The context and dilemma
An exploration of doctoral education within schools of architecture at this point in time appears to be particularly apposite. Given the recognition and growing acceptance of the potential for research to drive development and innovation in both architectural practice and education, exactly how doctoral training and study might be aligned and structured to help develop research behaviours and thinking becomes a critical question for all higher education institutions. This also reflects the shift, particularly marked in the UK, for universities to become mixed economies of teaching research and consultancy, as opposed to the historical model of institutions’ activity and income stemming from and biased largely towards teaching. While this has typically been led by necessity to diversify to achieve greater financial viability and sustainability, it has prompted many institutions to reconsider the place of research and consultancy within their portfolio of activities.

The potential for doctoral research and training to provide both momentum and focus to research activity within institutions, while also growing researcher capacity both there and within the architectural profession, is enormous. However this requires any institution to consider doctoral provision in particular in a far more strategic way, and to consider how to lead the development of this field rather than merely responding incrementally and in a reactive manner. This is a significant departure from the past, and parallels other significant shifts and changes in the higher education context.

One of the key questions therefore is how can schools contribute significantly to architectural research and innovation, and to what extent do they have to rethink their output particularly in relation to doctoral education to be able to achieve this?