Researcher Education and Development Scholarship Conference

By Dr Laura Bissell, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Karen Coyle, Glasgow Caledonian University, Dr Ruth Currie, University of the West of Scotland, Dr Klaudia Jasionowska, Glasgow School of Art, Dr Bethany Whiteside, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Dr Stephanie Zihms, Glasgow Caledonian University

What if the solution to expensive, inaccessible writing retreats was literally moving? When four Scottish Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) reimagined researcher development through the Write-Away! On the Move programme, we discovered that train carriages could become productive writing spaces. In doing so, we challenged assumptions about what ‘retreat’ really means.

Introduction: the writing retreat paradox

Writing retreats work. Protected time away from daily demands helps researchers focus, build community, and reignite their writing practice (Murray and Newton, 2009). But traditional residential retreats are expensive and often inaccessible, whilst on-campus alternatives rarely deliver the same immersive experience (Bonnamy et al., 2024).

This resource constraint became our creative opportunity: could we transform Scotland’s rail network into a mobile writing retreat?

Context and development: from pilot to partnership

Two HEI-funded pilots at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2023 proved the concept worked, with high satisfaction and unexpected productivity. But sustainability was the challenge. How could we make this accessible beyond a single institution?

With Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) funding, we brought together Glasgow Caledonian University, University of the West of Scotland, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Glasgow School of Art. This partnership transformed a promising idea into a sustainable model, opening participation to postgraduate researchers across Scotland.

Twenty-one participants from nine Scottish HEIs joined five facilitators from the above-named institutions for the Glasgow to Aberdeen journey at approximately £70 per person (train journey and lunch), a fraction of traditional residential retreat costs. Train tickets were booked in groups of 8 (selecting table seating) to ensure groups of 4 would sit together. Participants were spread across 3 carriages, with a facilitator located in each carriage. We decided against a group booking due to cost and extra admin. Twenty-eight participants registered their interest, however seven were unable to attend on the day for various reasons, e.g. illness, other last-minute commitments.

Findings: Four Stations of Impact

Using a ‘plan, do, review’ approach and building on our earlier pilot runs, we gathered feedback at three points: applications before the journey, reflections during it, and surveys afterwards. Four clear themes emerged, which we’ve framed as ‘stations’ on our journey.

1. Enforced productivity

“I enjoyed physically not having access to the internet – forced me not to go on all my usual research side quests” one participant reflected. The train created what Murray and Newton (2009) describe as productive urgency: time-bound, physically contained space that naturally encourages focus. Participants couldn’t simply leave when things got difficult. Limited WiFi reduced digital distractions. The journey’s temporal structure created helpful constraints.

2. Community and accountability

Isolation remains a significant barrier in research culture (Barry and Cocoran, 2024; Casey et al., 2024). Participants valued the peer support inherent in the train format: “The reflection conversations helped me realise that other students also struggle with the writing process at times. It was a less lonely experience.” This aligns with findings that peer support through writing groups reduces isolation and builds sustainable writing practices (Wilmot and McKenna, 2018).

3. Creative thinking space

Perhaps most surprising was participants’ appreciation of the train as thinking space, not just writing space. “When I found myself getting caught up on a task, I could look out the window and see the sea, and that helped remind me there’s a whole world out there, beyond my laptop.” Bissell and Overend (2015) describe this as ‘mobile attentiveness’, the way mobile environments create unique conditions for knowledge production. The materiality of the train; its movement, sounds, changing scenery are actively shaping the experience.

4. Structural containment

For neurodivergent participants, the clear timeframes and physical containment proved particularly valuable: “The clear timeframes and physical containment helped reduce decision fatigue and made it easier to stay focused.” Structure supports diverse learning needs, and the train’s inherent constraints provided helpful scaffolding.

Limitations and accessibility considerations

Innovation requires acknowledging limitations. Some participants experienced sensory overload from announcements, conversations, and the changing environment. Space constraints in standard carriages (even with tables and power) felt cramped to some. Geographic accessibility posed challenges, with participants travelling from St Andrews needing overnight accommodation, costs we couldn’t cover within the budget.

These challenges highlight an important principle: one size doesn’t fit all. The train retreat works brilliantly for many researchers, but it should complement and not replace traditional formats. Offering diverse retreat styles serves diverse researchers.

Professional development for facilitators

We discovered something we hadn’t anticipated: facilitators gained more than expected. Unlike traditional retreats where facilitators support from outside the experience, train facilitators wrote alongside participants. This created protected writing time for ourselves, whilst modelling the very practice we encouraged. Five facilitators from four institutions built lasting professional relationships. The Aberdeen stop allowed us to invite local colleagues, expanding our networks. We facilitated from within the participant experience, not outside it.

Strategic and institutional value

At £70 per participant, the programme demonstrated cost-effective innovation whilst building cross-institutional networks. “Most useful SGSAH event I have attended,” noted one participant. For SGSAH, the £3,000 investment served researchers across Scotland whilst modelling collaborative delivery.

The programme challenges assumptions: premium experiences needn’t be prohibitively expensive, collaboration makes high-impact provision viable, and existing infrastructure like transport networks can deliver memorable, effective and replicable programmes.

Discussion: key principles for practice

Reflecting on the programme, we’ve identified key takeaways for the researcher development community:

1. Environment shapes everything: the train’s materiality matters
2. Collaboration multiplies impact beyond what single institutions achieve
3. Constraints spark creativity when approached strategically
4. Community emerges from shared experience, not expensive venues
5. Honest evaluation builds credibility and acknowledges what doesn’t work
6. One size doesn’t fit all: diverse formats serve diverse researchers
7. Innovation requires infrastructure, both physical and collaborative

Implications for practice: replicability and adaptation

The train retreat model is replicable: identify a 2.5-3-hour journey, secure collaborative partners, ensure proper carriage quality (tables, power, relative quiet), and structure the time thoughtfully.

But the deeper invitation is to reimagine what ‘space’ means for researcher development. Whether trains, buses, walking retreats, or other creative approaches. Constraints can become opportunities for cultural change when approached collaboratively and evaluated honestly.

With 81% of participants saying they’d definitely attend again, we’ve demonstrated that innovative formats can deliver genuine developmental impact. Creative researcher development is possible under constraints, but requires collaboration, adequate funding, and commitment to inclusive practice.

If you would like to run a Write-Away! Retreat – please get in touch and download our Write-Away! Toolkit to help you plan.

This collaborative Write-Away! session was made possible thanks to Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) funding