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SCORE: Strengthening the Core
Fund for Innovation in Graduate Education
Strengthening Stanford’s core departments and programs is crucial for maintaining Stanford’s preeminence in graduate education. Changing circumstances in universities and disciplines make thoughtful reassessment of graduate education an urgent priority. Among the emerging challenges are reconfigurations of disciplinary boundaries, shifting demographics of the graduate student population, and new technologies that change the way knowledge is shared and developed. Additional financial resources can support the reflection and experimentation necessary to respond effectively.
SCORE Innovation Funds help faculty and graduate students to scrutinize long-existing practices and test new approaches for graduate education.
Academic departments and programs are invited to submit proposals for one-year projects. A proposal should identify a pressing challenge and a plan for addressing the issue. A call for proposals usually goes out to the campus in Spring Quarter for projects anticipated for the next academic year.
Examples of proposals include:
- rethinking curricular requirements in light of knowledge change in the field and related fields;
- teaching students to ask better questions, to take risks in their research, or to work collaboratively in new ways;
- reconsidering the preparation for doctoral students who will embark on academic careers likely to span the next three or four decades;
- better preparing doctoral students for non-academic career paths;
- experimenting with more extensive mentoring practices that include partners within and outside Stanford;
- rethinking primary objectives and requirements for the master’s degree.
The first SCORE awardees were selected in the spring of 2008. In the first two years of operation, eight Stanford departments/graduate programs have received SCORE funds.
Application Information
Awards are made on a competitive basis by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education, advised by a faculty review committee. Requests up to $30,000 will be considered; proposal budgets and scope of activities may be negotiated. The activities should be completed by the end of Spring quarter of the following year.