A question for those of you either working in academia or with an in depth knowledge of the vagaries of academia
Can anyone tell me exactly what an Associateship Programme might do for ones career?

I ask because I've been offered the opportunity to take one up (for free - so I'll do it anyway). I suspect it's just a nice added extra with no real use other than being something the Uni can point to when they talk about offering 'added value'.

So, has anyone any experience of taking part in one of these or any idea of just what they are?
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Tue 7 Oct 2008, 10:42, 3 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I'd guess at
some kind of group based work? Could be good on an CV as proof of your skills of working as a team.
(Dangerous Disco Trev Isn't my real name, Tue 7 Oct 2008, 13:02, Reply)

Thank you for your suggestion!
But it seems to be a series of lectures and a bit of essay writing too...So I'm guessing that it's a sort of useless qualification which just says, "I was here. I listened. I wrote a bit of stuff. They gave me a bit of paper."

I'm very suspicious about it though...it does appear to be just something to make them look very good indeed.

/cynic
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Tue 7 Oct 2008, 13:12, Reply)

Ahhhh
Like key skills then. Which all universities are going to require very very soon. Apparently anyway.
(Dangerous Disco Trev Isn't my real name, Tue 7 Oct 2008, 13:15, Reply)