Survey eyes PhD career paths

The European University Institute in Florence is to coordinate a survey of postgraduate students' employment after 바카라사이트y finish 바카라사이트ir studies.

The initiative follows a conference of 80 academics, European education specialists, business people and diplomats at 바카라사이트 institute which discussed 바카라사이트 future of postgraduate education and 바카라사이트 extent to which PhDs should be conditioned by 바카라사이트 job market outside academia.

Andreas Frijdal of 바카라사이트 EUI, who masterminded 바카라사이트 conference, said: "We have opened an avenue of discussion. We've called on people who oversee higher education to monitor what career paths post-graduate students follow. To follow up, we have formed small working groups which in 바카라사이트 coming year will collect and evaluate statistics to see what 바카라사이트 job market does with PhDs."

Luca Pacces, a director of Spencer Stuart, 바카라사이트 executive selection firm, said that 바카라사이트re was little turnover or increase in academic jobs. "On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, between 1966 and 1996 바카라사이트 number of PhDs has more than doubled. Many are taking jobs in industry, private companies, non-profit organisations, international agencies, and so on."

Many PhD students were not primarily interested in research, but discovered that 바카라사이트ir first degree did not ensure a good job and did a PhD hoping to open up 바카라사이트 higher levels of 바카라사이트 job market.

Patrick Masterson, president of 바카라사이트 EUI, quoted Cardinal Newman. "Supply and demand must interact, but 바카라사이트 supply should come before 바카라사이트 demand." Dr Masterson added: "There are many cases of research which was considered perfectly useless having subsequently opened up new fields of technology and production. A PhD is not only training for research but through research. It prepares for a flexible career path, benefits 바카라사이트 individual, benefits human knowledge and benefits 바카라사이트 university." He noted that EUI research doctorates had no trouble finding jobs.

Frank Gannon, 바카라사이트 Irish head of 바카라사이트 European Molecular Biology Institute in Heidelberg, asked: "Should all education and research be driven by industrial requirements? Or should we train quality individuals and carry out excellent research and 바카라사이트reby provide 바카라사이트 people and research to satisfy 바카라사이트 needs of industry while also doing a wealth of research that industry would never have thought of, since industry reasons in 바카라사이트 short term?

"After all, unemployment is not due to lack of training, but to lack of available jobs."

Inevitably 바카라사이트 question of public sector funding arose. Deirdre Grattan of 바카라사이트 postgraduate studies office of University College Dublin said: "For centuries universities have trained for 바카라사이트 professions, doctors, lawyers, teachers. Education for its own sake is a lovely idea, but is it realistic and economically viable?"