Transforming CPD Through Practice-Based Research: Insights from a DProf
Why a Professional Doctorate Was Chosen for The CPD Register Research Project
A Doctorate in Professional Studies (DProf) at Middlesex University was chosen over a traditional PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) for this research because it allows the study to be conducted within the professional environment where CPD operates. Investigating the perceptions of CPD and assessing whether a standardised accreditation framework is needed requires access to a number of stakeholders whose insights are shaped by everyday professional realities.
A traditional PhD is typically more theoretical and discipline-led, whereas a DProf is designed for practice-based inquiry that captures these real-world perspectives with greater depth and relevance. This makes the DProf a more effective route for exploring the lived experiences, organisational challenges, and sector inconsistencies that define the current CPD landscape.
Furthermore, the goal of evaluating and potentially improving CPD accreditation aligns naturally with the DProf’s purpose of driving professional and organisational development through research. CPD itself is rooted in reflective practice, quality assurance, and continuous improvement, principles that the DProf embodies far more directly than a PhD. Through its work-based structure, a DProf enables the researcher to investigate accreditation models, identify gaps, and test ideas in collaboration with industry stakeholders. While a PhD might produce theoretical insights, the DProf is better positioned to produce practical, actionable recommendations that can influence policy, enhance consistency, and strengthen credibility across the CPD industry. In this way, choosing a DProf over a PhD ensures the research is academically rigorous and immediately impactful within professional practice.
Exploring Stage 1 of My Doctorate: Shaping Research in CPD Accreditation
Stage 1 of my DProf has been a period of learning, reflection, and identifying the key issues I want to address in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) sector. This stage entailed completing a 5,000-word assignment with a critical review, undergoing a panel review, and receiving a pass/fail decision. Please see below for an overview of Stage 1.
Professional Career
My professional career began following graduating with a 2:1 in Advertising and Brand Management in 2015. Over the next five years, I gained marketing experience across multiple industries choosing roles that allowed me to grow my skills, developing adaptability and competence across diverse markets.
In 2020, I pursued an Masters in Digital Marketing graduating with Distinction from Middlesex University. This experience sharpened my research and reflective practice, combining academic theory with real-world application. The dissertation and research projects I undertook highlighted the importance of evidence-based approaches, critical analysis, and adaptability. These skills that are now foundational to my doctoral research.
Understanding the CPD Landscape
My role as Research and Development Manager at The CPD Register has given me a front-row seat to the challenges of an unregulated CPD sector. My role focuses on evaluating CPD accreditation organisations through The CPD Register's Certification, as well as supporting consumers to verify the legitimacy of CPD accreditations. Through this experience, a significant gap was identified in the industry: inconsistent standards among CPD accreditation organisations, which can allow training providers to issue CPD credits to learners for substandard training. This “swampy lowland” of real-world problems (Schön, 1991) highlighted a need for proactive solutions to protect consumers and improve industry standards. This requires research-led solutions that can be implemented at an industry level—a challenge that perfectly aligns with the purpose of a professional doctorate.
Bridging Academic Research and Practical Insight
Stage 1 has also involved deep engagement with academic literature. Using frameworks like Driscoll’s (1994) reflective model, Gibbs’ (2013) Reflective Cycle, and Schlossberg’s (2011) transition theory, I’ve analysed my professional experiences and developed insights into career adaptability, reflective practice, and industry challenges.
A critical review of Friedman’s (2023) work on CPD as lifelong learning highlighted the value of regulation and standardisation within professional bodies. While Friedman focuses on regulated professional members, his findings reinforce my aim to extend these principles to the wider, unregulated CPD sector. My goal is to develop a practical framework that improves CPD quality and restores trust, ensuring learners are protected and training providers operate transparently.
The Path Forward
Stage 1 has provided the foundation for my doctoral research: understanding the CPD industry, its challenges, and the gaps in CPD accreditation standards. It has strengthened my readiness to undertake research that is both academically rigorous and directly relevant to professional practice.
The insights gained from combining professional experience with academic research are now guiding the next stages of my doctorate, where I aim to make a meaningful impact on the CPD industry protecting learners, support training providers, and restoring trust across the sector.
After passing the Stage 1 panel decision in October 2025, I moved on to Stage 2 of my doctorate, focusing on finalising the research proposal before undertaking the full research. This stage will involve refining research questions, selecting appropriate methodologies, and ensuring the project design is robust, ethical, and practically applicable within the CPD sector. It will build directly on the insights gained in Stage 1, ensuring that the forthcoming research is both academically rigorous and relevant to professional practice.
References
Driscoll, J. (1994). Reflective practice for practice. Senior Nurse, 14(1), 47–50.
Friedman, A. L. (2023). Continuing professional development as lifelong learning and education. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 42(6), 588–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2023.2267770
Gibbs, G. (2013). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.
Schlossberg, N. K. (2011). The challenge of change: The transition model and its applications. Journal of Employment Counseling, 48(4), 159–162. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1920.2011.tb01102.x
Schön, D. A. (1991). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.