Scholarlink

This chapter presents a detailed exploration of the ASPIRE programme’s operational model, structured around five core pillars—Personal and Professional Development, Academic Writing, Employability, Research Skills, and Project Management. Rooted in the guiding philosophies of compassionate pedagogy, Ubuntu, and Omoluabi, ASPIRE offers a culturally grounded mentorship framework designed to dismantle structural barriers that hinder Black students’ access, participation, and progression in doctoral education. The chapter critically addresses racialised gatekeeping, hidden curricula, impostor syndrome, and exclusion from academic networks, highlighting how ASPIRE empowers students through tailored support, skills development, and ethical mentorship. Each pillar functions as a strategic intervention, equipping scholars with the tools, confidence, and networks needed to thrive in academia and beyond. A key innovation, the ASPIRE 30 Internship Initiative, further bridges the gap between education and employment by providing paid, industry-based opportunities for Black students, challenging exclusionary recruitment practices. Grounded in Critical Race Theory, the programme not only supports individual transformation but actively engages institutions and employers in structural reform. ASPIRE’s model affirms that equitable doctoral pathways require a holistic approach—one that integrates academic excellence, professional readiness, emotional resilience, and communal belonging to reimagine a more inclusive future for higher education.

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Building Pathways to Equity: The ASPIRE Programme and Its Pillars

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

查看全文
  • Ifedapo Francis Awolowo

摘要

This chapter presents a detailed exploration of the ASPIRE programme’s operational model, structured around five core pillars—Personal and Professional Development, Academic Writing, Employability, Research Skills, and Project Management. Rooted in the guiding philosophies of compassionate pedagogy, Ubuntu, and Omoluabi, ASPIRE offers a culturally grounded mentorship framework designed to dismantle structural barriers that hinder Black students’ access, participation, and progression in doctoral education. The chapter critically addresses racialised gatekeeping, hidden curricula, impostor syndrome, and exclusion from academic networks, highlighting how ASPIRE empowers students through tailored support, skills development, and ethical mentorship. Each pillar functions as a strategic intervention, equipping scholars with the tools, confidence, and networks needed to thrive in academia and beyond. A key innovation, the ASPIRE 30 Internship Initiative, further bridges the gap between education and employment by providing paid, industry-based opportunities for Black students, challenging exclusionary recruitment practices. Grounded in Critical Race Theory, the programme not only supports individual transformation but actively engages institutions and employers in structural reform. ASPIRE’s model affirms that equitable doctoral pathways require a holistic approach—one that integrates academic excellence, professional readiness, emotional resilience, and communal belonging to reimagine a more inclusive future for higher education.