Senior researcher attends the Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference

23 May 2024

By Milandré van Lil

Dr Milandré van Lill, a senior researcher at CREST, recently attended the Quality in Postgraduate Research (QPR) in Adelaide, Australia. Held every two years in Adelaide, South Australia, QPR brings together educational researchers, policy makers, university leaders, research students, and research degree supervisors for the purpose of better understanding the processes, practices, pedagogies, and theoretical frameworks of doctoral education. The biennial QPR conference has become a global focal point for the discussion of all aspects of doctoral education. QPR conferences attract key thinkers in the area of doctoral education from Europe, North America, the United Kingdom, South-East Asia, South Africa, as well as Australasia.

This year, the conference theme Graduate researchers: identity and importance sparked renewed engagement in the global debates around the purpose of the doctorate, particularly as graduate career trajectories are increasingly leading to employment in sectors outside of academia. A central theme emerged which underscores the value of professional support for higher degree researchers and their supervisors. A key takeaway from QPR 2024 pertains to how various institutions are responding to the numerous needs of their graduate students and how higher education institutions in Africa might strengthen their support initiatives.