Conclusion and recommendations

Summary

Twenty-seven personal accounts, 27 unique stories, 27 lessons to be learned. In the five preceding parts of this book, you have read the stories of Black academics across the UK, who have detailed their experiences of aspiring to and obtaining a PhD degree. From the perils and pitfalls of being Black and applying for a PhD in Part I, to the reflections at the completion of a PhD journey in Part V, the challenges and difficulties Black PhD scholars face have been outlined in their own words. These accounts speak to the resilience, determination and ingenuity that has led them to succeed in spite of their academic environments. The chapters have spoken of personal struggles for rights and recognition after entering white academic spaces (in Part II). They also detail the innovative Black support networks that have filled institutional voids, often at a great cost to already marginalised individuals (Part III). We have also seen instances in Part IV where supervisors, programmes and departments have provided exceptional support that has facilitated the success of Black students. These accounts, written between 2021 and 2023, stand as a collective testimony of the current state of UK academia for Black people undertaking doctoral research.

Consistent themes

From Part I of the book, focusing on students applying to study for a PhD, issues of access, lack of information, uncertainty, confidence and isolation consistently appear. From these accounts, we can see that the path to a PhD is often mystifying, inaccessible and prohibitively difficult to understand. Where do you find PhD places? Do you contact supervisors beforehand? Is joining a centre for doctoral training the best decision for me? The path to a PhD is not uniform and needs to be better explained to those looking to be admitted. More needs to be done to inform Black undergraduates and master's students about PhD research, in regards to the requirements for study, the opportunities available and the benefits that can be accrued. How can we expect Black students to undertake this qualification if there is no complete and definitive picture of what a PhD entails?