This draft description of the pre-PD programme is based on input gathered during a co-creation day with professors (lectoren) of the participating institutes (Universities of Applied Sciences, UAS) on April 21, 2022
Content
The pre-PD programme is organised to help potential candidates develop their PD proposals. It will be offered to the first group of potential candidates to enter the program during its pilot phase and consists of 5 sessions that will take place on 2, 16 and 30 September and on 14 and 28 October 2022. Potential PD candidates are nominated to participate in a pre-PD programme by the UAS. The program is structured around the main components of the PD proposal, as formulated in appendix 3 of the validated PD Programme description. The (quality of) resulting PD proposals may inform the UAS decisions to select or not select a candidate for the PD programme. The proposals of selected candidates are submitted to the Graduate Committee (GC) by the UAS for a procedural assessment of the PD Arts and Creative, together with the required Education and Supervision Plan(OBP, see Appendix 2 of the validated PD Programme description).
Location
Social Impact Factory, Vredenburg 40, 3511 BD Utrecht.
This concerns the Fridays 2 September, 30 September, 14 October en 28 October.
The location for Friday 16 September will also be in Utrecht, but at HKU, location Nieuwe Kade at a 10 minute walk from Utrecht CS. If you travel by car on 16 September, please let us know in advance to reserve parking space. Navigation code 3511 RV.
| DATE | ACTION | RESPOSIBILITY |
| End of August 2022 | Nomination of 1-3 candidates per UAS. | UAS |
| 2, 16, 30 September, 14, 28 October 2022 | pre-PD sessions | Taskforce with at least one invited professor (lector) per session |
| Beginning of November | Submit research plan to UAS | Candidate together with the first supervisor |
| November | Writing of the Education and Supervision Plan (OBP) | Candidate together with the supervisors |
| End of November | Submit research plan and OBP to Graduate Committee | First supervisor |
| First two weeks of December | Reading plans and procedural assessments | Graduate Committee |
| Mid-December | Establishing final list of candidates to the PD | Graduate Committee |
| January 1 | Start of PD | Taskforce in collaboration with Graduate committee and General Board |
Pre-PD programme starting points are:
The sessions are structured around the first five sections of a PD proposal. During and after each session, all candidates draft the section of their proposal related to that session;
The remaining sections of the PD proposal, sections 6, 7, and 8, are written under the supervision of the candidate’s PD supervisors;
The programme is attentive to visual input and other ways of writing outside of academic writing;
The programme pays special attention to the development of a good research question; as well as
To research ethics and the difficulties that come with collaboration in complex research
Session format:
10.00: reception and warm up/team building
10.30: introduction to the objectives of the day plus a short pitch from the candidates 11.30: writing sprints including lunch (13.00-13.30)
13.30: discussion of writings in groups with Taskforce members and professors 14.30: writing sprints
15.30: discussion of writings in groups with Taskforce members and professors
16.30: closing (session ends at 17.00)
The pre-PD sessions
Session 1. What is the subject of the research? (September 2, 2022)
Describe the social, artistic or creative practice(s) in which the research positions itself and in which it intervenes. Pay attention to the so-called ‘question articulation’, i.e. how and
with whom the research question were developed and the intervention domain was determined. How familiar is the candidate with the context in which the research will take place and the research practice(s) themselves? Why does the candidate consider themself the right person to do the research? The answers to these questions should be supported with proof of previous work and activities.
Special points of interest for this session:
How is the research rooted in, or connected to the artistic or creative practice of the candidate? What are the personal ambitions of the candidate for this research? Why does the candidate want to conduct the research?
Envisioned outcomes: draft first section of the research proposal, including motivated research question(s)
Participating professor(s): to be discussed during GC-meeting on July 6, 2022.
Session 2. Why is the research needed? (September 16, 2022)
Indicate how the research contributes to arts and creative practices and make explicit what is currently lacking in this respect. If an intervention also takes place in a social practice outside of the arts, then also indicate why the intervention is needed in that practice. Support your arguments using sources such as academic literature, professional publications, documentaries, interviews, policy documents or other relevant material. Describe the research environment and the way in which relevant stakeholders will be involved in the research.
Special points of interest for this session:
Why should the research take place now? How are personal interest and societal urgency balanced in the proposal? What possible conflicts could occur between this interest and urgency? Which ethical issues could be encountered during, or could arise from the research?
Envisioned outcomes: draft version of the second part of the research proposal, including a mind map from the fields, disciplines and practices to which the research relates.
(Participating professor(s): to be discussed during GC-meeting on July 6, 2022)
Session 3. How is the research conducted? (September 30, 2022)
Which artistic, design and/or scientific method(s) will be used? What are the methodological and epistemological frameworks of the research? Why are these frameworks most relevant to and useful for the research question? How do they relate to the research environment? Does the candidate have sufficient experience in working within them? If not, which skills does the candidate still need to gain? Which challenges of research ethics and integrity could the choice of method(s) bring along?
Special points of interest for this session:
Is the research practice-oriented? How is this orientation supported by its methods? What is the added value of an artistic or creative approach as opposed to others? Which ethical implications could the proposed way of working have? Can theresearch question be answered within four years based on the proposed way of working?
Envisioned outcomes: draft third section of the research proposal, including a preliminary flow and time schedule.
(Participating professor(s): to be discussed during GC-meeting on July 6, 2022)
Session 4. What should be achieved through the research? (14 October, 2022)
Who or what benefits from the research? How does the research result in the intended changes to the practice(s) and domain(s) in which it intervenes? Which knowledge, insights, questions and changes may result from the research, and what is their relevance? Which artistic and creative groups, and social stakeholders are involved? How are the steps in, and results from the research communicated to these groups and stakeholders?
Special points of attention for this session:
What is the expected impact of the research on the candidate, the field, and society? Where does this impact follow naturally from the research and where does it need to be supported by dissemination activities? Which challenges of research ethics and integrity could arise as part of the envisioned dissemination process?
Envisioned outcomes: draft section 4 of the research proposal
(Participating professor(s): to be discussed during GC-meeting on July 6, 2022)
Session 5. How does the research shape the four roles of the PD candidate? (30 October, 2022)
Describe how and when the four roles – of innovator, professional, researcher and change agent- come back in the research. How are they distinctive and where do they overlap in the research? Motivate why the candidate will be able to fulfil these roles after completing the PD proposal.
Special points of interest for this session:
What do the four roles of a PD mean within artistic and design research? Could it be more productive to talk about ‘dimensions’ of the research instead? In addition, since this is the final sessions of the pre-PD programme, the session will pay attention to the coherence of the proposal as a whole. What remains to be done in order to complete the final proposal?
Envisioned outcomes: Complete draft of the PD proposal.
(Participating professor(s): to be discussed during GC-meeting on July 6, 2022)