Doctoral Education and New Managerialism

Abstract

In keeping with the theme of the 2012 Australian DPR-AQR conference: Embodying good research—What counts and who decides?, this chapter examines the impact of new managerialism on doctoral research and supervision. The arguments forwarded here are: (1) that good research at the doctoral level is endangered by new managerialist concerns focused on timely completions, the meeting of arbitrary milestones and accountability processes; (2) that good doctoral level research education is at risk of compromise through workload pressures on supervisors; and (3) that impoverished research culture and zealous management practices have potential to reinscribe what counts as good research.