Dr Karen Clegg
Reader in Doctoral Education & Practice

Profile

Biography

My background is in Higher Education (PhD in pedagogy and self and peer assessment). Until recently I led the researcher development function at the University of York where I was responsible for the design and facilitation of professional development interventions for researchers and academic staff and the formulation of strategy and implementation of institutional policy.  I designed and directed a number of accredited programmes for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), Fellows and Senior Research leaders and created opportunities for public engagement (3MT, Falling Walls) and knowledge exchange (Enterprise Fellowships). 

I am now co-director of the £4.6million, four-year Research England funded Next Generation Research SuperVision Project (RSVP) designed to transform the culture and practice of research supervision.  The project involves work with 58 practitioner and industry  partners including the BBC, Royal Shakespeare Company and Opera North. Recognising this synergy with ACT’s commitment to pedagogy and creativity I am seconded to the  School of Arts and Creative Technologies as Reader in Doctoral Education & Practice until 2027.

I am well connected in the sector and proud to be an elected member and trustee of the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE), a member of the BBSRC People and Talent Strategy Advisory Panel, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a trained coach and an accomplished conference speaker.

Research

Overview

My research interests are fuelled by a commitment to enhancing educational practice. My PhD explored how self and peer assessment and reflective practice provide a conceptual framework for meaningful learning in practice based settings. These approaches to assessment, combined with pedagogy on experiential learning, underpinned the programmes I have developed and directed for academic practice and Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs).  Drawing on this experience I am now developing models of reflective practice to support an exploration of supervisor identity, what it means to be a supervisor, what values and principles underpin doctoral supervision and how this translates in practice in different disciplines, contexts and culture.  

The role of team supervision is also a key area of interest for me, including what makes an effective research supervisory team and what roles and boundaries need to be negotiated with stakeholders. Drawing on links with creative industries I hope to identify the factors that underpin high performing teams. 

I am proud to be an elected member of the BBSRC People and Talent Strategy Advisory Panel, a trustee and exec member of the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) where I led the curated the first ever UK Research Supervision Survey, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a consultant to various doctoral schools.

Supervision

I am particularly interested in supervising doctoral candidates who wish to explore any of the following areas: reflective practice, assessment, identity, supervision and professional practice in arts and performance-based work.

Publications

Selected publications

The UK Research Supervision Survey (UKRSS) 2024. UK Council for Graduate Education.

Clegg K, Houston G & Gower O (2024) Doctoral Supervision and Research Culture: what we know, what works and why. Routledge

Clegg K (2023) A Team Approach to PhD Supervision. WonkHE.

Shining a light on supervisors can improve research culture. Research Professional. 20 September 2023.

2021 - Coverage of the UKCGE UK Research Supervision Survey - WonkHE, Times Higher Education, Nature

Taylor S and Clegg K (2021) ‘Towards a framework for the recognition of good supervisory practice,’ in Lee A and Bongaardt R (Eds). The Future of Doctoral Education, Routledge

Braccia E, Clegg K, Davies J, Palmer N, and Mark Smith (2021) Crisis as Opportunity: the challenges for (Business) Doctoral Schools in Global Focus, the EfMD Buisness Magazine https://www.globalfocusmagazine.com/crisis-as-opportunity/ 

 Clegg K and Bryan C (2019) 2nd Edition 'Innovative Assessment in Higher Education: a handbook for academic practitioners '