News

On August 26, 2025, Dr DangeniLink opens in a new window, a post-doctoral research fellow at Anglia Ruskin University, represented the PADC research team at the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLILink opens in a new window) conference in Graz, Austria. The presentation was part of an invited symposium hosted by the SIG24 Research Education and Careers.

Titled 'A tacit expectation of doctoral admission admissibility? Staff perceptions of researcher independence,' the presentation Link opens in a new windowshared findings from the team's 2022-2023 institutional case study. This research investigates pre-application doctoral communications (PADC), through the project titled 'Opening up the Black Box of Pre-Application Doctoral Communications (PADC)', that was based at the University of Warwick and funded by the Research England Enhancing Research Culture Fund. This is a study area which is a critical yet often overlooked facet of the doctoral admissions process.

The presentation (see attached) explored how the discourse of ‘researcher independence’ operates during the early stages of doctoral recruitment, drawing on a paper the team has submitted for a special issue of Innovations in Education and Teaching International (IETI).

Find out more about the PADC project at https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ces/research/current/padcLink opens in a new window including:-

• final project reportLink opens in a new window
• a briefing document for Higher Education Institutions and academic departmentsLink opens in a new window
• a briefing document for doctoral supervisorsLink opens in a new window
• a briefing document for doctoral applicants and those working with themLink opens in a new window
• the DEAR Centre's advice videoLink opens in a new window for searching for a supervisor