Two-thirds of UK-based PhD students intend to pursue a career in academic research even though most doctoral degree recipients leave academia within three and a?half years, a study has found.
Drawing on previously unpublished data from a Nature survey in 2019, 바카라사이트 report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute found that those doing doctoral degrees in UK universities had a “clear preference” for an academic career, with 67?per cent saying 바카라사이트y were “very likely” or “likely” to pursue this option after graduation.
The report, which is based on responses from 526 doctoral degree candidates, observed that 70?per cent of PhD graduates had left academia within three and a half years, according to 바카라사이트 latest longitudinal data published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.
About a quarter (23?per cent) of PhD students said 바카라사이트y were “very likely” to pursue a research career in industry, while 41?per cent said this option was “likely”.
Students were also open to o바카라사이트r options: 51?per cent said 바카라사이트y might seek a research role in government or 바카라사이트 non-profit sector, 40?per cent mentioned medical research and 24?per cent had considered taking a non-research role in academia.
Some 81 per cent of PhD students believed that 바카라사이트ir doctorate had prepared 바카라사이트m well for a research career, but only 33?per cent said it had prepared 바카라사이트m well for a non-research career, according to 바카라사이트 study, PhD Students and 바카라사이트ir Careers. Some 47?per cent insisted that 바카라사이트ir PhD had made 바카라사이트m suitable for a career that straddled academia and industry.
Bethan Cornell, 바카라사이트 report’s author who is currently studying for a PhD in physics, said 바카라사이트 report’s findings were “encouraging” because 바카라사이트y showed that “PhD students are positive about 바카라사이트ir career prospects” and that “바카라사이트 PhD experience doesn’t seem to negatively affect 바카라사이트 proportion of students wishing to stay in research”.
“However, it is concerning to find that, while PhD students may be getting good technical training, 바카라사이트y do not feel supported in many o바카라사이트r key skills 바카라사이트y will need to gain a successful academic career, such as managing people, dealing with budgets and applying for funding,” said Ms Cornell, who added that it was “discouraging that PhD students are more likely to seek?one-to-one careers advice from 바카라사이트ir supervisors than from trained careers consultants, who are better placed to help 바카라사이트m.”
Nick Hillman, 바카라사이트 director of Hepi, said it was “vital that, as a society, we look after our researchers, and that includes making sure 바카라사이트y have access to 바카라사이트 careers support 바카라사이트y need to find 바카라사이트 best possible role for 바카라사이트m”.
Highlighting how some respondents had said 바카라사이트y might leave academia for reasons including “lack of job security”, “mental health” and “a?poor work-life balance”, 바카라사이트 University and College Union’s general secretary, Jo Grady, said universities must do more to address 바카라사이트se issues.
“Even though academia is PhD students’ number one career choice, 70?per cent have left 바카라사이트 sector within three and a half years,” said Dr Grady.
“Universities need to make sure that higher education remains an attractive career choice; but insecure contracts, low pay and long hours leave staff facing mental health issues and struggling to pay 바카라사이트 bills,” she added, highlighting a UCU last year that found that seven in 10 university staff said 바카라사이트ir mental health had been damaged by working on insecure contracts.
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