Supporting Future Researchers Through the PhD LaunchPad Collaboration

Dorothy Stevens, Director of the Postgraduate Office at Stellenbosch University, and Daniel Franklin, Director of the Postgraduate Certificate in Transferable Skills at the University of Warwick, are leading a joint initiative that aims to transform the early stages of the PhD journey. From the Stellenbosch side, the initiative is led by Stevens, with Cristan Macleod playing a central role in driving the project’s development and implementation. The project, called the PhD LaunchPad, responds to a growing need for better support for prospective doctoral applicants before they even apply for admission.

Across both universities, academic and administrative teams have noticed a common challenge. Many applicants have strong research interests and the motivation to pursue a PhD, but they often struggle with the early steps of developing a high-quality research proposal. Without clear guidance on how to frame a research question, identify gaps in existing knowledge or plan an ethical and feasible project, capable candidates may feel discouraged. Others submit proposals that show potential but fall short of competitive selection standards. At the same time, supervisors often spend considerable time helping applicants with basic proposal structure instead of focusing on deeper conceptual and methodological development.

The PhD LaunchPad project addresses this gap directly. By creating open access, non‑discipline specific digital learning resources, the project provides clear, structured and supportive guidance to applicants at the very beginning of the process. These materials will be hosted on both universities’ websites so that anyone, regardless of background or location, can work through the foundational steps of crafting a thoughtful and well-prepared research idea. The resources will help prospective students understand what originality means in research, how to identify key literature, how to refine research questions and how to think through the ethical considerations involved in using artificial intelligence or other emerging tools.

This initiative draws on the strengths of both institutions. Stellenbosch contributes extensive experience in postgraduate skills development and a strategic focus on access and success. Warwick brings a long-established training model through its Postgraduate Certificate in Transferable Skills, which helps researchers build strong analytical, organisational and communication abilities. By combining these approaches, the collaboration creates something neither university could achieve alone.

The project also supports important strategic priorities at both universities. It promotes equity by giving all applicants access to the same baseline level of guidance, which is especially important for candidates who did not come through traditional academic pathways or who are applying from outside the institution. It strengthens research quality by ensuring that applications are grounded in sound academic thinking from the start. It reduces pressure on supervisors, allowing them to focus on advanced developmental support. And it encourages greater participation in doctoral study by demystifying a process that many find daunting.

In practical terms, PhD LaunchPad will help applicants understand the steps required to shape their ideas into coherent research statements, preparing them for approaching a supervisor. This early confidence building can make doctoral study feel more achievable for applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. For the universities, it leads to better matched projects, more prepared candidates and a smoother start to the doctoral journey leading to research excellence

At a broader level, the partnership between Stellenbosch and Warwick reflects a shared commitment to fairness, academic excellence and global collaboration. It also lays the groundwork for future joint initiatives, including international researcher exchanges, collaborative funding applications and innovative doctoral training models that could benefit students across the world.

Through the PhD LaunchPad project, Dorothy Stevens and Daniel Franklin are helping to ensure that access to high quality doctoral education is not determined by geography, prior opportunity or familiarity with academic systems. Instead, they are creating an inclusive and supportive starting point for the next generation of researchers, and strengthening the foundations for meaningful, impactful scholarship at both universities.