A highlight of last week's AEngD annual conference in London was the presentation of initial findings from a pilot study looking at the impacts of EngD research.
The study, funded jointly by the AEngD and the EPSRC, was undertaken by a team from Manchester Business School, led by Dr Fumi Kitagawa, and the interim summary identified five main areas of impact:
There was also an interesting discussion about retention of EngD graduates by their industry sponsors (the study suggested that only about a quarter of EngDs remained with their sponsor upon completion of their research project). Fumi suggested some employers regarded the research as a fixed-term project; it was also evident that some employers didn't make competitive offers of employment to their EngD graduates with the result that they moved to other employers.
The study, funded jointly by the AEngD and the EPSRC, was undertaken by a team from Manchester Business School, led by Dr Fumi Kitagawa, and the interim summary identified five main areas of impact:
- generation of new knowledge - "increased in-house knowledge and research outcomes in the short/mid-term, as well as a long-term approach to technology problem solution and business change."
- innovation-related outputs and outcomes - these included licensing of patents, formation of spin-out companies, new product/service development, new market entry, business process improvements and faster time to market.
- pan-industry knowledge networks and collaboration - "Knowledge generated by one firm often diffuses into the industry as a whole through collaborative relationships, through supply chains or through movement of human capital."
- human capital and skills development - EngD research enhanced REs career paths, industrial partners' skills and the pool of talented future leaders across a sector
- economic benefits - Examples include EngD researchers identifying annual cost savings for sponsors of £2.4m and £3.0m. A patented therapy eventually valued at £20 billion. For every pound invested by EPSRC, one centre identified a further £1.77 industry investment in EngD research.
#AEngD2013 One EngD researcher (with an environmental bent) reduced their sponsor's operating costs by £5,000,000. Wow.
— Bengt Cousins-Jenvey (@BengtCJ) November 26, 2013
There were also direct economic benefits to the EngD researchers themselves. During her conference presentation, Fumi highlighted that EngD candidates were more likely to command higher salaries than researchers who had undertaken CASE PhDs: 33% of EngD graduates earn over £35,000 per annum compared to c. 13% of CASE PhDs.There was also an interesting discussion about retention of EngD graduates by their industry sponsors (the study suggested that only about a quarter of EngDs remained with their sponsor upon completion of their research project). Fumi suggested some employers regarded the research as a fixed-term project; it was also evident that some employers didn't make competitive offers of employment to their EngD graduates with the result that they moved to other employers.
Thank you for publishing the research on the impact of the EngD. This information has been extremely valuable and will help promote the EngD to industry and potential students. At this time I have one query about the research and this perhaps something you have already looked at. When a potential student is making a decision about whether to undertake an EngD there are a number of considerations made. They consider the area of research that they may be interested in, the company, the university and benefits to their future career. I feel that I have made much more progress than my fellow colleagues who have not taken the opportunity to undertake an EngD, however it has always been unclear to me what the benefits are for the EngD over direct entry into industry. Can an EngD apply for chartership immediately following completion of the EngD? Are the responsibilities of the graduate EngD greater than that of a person who went directly into industry for 4 years. Is there a salary benefit between them? I think there are many more considerations and they are very important to attract people to undertake an EngD, especially if the benefits are clearly in favour of the EngD in comparison to direct entry into industry.
ReplyDeleteThe first point about the Chartered status – this is something the AEngD has been very actively working on recently, so it would be worthwhile finding out the latest information from the AEngD.
ReplyDeleteFrom the study itself, I have some relevant information. During the interviews, when we asked about the “further qualifications” after the EngD the most mentioned qualification was the Chartered Engineer (CEng). The Engineering Council sets and maintains the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). Discipline-specific Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) are licensed by the Engineering Council to undertake the accreditation process according to UK-SPEC standards. Applicants normally must have two or three years’ working experiences, as well as a professional qualification, or its equivalent. According to the Engineering Council survey in 2011, PEIs support the view that the EngD is “an exemplifying academic qualification, despite the fact that these vary enormously” (Seddon, 2012). Some of the IDCs have got their taught courses accredited as meeting the requirements for the Chartered Engineer status.
Two of the alumni REs who had already obtained the Chartered Engineer status believe it was aided by the EngD qualification.
“It (the EngD qualification) has helped me garner my Chartered status.” (RE System-Consultancy Experienced RE)
“I became chartered 2 years after joining in the company [after completing the EngD]... and I'm pretty sure without the EngD I wouldn't have been chartered in such a short time.” (RE Manufacture-Chemical 1, fresh graduate)
Three RE alumni are in the process of applying or working for their Chartered status (RE Manufacture-Chemicals, RE Manufacture and RE Materials). One of them says that the EngD experience is an advantage because it accelerates the process towards this professional qualification. He believes that the EngD programme is a good pathway to future industry leaders and has helped in the development of his career so far.
"One thing I want to do in six months to one year is get chartership. I know the EngD counts for quite a lot of the competences they're looking for. I'm going for the Institute of Mechanical Engineering. I think the EngD being accredited by IMecE helps to get the chartership, and of course it then helps you in your CV and getting jobs and getting promotions and so on" (RE Manufacture-Aerospace 1, fresh graduate).
However, there is no overall information available about the number of former REs who have got the Chartered Engineer status, as it is up to the PEIs.