Diversity and Equality

Creating Inclusive Research Communities

Creating Inclusive Research Communities (CIRC)

In September 2006 the Dean of the Graduate School commissioned Val Farrar (project officer from the Premia Project - see www.premia.ac.uk for details) to conduct a study on the barriers which exist at entry to, and completion of, research degree programmes at Durham University.  Phase 2 of the CIRC project began in October 2007 with a study on part-time research students.

The aims of the project were to:

  • quantify and identify current barriers to access
  • highlight best practice in management of research study
  • look at best practice in supporting research students
  • identify those areas within postgraduate study and postdoctoral research at Durham where change may be needed
  • ensure that the research training programme and support structures for all research students at Durham are aligned with best practice.
The outcomes of phase 1 of the project are described in the Executive Summary Report: http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/diversity.equality/ExecutivesummaryCIRC.DOC .  The full report is not publically available for reasons of participant's confidentiality.  The outcomes of Phase 2 are described in the Part Time Report: http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/diversity.equality/ParttimePhDreporteditedbyparticipants.doc .

 

Over the last two years the University has been working to implement the recommendations emerging from this work to ensure the best possible support is provided across the institution for disabled and part-time researchers.

Funding was secured from the Higher Education Academy to discuss this work at a seminar in October 2008 as part of the HEA research seminar series on the theme of inclusion, funded in part by the Disability Equality Partnership.  This provided an opportunity to disseminate these issues nationally; resources from the workshop are available on the HEA website (www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/details/2008/ResearchSeminar_22Oct08) .  A workshop on the outcomes of the project was also given in York in December 2007.

The CIRC project formed a major part of the Doctoral Training Team's submission which won the 2009 Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers.

For further information, please contact Dr Lowry McComb, Director of Postgraduate training (t.j.l.mccomb@durham.ac.uk) .