Every year, thousands of psychology students spend months working on their final-year dissertations. They collect data, analyse results, and write long reports. But once the grades are given, those papers are often forgotten. They sit quietly on laptops or in filing cabinets. This means all that effort, time, and learning goes nowhere. What if those student projects could help others, inspire new studies, or even make real changes in society? That’s exactly what this idea of depositing dissertations in university research repositories is all about.
The main question raised by researcher Jamie S. Churchyard is simple: why let student research go to waste? Even though many undergraduate dissertations are small-scale, they still hold valuable insights. When stored in institutional repositories, which are digital collections managed by universities, these studies can be shared with others. Future students, teachers, and even professionals could learn from them. In this way, a student’s project becomes part of a bigger story in science, one that continues to grow with every shared piece of work.
There are strong reasons why universities should do this. Churchyard points out that sharing student work helps both students and institutions. It teaches students that their work matters beyond grades. It encourages better research practice. And it shows universities as places that value every contribution to science. In short, it connects learning with the real world instead of keeping it locked away in folders.
Still, not everyone agrees. Some worry that storing and sharing dissertations could create extra work or raise ethical problems. Others say that most undergraduate projects are too basic to be useful. But Churchyard disagrees. He explains that research quality improves when students know their work will be seen by others. When a wider audience might read it, students take extra care with their writing, analysis, and presentation. It’s not just an assignment anymore—it’s a real contribution.
This change could also help teachers. When dissertations are stored and shared, supervisors can refer to past examples to guide new students. This saves time and creates a clear learning path. It can also inspire creative ideas by showing what’s already been studied. Over time, repositories become a library of student research that’s easy to access and useful for everyone, not just the original writer.
Churchyard also highlights another big benefit: visibility. When a university shares its student research publicly, it strengthens its reputation. It shows that the university values learning, not just from professors but from students too. It may even attract funding or collaborations, as researchers and organisations can see the kind of work happening there. Repositories can therefore turn quiet classrooms into visible spaces of innovation and discovery.
Here are 7 important points to remember:
• Encouragement: Students feel more motivated knowing their work will be shared publicly.
• Learning: It helps them understand how research gets shared and cited.
• Visibility: Universities get more attention and respect in academic spaces.
• Ethics: Proper permissions and consent protect participants and researchers.
• Quality: Shared work often pushes higher writing and data standards.
• Access: Other students can use it to learn and improve their own studies.
• Inspiration: New ideas grow from reading old dissertations.
Of course, practical issues do exist. Universities need clear rules for storing and sharing dissertations. For example, supervisors should check that students followed ethical guidelines before uploading. Data must be kept confidential where required. In some cases, sensitive results may not be suitable for public sharing. So, a balance must be found between openness and protection. That’s why Churchyard recommends guidelines and training to make the process easier and safer.
There’s also the question of how repositories fit with national research systems like the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). These frameworks evaluate universities on how well they perform in research and teaching. By including undergraduate work, universities can show that they support research culture from the earliest level. This could make them stronger candidates for recognition and funding.
Interestingly, Churchyard’s paper doesn’t just highlight benefits; it invites debate. He encourages teachers, students, and administrators to talk about how repositories could be improved. Should all dissertations be shared automatically, or should students decide? How can universities handle large volumes of submissions? These are real questions worth discussing, and they remind us that science grows stronger when everyone shares ideas openly.
The idea also connects to a bigger goal—democratising science. When research is locked away, only a few people benefit. But when it’s shared online, anyone can learn from it. That could be another student, a teacher, or even someone outside the university who’s curious about psychology. Open access makes knowledge available to everyone, which is exactly what education should aim for.
Imagine how encouraging it would be for a student to know that their dissertation could help future researchers. Their findings might one day appear in another study, or help design a new experiment. Even a small project could make a difference. Science moves forward through many small steps, and repositories allow every step to be seen and used. That’s why this idea is not just about storage—it’s about keeping science alive and active.
So, the question remains: is it really a waste of science to let undergraduate dissertations disappear? Churchyard’s answer is clear—yes, it is. Every research paper, no matter how small, has value. Universities that store and share student work help create a culture where learning leads to discovery. If we truly believe education is about growth and contribution, then sharing student research is not just good practice—it’s a responsibility. After all, every big discovery begins with someone’s first small study.