RAISE Special Interest Groups (Early Career Researchers and Research & Evaluation) Collaboration: A Case Study

Abstract

In the academic year 2022/23, the RAISE Special Interest Groups for Early Career Researchers and Research & Evaluation collaboratively developed a professional development programme for HE colleagues new to writing about student engagement. The diverse audience ranged from Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to colleagues new to academic writing including those interested in writing about Student Engagement. The programme featured three online events (alongside virtual on-demand support) covering themes around barriers and challenges to publication; enabling collaboration and co-creation across institutional/disciplinary contexts and the opportunity to participate in an academic writing workshop. This case study will present an account of the process and experiences of delivering these events looking into the barriers and challenges experienced by ECRs, the community-based, peer-learning approach adopted (CoPs) to address these with the aim to facilitate the publication process and make it more inclusive and accessible for (a diverse range of) participants. The example is framed and contextualised through relevant literature and a wider higher education backdrop of work-life balance, principles of staff-student partnership and a ‘publish or perish’ culture.