As a first-year PhD student, every opportunity to gain experience is incredibly valuable and that’s why my two-week research visit to the Policy Evaluation and Research Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University, as part of the Transnational Access Visit program of the COORDINATE project, was such an enriching experience. It allowed me to work with longitudinal data and become more confident in using R - something that felt so intimidating before but is now becoming a valuable tool in my research.
My research project focuses on understanding how parental and child traits shape child’s aspirations in families of varying income levels. During my visit, I worked on merging and cleaning datasets and preparing variables for analysis in the future. While the process required patience and problem-solving, it was incredibly rewarding to see everything come together. A special thank you to our coordinator, Lee Bentley, who not only shared his extensive knowledge but also created an environment in which even the most challenging aspects of working with large datasets seemed much easier to overcome.
However, what made this visit unforgettable were the people and from day one, I felt welcomed. Manchester itself was a great place to explore, with its mix of history, culture and vibrant life. But beyond the academic side, this visit became something even more special through all the friendships I formed. Whether it was getting lost in the city, sharing laughs over coding struggles or enjoying food from so many different cultures and restaurants that we basically started acting like food critics. Every moment contributed to an experience I won’t forget.
I have returned home with new skills, new confidence in my work and most importantly, new friends. I can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learned to my PhD research, and I’m incredibly grateful to the COORDINATE project for making this visit possible!
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