Alistair McCulloch

Alistair McCulloch is a Professor in the Learning and Teaching Unit at the University of South Australia, with significant expertise in doctoral education and research supervision. Previously, he served as Professor and Dean of Research and Knowledge Transfer at Edge Hill University near Liverpool for over 12 years, where he was responsible for the development and quality of the university's research degree programs.

His primary research interests focus on doctoral education, PhD supervision, and graduate education, with particular attention to the experiences of part-time doctoral students, especially working mothers. McCulloch's work explores sociocultural transitions in doctoral education, the role of oral examinations (vivas), and the concept of serendipity in research. His research demonstrates a consistent concern with the wellbeing of doctoral students and the structural factors that affect their success.

McCulloch's publication record shows a clear evolution from early work in political history (notably his 1979 thesis on the 1910 UK General Election) toward contemporary issues in higher education. His recent work (2022-2025) focuses on critical issues in doctoral education including student wellbeing, supervisor-student relationships, and assessment practices. He has been particularly active in examining the experiences of marginalized doctoral student populations and has contributed significantly to the literature on part-time doctoral study.

As an academic leader, McCulloch has been involved with the Quality in Postgraduate Research (QPR) conference series held in Adelaide, South Australia, which brings together international scholars interested in doctoral education. His work bridges theoretical perspectives (including Marxist theory on work and alienation) with practical concerns in doctoral program design and implementation.