Postgrad posts 1

The articles "Postgraduates told: those who can, teach" and "Juggling staff have crisis of identity" (July 7) both point out the inadequacy of the research PhD as preparation for an academic career.

Others besides me have argued that we need a professional doctorate in higher education, which has a research element but is mainly high-level training in the varied knowledge and skills that university staff require.

John Radford
Emeritus professor of psychology
University of East London