Turning the spotlight on Intellectual Humility: A potentially novel approach to fostering doctoral development (and researcher independence)

Striking a balance between managing intellectual uncertainties and pursuing researcher independence is a key challenge facing many doctoral scholars. Our collaborative autoethnographic research in the British, Japanese and South African contexts examines the uncharted role of intellectual humility – what it is and how it can affect doctoral learning, progress and overall development. Drawing upon the hidden curriculum’s perspectives, we propose a practical pathway to practising intellectual humility, particularly in navigating intellectual uncertainties, complexities and growth based on three principles: understanding, disposition and effort. Our findings highlight the complementary benefits of cultivating intellectual humility within and even beyond the academic realm for doctoral scholars and supervisors; first, as an antecedent that scaffolds all future learning; second, as an underlying factor for developing positive, healthy relationships and a secure sense of belonging. Our study offers insights essential for innovatively advancing researcher independence and fostering ongoing cognitive and character development among scholars.