In October 2020, I was invited to take part in the Inaugural Professional Doctorate Symposium. The invitation came with a profound sense of worth and acknowledgement of my achievements over the past four, almost five years on the professional doctorate programme. To be invited to join my fellow PhD and Professional Doctorate students on this platform would be exciting. To be asked to be the first guest speaker was truly exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure.

I was joined on the symposium by several other rather splendid individuals.

Keynote Speaker: Dr Jon Rainford, Open Uni.& Uni. of Bedfordshire 
1st Guest Speaker: Eileen O’Neil, Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) 
2nd Guest Speaker: Sandra Flynn, Lancaster Uni. & Uni. of Limerick 
3rd Guest Speaker: Owen Mooney, Leeds Beckett University 

We all expressed our own journeys on the professional doctorate programme or the traditional PhD programme, sharing life and lived experiences including hints and tips on surviving and thriving along the way. With every contribution to academic knowledge and shared experience on the professional doctorate programme comes with a requirement to apply the very best version of yourself to the very best of your capabilities. There are always many variables to consider when putting yourself and your skills to the test. Technology can and often does challenge even the most proficient amongst us when it matters most. I am happy to report that following a few early glitches with my technology I proceeded to deliver my own experiences on the doctoral journey. In the coming weeks, a link will be made available for anyone who missed the live symposium, I look forward to sharing this with the wider academic community in due course. There will also be another opportunity to join in the next Professional Doctorate Symposium in February 2021. Please look out for further information and a registration link in the New Year.

#ProfDocSoc