The Dark Academy

While doing HDR research is usually seen as an achievement and a positive, there are also dips, slips and flips encountered along the way that can be hard to deal with. At some stage, most postgrads experience some troubling times in ‘The Dark Academy’.

The Dark Academy is the shadow side of university work – the less-spoken-of ‘tales from the crypt’. Dark Academy issues vary greatly, from isolation, rejection, being disrespected or taken advantage of, imposter syndrome, dealing with difficult supervisors and/or tricky personalities, grappling with inflated expectations or publishing perils all the way through to various forms of bullying. While Griffith has some good resources and services to help with such issues, many postgrads are unsure, unconfident, or do not want to access institutional help. In this situation, connecting with other postgrads in an informal and supportive space can be really helpful.

Workshop itinerary

• When: Monday 7 November @ 10am-12pm 
• Where: Online – Register here!
• Cost: FREE
  
  This 2-hour session is a unique candidate-led forum to air, share and manage some of the ‘sticky moments’ experienced at Griffith Uni. Some ideas discussed will be familiar to participants – others will serve as a warning. This session is run by Nina Ginsberg and is an academic staff-free, independent space that not only identifies key problem areas but also provides strategies on how to work more productively and professionally handle them.

This session has 3 parts:

1. A Keynote Presentation: The Dark Academy and how to survive it,
2. An open discussion Q& A, and
3. break out rooms for small group discussions. HDR participants will leave this event with some new HDR contacts, a selection of useful ideas and strategies, and a renewed feeling of confidence moving forward.