specify a variation to the type of papers requirement, refer to your Group specific guidelines.

Number of papers

A thesis may be entirely or partly comprised of papers. A paper maybe included as a single chapter if the paper contributes to the argument of the thesis, or several papers may form the core chapters of the theses where they present a cohesive argument. Where a thesis is entirely comprised of papers, there is no minimum requirement for the number of papers that must be included (except as noted below) and is a matter of professional judgment for the supervisor and the candidate. Overall, the material presented for examination needs to reflect the research thesis standard required for the award of the degree.

Where a thesis is entirely comprised of papers, some disciplines may specify a minimum number of papers to be included, refer to your Group specific guidelines.

The candidate should normally be principal author (that is, responsible for the intellectual content and the majority of writing) of any work included in the body of the thesis. Where a paper has been co-authored, the candidate is required to have made a substantial contribution to the intellectual content and writing. Co-authored work in which the candidate was a minor author can only be used and referenced in the way common to any other research publication cited in the thesis. A signature from the corresponding author is required in order to include co- authored material in the body of the thesis, refer to the declarations section below.

For co-authored papers, the attribution of authorship must be in accordance with the Griffith University code for the Responsible Conduct of Research ( PDF , 202k) , which specifies that authorship must be based on substantial contributions in one or more of:

• Conception and design of the research project
• Analysis and interpretation of research data
• Drafting or making significant parts of the creative or scholarly work or critically revising it so as to contribute significantly to the final output.

Some disciplines may specify a variation to the authorship requirement, refer to your Group specific guidelines.

Quality of papers

Candidates should endeavour to publish their research in high-quality, peer-reviewed publications. Papers to be included in the body of the thesis should be published (or submitted for publication) in reputable outlets that are held in high regard in the relevant field of research. Candidates can consult their supervisor(s) for advice on suitable publications specific to their research discipline. Some disciplines may specify quality standards that must be met for papers to be included, please see below for Group-specific guidelines.

The library provides detailed support and advice to candidates on choosing journals in which to publish. Candidates should take care to avoid ‘predatory’ journals and publishers.

• Scholarly publishing strategies
• Open research: Make your research visible

As copyright in an article is normally assigned to a publisher, the publisher must give permission to reproduce the work in the thesis and put a digital copy on the institutional repository. Information on how to seek permission is available at: Copyright and Articles in thesis . If permission cannot be obtained, students may still include the publication in the body of the thesis, however following examination the relevant chapter(s) will be redacted from the digital copy to be held by the Griffith University Library so that the copyright material is not made publicly available in the institutional repository. Students are required to advise the copyright status of each publication included in the thesis via a declaration to be inserted in the thesis, as detailed below.

Students requiring further advice regarding copyright issues can contact the Information Policy Officer on (07) 3735 5695 or [email protected] .

Group and discipline requirements

Some groups or elements may specify additional requirements for including papers within a thesis, refer below:

• Arts, Education and Law
• Griffith Business School ( PDF , 214k)
• Griffith Health
• Griffith Sciences ( PDF , 271k)

Presentation of theses when including papers

Consult the thesis preparation and formatting guidelines for general information about the requirements for formatting the thesis. Some disciplines may specify a variation to the thesis format requirements below, refer to your Group specific guidelines.

Structure of thesis and linking chapters

The structure of the thesis will vary depending on whether the thesis is partly or entirely comprised of papers. Whatever the format, the thesis must present as a coherent and integrated body of work in which the research objectives, relationship to other scholarly work, methodology and strategies employed, and the results obtained are identified, analysed and evaluated.

A thesis should include a general introduction and general discussion to frame the internal chapters. The introduction should outline the scope of the research covered by the thesis and include an explanation of the organisation and structure of the thesis. The general discussion should draw together the main findings of the thesis and establish the significance of the work as a whole and should not just restate the discussion points of each paper.

It is important that candidates explicitly argue the coherence of the work and establish links between the various papers/chapters throughout the thesis. Linking text should be added to introduce each new paper or chapter, with a foreword which introduces the research and establishes its links to previous papers/chapters.

Depending on the content of the paper(s) and nature of research, a research methods chapter may also be necessary to ensure that any work that is not included in the paper(s), but is integral to the research, is appropriately covered. Any data omitted from a paper may also be included as an addendum to the thesis.

For further information on the thesis structure, refer to the following examples of acceptable ways to format the thesis when including papers.

• See Examples of Table of Contents ( PDF , 39k)

Format of papers

The papers may be rewritten for the thesis according to the general formatting guidelines; or they can be inserted in their published format, subject to copyright approval as detailed above.

Candidates may repaginate the papers to be consistent with the thesis. However, this is at the discretion of the candidate.

Declarations

All theses that include papers must include declarations which specify the publication status of the paper(s), your contribution to the paper(s), and the copyright status of the paper(s). The declarations must be signed by the corresponding author (where applicable). If you are the sole author, this still needs to be specified. The declaration will need to be inserted at the beginning of the thesis, and for any co-authored papers, additional declarations will need to be inserted at the beginning of each relevant chapter. You may wish to consult the  declaration requirements for inclusion of papers under Thesis Structure to ensure that you insert the correct declaration(s) within the thesis. Please note that completion of the declaration(s) does not negate the need to comply with any other University requirement relating to co-authored works as outlined in the Griffith University code for the Responsible Conduct of Research ( PDF , 202k) .

Examination requirements

Assessment by examiners.

Candidates who wish to include papers within their thesis, and who have determined that this thesis format is appropriate to the research project, should also consider whether this thesis format will be well received by the thesis examiners. The inclusion of papers may negatively impact on the thesis upon assessment by the examiners where: the thesis format is not a common or accepted practice within the candidates discipline area; where the inclusion of co-authored papers makes it difficult for the examiner to establish the independence and originality of the candidates work; where the thesis does not present to the examiner as an integrated whole; or where there is too much repetition in the thesis which an examiner may view as a weakness.

Theses that include papers are subject to the same examination criteria as theses submitted in the traditional format. It should also be noted that the inclusion of published papers within the thesis does not prevent an examiner from requesting amendments to that material.

Candidates should discuss the suitability of this thesis format for examination with their supervisor(s).

Nomination of examiners

It is the responsibility of the principal supervisor to nominate thesis examiners , and the process dictates that the principal supervisor must approach all nominees to determine their willingness to examine. Where a candidate’s thesis is formatted to include papers, the principal supervisor must also ensure that the examiners are familiar with and/or accepting of, this thesis format.

Upon dispatch of a candidate’s thesis to an examiner, the examiner will be reminded that the thesis has been formatted to include papers. The examiner will also be provided with the relevant information and regulations regarding this thesis format.

Copyright matters

Find out more

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What will I learn?

The PhD by Prior Publication allows for formal recognition for established researchers who do not already hold a doctoral level qualification and who have substantial international standing in their respective fields based on their record of academic publication.

The degree will be awarded to a student who, through published work of which the student is either sole author or primary author, has made an original scholarly contribution to knowledge in a research area of strategic importance to the University and demonstrated a capacity for independent research.

Which department am I in?

Full time (0.5 years).

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*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution

15 July 2024

Gold Coast Campus,

Parklands Drive,

Queensland,

4215, GOLD COAST, Australia

Southbank Campus

226 Grey Street,

SOUTH BRISBANE,

4101, BRISBANE, Australia

Entry requirements

For international students.

Applicants will require the following:

be established researchers and be of international standing in their respective field on the basis of their ongoing record of academic work, and for whom admission to the PhD program is inappropriate;

have a portfolio of high quality publications that meet the following criteria:

• the applicant is either sole author or primary author;
• have been subjected to peer review and published in quality outlets of international standard;
• do not incorporate work that has previously been submitted for the award of a degree;
• may be presented as an integrated theme

be researchers in areas of strategic importance to the University and be consonant with the academic aims and objectives of the Element to which admission is sought;

the Element is able to provide the necessary resources and supervision expertise;

an applicant who has already been awarded a doctoral level qualification will not be admitted to candidature;

an applicant who is pursuing, or who has previously pursued within the previous five years, a higher degree research or equivalent program will normally not be admitted to candidature.

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

About Griffith University 3 Reviews

Griffith University brings an international focus to its degrees, in line with its vision of preparing students for the global marketplace.

• Ranked in the top 2 per cent globally
• World-class research and industry connections
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Doctor of Philosophy by Prior Publication

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0.5 to 1 year full-time

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$32,500.00* per year ( more ) * 2024 indicative annual fee

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About this program

The PhD by Prior Publication allows for formal recognition for established researchers who do not already hold a doctoral level qualification and who have substantial international standing in their respective fields based on their record of academic publication.

The degree will be awarded to a student who, through published work of which the student is either sole author or primary author, has made an original scholarly contribution to knowledge in a research area of strategic importance to the University and demonstrated a capacity for independent research.

Attendance information

If you are an International student on a student visa, you must ensure that you enrol in a way that will allow you to complete your enrolment within the expected program duration as stated on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

An International student is one who is not :

• an Australian or New Zealand citizen or
• a Pacific Engagement visa holder or
• a person who has Australian permanent resident status.

Indicative annual tuition fee

The indicative annual tuition fee is calculated based on a standard full-time study load which is usually 80 credit points (two full-time trimesters).

The indicative annual tuition fee is based on current conditions and available data and should only be used as a guide. These fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change.

Tuition fees

• An International student pays tuition fees.
• Students are liable for tuition fees for the courses they are enrolled in as at the census date.
• The tuition fee for students who commence their program prior to 2014 is charged according to the approved program fee for the trimester in which the student commenced the program.
• The tuition fee for students who commence their program from 2014 onwards is charged according to the approved program fee for the trimester in which the student is enrolled.

Program fees for the Doctor of Philosophy by Prior Publication (6024)

If the fee rate for your program is not displayed above, please contact Student Connect for assistance.

Changing programs

If an International student changes to a different program they will be subject to the approved program fee for the trimester in which they are enrolled.

Permanent resident status

If an undergraduate student obtains permanent resident status in Australia after commencing study in a program, and the student can provide evidence of permanent resident status prior to the census date (of the trimester in which they are enrolled), the student will be provided with a domestic fee-paying place.

The student may then apply for a Commonwealth supported place at the next admission period provided that the student satisfies the conditions for transfer from a domestic fee-paying place to a Commonwealth supported place as set out in the Undergraduate Programs Admission Policy .

If a postgraduate student obtains permanent resident status in Australia after commencing study in a program, and the student can provide evidence of permanent resident status prior to the census date (of the trimester in which they are enrolled), the student will automatically be considered for a Commonwealth supported place (subject to availability) or a domestic fee-paying place as applicable for the program.

If a research student obtains permanent resident status in Australia after commencing study in a program, and the student can provide evidence of permanent resident status prior to the census date (of the trimester in which they are enrolled), the student will automatically be considered for a Commonwealth Government Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset or a domestic fee-paying place as applicable for the program.

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• Fees and Charges Procedure
• 3.6 - Fees for International Students
• 3.9 - Administrative and Miscellaneous Charges
• Fees and Charges Schedules
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Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication pp 1–9 Cite as

Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication

• Sin Wang Chong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4519-0544 3 &
• Neil H. Johnson   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8604-1193 4  
• First Online: 28 September 2022

411 Accesses

This chapter documents the rationale for compiling a collection on the PhD by Publication. The aim of the book is to “demystify” this alternative route of doctoral education because there is a dearth of publications (journal articles or books) on this PhD route which is gaining popularity around the world. This book attempts to “demystify” PhD by Publication by identifying pertinent issues and (mis)conceptions pertaining to policies and practices through research, research syntheses, and surveys of university policies on the PhD by Publication internationally (Part I – Landscapes of PhD by Publication). Another layer of “demystification” pertains to experience (Part II: Narratives of PhD by Publication). The inclusion of reflective and autobiographical accounts by PhD by Publication supervisors, students, and graduates internationally provides a vivid insider’s perspective toward this PhD route. This chapter closes with an outline of each chapter of the book.

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Chong, S. W. (2020). PhD by published work and “doctorateness”: My experience at a UK university. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 4 (1), 1–12. http://journals.staffs.ac.uk/index.php/ipihe/article/view/204/319

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Chong, S. W. (2021). Demystifying commentary guidelines of PhD by published work in the UK: Insights from genre analysis. In Innovations in education and teaching international (pp. 1–10). Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2020.1871396

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Hyland, K. (2015). Genre, discipline and identity. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 19 , 32–43.

Article   Google Scholar  

Jackson, D. (2013). Completing a PhD by publication: A review of Australian policy and implications for practice. Higher Education Research and Development, 32 (3), 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.692666

O’Keeffe, P. (2019). PhD by publication: Innovative approach to social science research, or operationalisation of the doctoral student … or both? Higher Education Research and Development, 39 (2), 288–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666258

Smith, S. (2017). Supervising on a PhD by published work route: An exploration of the supervisory role. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung. Journal for Higher Education Development, 12 (2), 19–43.

Smith, S. (2019). The challenge of supervising students who are doing a PhD by published work . Trust Me! Blog. Retrieved from https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/5648/1/TheChallengeOfSupervisingStudentsWhoAreDoingAPhdByPublishedWorkAM-SMITH.pdf

Wilson, K. (2002). Quality assurance issues for a PhD by published work: A case study. Quality Assurance in Education, 10 (2), 71–78. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880210423555

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Chong, S.W., Johnson, N.H. (2022). Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication. In: Chong, S.W., Johnson, N. (eds) Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04895-1_1

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A PhD by publication or how I got my doctorate and kept my sanity

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Doing a PhD is a difficult business. Long hours, personal stress, institutional pressure to complete on time – and all this for what?

Increasingly a PhD alone does not guarantee an academic career. We are expected to publish, teach and contribute to professional development. Oh and did I mention you have to publish, publish, publish?

However there is a way to publish and do a PhD - hopefully without perishing.

I recently completed my PhD by publication, which for me was a way of getting a doctorate while keeping my sanity.

What is a PhD by publication?

A PhD by Publication is just what it sounds like, instead of producing one large monograph, you produce a series of articles to be published in peer reviewed journals or as book chapters.

The normal format is four to five research papers bookended by a substantial introductory chapter and a concluding chapter. The thesis must still read as a cohesive whole and therefore despite the articles being stand alone pieces, they must also relate to each other.

The aim is that when they are read together they become more than just the sum of their parts.

It is a relatively new concept within the social sciences and humanities but has been around for a while in the hard sciences here in Australia. It is much more common in European Universities where it is often the standard approach for doctoral studies.

The advantages

There are many advantages to doing a PhD this way. One of the more self-evident ones is that it allows you to publish and finish a PhD – academically hitting two birds with one stone.

There are many pressures of doing a PhD that are taken away from publishing. PhD by publication focused my writing on achieving output and helped to avoid the trap of always pushing the publications to the side.

A PhD by publication also helps you to develop practical skills. Through my own process, I learnt how to write to journal editors, deal with rejection and pitch articles – all skills that are important for professional academic life.

This method also divides the PhD up into more manageable chunks – sometimes the hardest thing about a PhD is the enormity of the task it presents. But dividing it up into five discrete papers allowed me to see a way ahead making the PhD seem more achievable.

Last but not least, you can get both expert feedback and it can provide that “tick” factor. PhD students were usually high achieving undergraduate students used to receiving recognition and reward for their work. Entering the land of doctoral studies, you don’t get the pay off from your work until the end of many years and lack of recognition can be deeply un-motivating.

But each time something is published is a chance to celebrate and take a deep breath before moving on to the next portion.

The expert feedback you get during this process is also very helpful even it’s not always pleasant (see below). By the time your PhD goes to examiners it has already gone through a rigorous peer review process.

In times of PhD panic, it was comforting to think that my work can’t be that bad if someone had already agreed to publish it.

The disadvantages

Of course, though, there are some disadvantages to electing to do a PhD in this way.

Chief among them is the pressure to start publishing immediately. Publishing is hardly a quick process; it can sometimes take up to two years from submission to a journal long periods of fieldwork may not be compatible.

Therefore candidates taking this route need to start straight away. Aim to have your first paper finished within the first 6 months.

It’s also worth recognising that this is not a format for the faint hearted. Rejections from journals can be brutal. You need to be prepared to take this on the chin and send it out again.

That said, this is a skill you need to develop for academia. Being exposed to it early helped me develop a thick skin and be humble about my work.

With the benefit of feedback, there’s also the downside of extra work. You may often need to rewrite work for journal editors.

After all, editors have their own agenda and interests and in some respect you are writing for them and not for you. However this taught me to stand my ground with editors and defend things I wished to keep as well as framing things for different audiences.

Another thing to be wary of when considering a PhD by publication is that you need to understand that it’s not a professional Doctorate. A Professional Doctorate recognises contribution to a profession and usually doesn’t include the same level of original contribution or indeed a thesis.

PhD by publication is still examined to the same standards as a traditional PhD. However countering this assumption that it is not a “real” PhD is sometimes hard.

Finally, because you’re likely to be treading new ground in your institution, there’s not always a clear path before you.

I did my PhD in a department which was still sorting out its policy towards this format. As a consequence I needed the strong support of your supervisor and head of department to make this work (which I was lucky enough to have). You shouldn’t expect a clear set of instructions here; guidelines and policies seem to vary between departments, disciplines and universities.

The up shot

The biggest advantage is that I have come out of my doctoral studies not only with a PhD but with a healthy publication record. This I hope will assist me when taking the next step in my career.

For me, PhD with publication provided a framework, a way forward from which I could see the path to submission. It provided me with a way to get my doctorate without worrying about the process. It allowed me the opportunity to contribute to debates while developing my ideas.

If academia is to expect Australian candidates to now finish their PhD and publish, then it should promote and encourage alternative formats such as this. It can only be good for both PhD candidates and the profession at large.

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• 12 March 2024

Bring PhD assessment into the twenty-first century

You have full access to this article via your institution.

Innovation in PhD education has not reached how doctoral degrees are assessed. Credit: Dan Dunkley/Science Photo Library

Research and teaching in today’s universities are unrecognizable compared with what they were in the early nineteenth century, when Germany and later France gave the world the modern research doctorate. And yet significant aspects of the process of acquiring and assessing a doctorate have remained remarkably constant. A minimum of three years of independent study mentored by a single individual culminates in the production of the doctoral thesis — often a magisterial, book-length piece of work that is assessed in an oral examination by a few senior academic researchers. In an age in which there is much research-informed innovation in teaching and learning, the assessment of the doctoral thesis represents a curious throwback that is seemingly impervious to meaningful reform.

But reform is needed. Some doctoral candidates perceive the current assessment system to lack transparency, and examiners report concerns of falling standards ( G. Houston A Study of the PhD Examination: Process, Attributes and Outcomes . PhD thesis, Oxford Univ.; 2018 ). Making the qualification more structured would help — and, equally importantly, would bring the assessment of PhD education in line with education across the board. PhD candidates with experience of modern assessment methods will become better researchers, wherever they work. Indeed, most will not be working in universities: the majority of PhD holders find employment outside academia.

Collection: Career resources for PhD students

It’s not that PhD training is completely stuck in the nineteenth century. Today’s doctoral candidates can choose from a range of pathways. Professional doctorates, often used in engineering, are jointly supervised by an employer and an academic, and are aimed at solving industry-based problems. Another innovation is PhD by publication, in which, instead of a final thesis on one or more research questions, the criterion for an award is a minimum number of papers published or accepted for publication. In some countries, doctoral students are increasingly being trained in cohorts, with the aim of providing a less isolating experience than that offered by the conventional supervisor–student relationship. PhD candidates are also encouraged to acquire transferable skills — for example, in data analysis, public engagement, project management or business, economics and finance. The value of such training would be even greater if these skills were to be formally assessed alongside a dissertation rather than seen as optional.

And yet, most PhDs are still assessed after the production of a final dissertation, according to a format that, at its core, has not changed for at least half a century, as speakers and delegates noted at an event in London last month on PhD assessment, organized by the Society for Research in Higher Educatio n. Innovations in assessment that are common at other levels of education are struggling to find their way into the conventional doctoral programme.

Take the concept of learning objectives. Intended to aid consistency, fairness and transparency, learning objectives are a summary of what a student is expected to know and how they will be assessed, and are given at the start of a course of study. Part of the ambition is also to help tutors to keep track of their students’ learning and take remedial action before it is too late.

PhD training is no longer fit for purpose — it needs reform now

Formative assessment is another practice that has yet to find its way into PhD assessment consistently. Here, a tutor evaluates a student’s progress at the mid-point of a course and gives feedback or guidance on what students need to do to improve ahead of their final, or summative, assessment. It is not that these methods are absent from modern PhDs; a conscientious supervisor will not leave candidates to sink or swim until the last day. But at many institutions, such approaches are not required of PhD supervisors.

Part of the difficulty is that PhD training is carried out in research departments by people who do not need to have teaching qualifications or awareness of innovations based on education research. Supervisors shouldn’t just be experts in their field, they should also know how best to convey that subject knowledge — along with knowledge of research methods — to their students.

It is probably not possible for universities to require all doctoral supervisors to have teaching qualifications. But there are smaller changes that can be made. At a minimum, doctoral supervisors should take the time to engage with the research that exists in the field of PhD education, and how it can apply to their interactions with students.

There can be no one-size-fits-all solution to improving how a PhD is assessed, because different subjects often have bespoke needs and practices ( P. Denicolo Qual. Assur. Educ. 11 , 84–91; 2003 ). But supervisors and representatives of individual subject communities must continue to discuss what is most appropriate for their disciplines.

All things considered, there is benefit to adopting a more structured approach to PhD assessment. It is high time that PhD education caught up with changes that are now mainstream at most other levels of education. That must start with a closer partnership between education researchers, PhD supervisors and organizers of doctoral-training programmes in universities. This partnership will benefit everyone — PhD supervisors and doctoral students coming into the research workforce, whether in universities or elsewhere.

Education and training in research has entered many secondary schools, along with undergraduate teaching, which is a good thing. In the spirit of mutual learning, research doctoral supervisors, too, will benefit by going back to school.

Nature 627 , 244 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00718-0

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