Session theme: Managing the Doctoral Journey: Staying Motivated and Finishing on Time
A PhD or DBA is a piece of research that you can complete in three years (full-time) or six years (part-time) – but there are so many things to do that it often takes longer. There is a lot to learn, and many doctoral students also move to a new place or even a new country, so it can be an intense experience while also having to settle into a new role, a workplace where you are not really a colleague but also not a regular student – you no longer have a cohort where you regularly meet others in classrooms.
Many deadlines can be moved, supervisors have lots of other things on their minds, and, for good or for ill, you are your own boss before you even know all the things that need to be done. PhD students find themselves with lots of unstructured time and multiple demands, and DBAs have to juggle their professional role with the demands of becoming a professional researcher.
This Doctoral Friday, we look at how you can manage the many demands of doctoral life in a practical way, how to adjust to your new identity as a doctoral researcher and how to stay motivated for the long haul.
Vision:
The aim is to enable doctoral researchers to be confident, successful, and excited about their doctorial journey choices. This space is about being open and having innovative minds come together to learn, share, and network in a safe environment.
Mission:
We are curious minds, that strive for success and recognition. We will be confident through discussion, knowledge sharing, and celebrating success. As per the doctoral researcher’s definition.
Values:
To share information that will help inspire doctoral researchers to thrive in their doctoral journeys. Knowing what matters as a doctoral researcher is key to having a successful research journey.
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Provider Information
BAM Council's Sub-Committee of Academic Career Development (ACD)
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Who Should Attend?
Doctoral Students
The event speaks to Sections A1 and A2 as detailed in the BAM Framework
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Guest Speaker
Professor Stephanie Decker
Stephanie Decker, FAcSS, is Professor of Strategy at Birmingham Business School. She has contributed substantially to interdisciplinary research that draws on historical knowledge to expand and problematise management knowledge.
This research stream was recognised in the REF 2022 panel report for its contribution to the theoretical sophistication of business history. Her work spans methodological and theoretical issues, as well as empirical research on the role of international business in global contexts that are often underrepresented in business research, such as Africa. She has been joint editor-in-chief of Business History since 2020.
As Co-Vice Chair for Research & Publications at the British Academy of Management, she has developed BAM’s Open Access strategy to support the continued excellence of our journals, British Journal of Management and International Journal of Management Reviews, as well as supporting the further development of the BAM research grants scheme.
She co-authored the BAM Guide to Decolonising the Business School Curriculum with the BAM Vice Chair for Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity & Respect and continues to champion interdisciplinary research in business, management and beyond.
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Chaired by
Olamide Falehin
Olamide Falehin is a doctoral researcher and associate lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). Her PhD explores trust in entrepreneurship and the experiences of African minority entrepreneurs in the West Midlands. She represents postgraduate researchers on the UWS PGR Doctoral College Board and with the British Academy of Management (BAM), and her work has been recognised with awards, including the Best Development Paper and Best Reviewer Awards at the BAM conference. Beyond academia, she supports SMEs in building sustainable businesses.
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Benefits of attending
- Network with other doctoral students and academics all in one place
- Educational purposes (learning new skills)
- Knowledge sharing
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Contact
Please contact the BAM Office at [email protected] with any queries.
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Event Fee
BAM Members: Free
Non-Members: £60
If you are booking multiple paid events as a Non-Member, it may be cheaper for you to purchase a BAM Membership as nearly all BAM Events are free or at a discounted rate for Members.
For more information, please visit BAM Membership
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Registration closes on 7th May 2026 at 23:59 BST
Payment and Cancellation Policy
Payment for the event must be received before the start date of the event concerned. Access will not be permitted to the event if full payment has not been received.
Cancellations
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Cancellations received within 14 days of booking your place on the event will receive a full refund.
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Cancellations received after the 14-day cancellation period and later than 14 days before the start date of the event will not be eligible for a refund.
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Although we endeavour to run all events as advertised, BAM reserves the right to cancel any event if, for example, there are not enough people to justify running the event or if other significant unforeseen circumstances arise.
To cancel a booking a cancellation request must be submitted via your BAM Account, to do this:
- Go to your BAM Account
- Click 'My Events'
- Under 'Upcoming Events' will be the booking, please click Cancel Booking
- Follow the steps and complete the request