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The physical space they are given is a reflection of their perceived importance .
Room to move
PhDs need more space to interact and succeed .
By Samantha Hall and Isabelle Taylor
Doctoral students are a lifeblood of Australia ’ s universities , estimated at contributing some two-thirds of research output . Recent years have seen a global growth in the number of students enrolling into PhD programs , but this has been accompanied by a rising tide of mental health issues and low satisfaction rates .
With dropout rates reported at 30 to 50 per cent , the quality of student experiences and outcomes is drawing increasing criticism .
The HDR journey can be a long , lonely and challenging one . Often finding themselves at the bottom of an entrenched cultural hierarchy , HDRs have historically fallen between the classification of staff and students .
In a new study by the UK Association of University Directors of Estates ( AUDE ) and Campus Intuition , we found that this is also reflected in the physical spaces allocated to HDRs on campus . Amidst the undergraduates and permanent faculty , they have become an invisible cohort , lacking the appropriate ecosystems on campus to provide both motivation and a scaffold to their academic lives .
A key issue is that HDR workspace is both little studied and tricky to manage . Their space needs can change extensively over their course of study , as well as by discipline .
Allocated space is not a top priority and is frequently sub-optimal . This leads to a cycle of low utilisation , diminished community and reduced opportunities for professional networking .
Typically without a syllabus to follow , the research experience can be highly entrepreneurial , emotional and unstructured . In lieu of structured workflows , physical space on campus helps to fill the void , supporting HDRs to achieve routine , discipline and motivation .
For many HDRs , the home environment does not offer a conducive workplace ; a 2020 survey of over 15,000 US postgraduate students during the pandemic identified that the biggest barrier to timely completions was an inadequate work from home environment .
From laboratories to desk-based environments , accessing high-quality space to work and engage with peers and supervisors has a material impact upon HDR output . It is critical as a site for the interactions that foster feelings of belonging and communities of practice .
It was telling how many respondents referenced relationships : connections with fellow researchers , collaborators , mentors and others with whom to share ideas , source advice and unlock opportunities , cultivate professional networks as well as friendships .
When HDRs do not have access to physical places on campus that facilitate encounters , their ability to build these , and consequently belonging , is fundamentally impeded .
The typology and quality of space dedicated to HDRs varies across institutions . We spoke to students assigned desks in corridors , silent areas in the library or with no allocated space at all . For the students concerned , the physical space they are given on campus is a reflection of their perceived importance and value to the university .
This is felt particularly acutely by those without a desk . Poor space provision can reduce motivation , engagement and sense of purpose in terms of career , especially amongst part-time students . Space , even when unoccupied , gives researchers a sense of value and identity at a critical stage in their academic career .
All too often , though , there has been a lack of strategic planning in this arena . Data on workplace provision and utilisation is often lacking ; with decisions based upon what infrastructure is available rather than what would help HDRs to succeed . Furthermore , HDRs are the first to be forced from their offices to make room for incoming academics .
Increasingly , institutions are adopting shared , open-plan spatial models for HDR workspace . These can conflict with the ability to work and think deeply . They can also work well , but only when accompanied by a clear understanding of how HDRs collaborate and by easily accessible support infrastructure – kitchens , meeting rooms , social spaces , storage and seamless technology .
A better spatial experience will unlock greater potential for HDRs and , in turn , unlock greater research productivity for their universities .
Spatial planning needs to recognise the different spatial use patterns across the different stages of the HDR career – the multiple roles they perform ( scholar , teacher , researcher , employee ) – and the additional challenges juggled by part-time students . ■
Samantha Hall is principal director at Campus Intuition . Isabelle Taylor is head of research at Turnberry Consulting .
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