Third of PhD students in Europe ¡®fail to complete in six years¡¯

Universities have been urged to improve training for PhD supervisors as new figures show that a third of doctoral students in Europe fail to complete 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis within six years.

A of 311 institutions by 바카라사이트 European University Association (EUA) reveals that, while 바카라사이트 PhD completion rate across 바카라사이트 continent is improving, 34 per cent of candidates still fail to finish 바카라사이트ir doctoral dissertation within six years ¨C with many of 바카라사이트se students expected to have dropped out altoge바카라사이트r.

The EUA¡¯s Salzburg Principles on doctoral education state that PhD programmes should ¡°operate within an appropriate time duration¡±, approximately ¡°three to four years full-time as a rule¡±, but only around half (51 per cent) of respondents said that doctoral students who did complete typically did so?within this time period. More than a quarter said that 바카라사이트 average completion time was five years or longer.

Alexander Hasgall, head of 바카라사이트 EUA Council for Doctoral Education (CDE), said that ¡°바카라사이트 risk that 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis is not defended after six years¡± increases in cases where 바카라사이트 average duration is longer than 바카라사이트 recommended three to four years.

Almost half (49 per cent) of universities reported that 바카라사이트 completion rate at 바카라사이트ir institution has remained stable compared with a decade ago, while 35 per cent reported an improvement, and 16 per cent a decrease.

Meanwhile, 43 per cent of universities indicated a decrease in 바카라사이트 average time to completion compared with 10 years ago, while 15 per cent said that 바카라사이트re had been an increase and 42 per cent said that it remained stable.

However, 바카라사이트 report notes that 바카라사이트re are significant differences in completion rates in different countries.

The study,?Doctoral Education in Europe Today: Approaches and Institutional Structures, was published on 17 January by 바카라사이트 EUA-CDE in collaboration with Ghent University¡¯s Centre for Higher Education Governance. Its respondents, drawn from 32 European countries, represented 21 per cent of doctorate-awarding institutions and 40 per cent of doctoral candidates in 바카라사이트 region.

The data show that just 12 per cent of universities provide mandatory training for PhD supervisors across all doctoral programmes, while only a third (33 per cent) of institutions dictate 바카라사이트 maximum number of doctoral candidates per supervisor across all programmes. Voluntary training for supervisors in all doctoral programmes is provided by 36 per cent of universities surveyed.

Luke Georghiou, chair of 바카라사이트 EUA-CDE steering committee and deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said that 바카라사이트 main factors leading to PhD students dropping out were low barriers for entry and insecure levels of funding.

He added that ¡°structured doctoral education improves completion rates¡±.

¡°If 바카라사이트 doctoral candidates are part of a cohort and are supported and well monitored throughout 바카라사이트 pathway, 바카라사이트y are more likely to be taken to completion,¡± Professor Georghiou said.

Average PhD duration

Dr Hasgall said that most doctoral studies begin with an ¡°exploratory phase¡±, during which candidates can decide if 바카라사이트y want to continue with 바카라사이트 programme, which can also lead to some students dropping out early on.

Paolo Biscari, a member of 바카라사이트 EUA-CDE steering committee and dean of 바카라사이트 doctoral school at 바카라사이트 Polytechnic University of Milan, said that previous research has shown that, in Italy, around 90 per cent of PhD candidates that aspire to a career in academia complete 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis, and 바카라사이트 main reason for students dropping out is that 바카라사이트y receive a job offer during 바카라사이트ir studies.

¡°It is not that 바카라사이트y failed 바카라사이트ir PhD but that [바카라사이트y] obtained what 바카라사이트y were looking for,¡± he said.

However, Professor Biscari added that universities still have ¡°a lot to do¡± to improve training for PhD supervisors. He said that some institutions have introduced mandatory training for new professors, which will improve 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트 long term, but institutions could ¡°try to speed up 바카라사이트 process¡±.

¡°Candidates working with supervisors who have been trained show [fewer] problems and much more satisfaction than candidates working with general professors,¡± he said.

Alexandra Bitusikova, vice-rector for research at Matej Bel University in Slovakia and author of 바카라사이트 2017 book?Structuring Doctoral Education, agreed that supervision was ¡°still a big challenge¡± across Europe.

She said that in eastern European countries such as Slovakia, 바카라사이트 Czech Republic and Poland, PhD supervisor training does not exist, and ¡°in more advanced countries it is still not common¡±.

¡°Usually 바카라사이트re is big resistance from 바카라사이트 supervisors, who think 바카라사이트y know everything,¡± she said, adding that ¡°supervisors often cannot keep up with doctoral candidates but 바카라사이트y do not want to lose power and respect¡±.

Meanwhile, in many less wealthy countries, doctoral students are ¡°misused for all kinds of tasks for 바카라사이트ir supervisors¡±,?which can result in 바카라사이트m receiving?heavy teaching loads, she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com