Time for A Broadening of the Role of Universities in PhD Education?

The primary function of universities is research and education, which is best illustrated by PhD education that includes an intertwining of both these aspects. Research is integral to modern society, with societal challenges being met by the products of basic and applied research, be it in efficient energy usage, sustainable development, or new treatments for increasingly common medical conditions such as dementias. The training of generations of researchers through PhD studies is therefore central to the mission of universities to both promote knowledge development and to promote innovation within society.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UNIVERSITIES TO THEIR PHD STUDENTS  

Despite this, the data show that an academic career as a university researcher/teacher is actually the exception to the rule (see figure). As well as most PhD graduates, even most early-stage researchers (postdocs, Junior Faculty) will not remain in academic careers. However, there is still a basic assumption that university researchers teach their students and staff to remain in academia, as images of themselves, and this misconception represents an issue that universities should take accountability for.

 Source: Royal Society, The Scientific Century: securing our future prosperity, 2010.

The university aims to conduct research and education, so one can expect that as long as there are research papers being published, research grants being secured and undergraduates, Masters’ and PhDs graduating from their studies, then the university is considered to be achieving its goal. However, having been working in a university for almost 30 years, I think that universities also need to not only consider the ongoing university experience, but also preparation for the post-university challenges and possibilities for graduating students, postdocs and other levels of researchers who choose to leave academia. Universities should have a responsibility to prepare their exiting students and staff for the best possibility to secure them their next job. They could care more about what happens to their ex-students and staff.

The university therefore needs greater appreciation of the PhD student skill sets that make them attractive for many other career paths, as well as wider knowledge of the variety of these potential career paths. This is currently often under-developed, and university career support offices are often under-manned for the large numbers of PhD graduates and early-stage researchers in need of their support. First-hand experience of a variety of career destinations such as biotechnology industry or patent law firms, as well as the hiring processes they use, are understandably not so common in most university career offices.

AN ACTION PLAN FOR UNIVERSITIES 

Universities should therefore facilitate training of their undergraduate/postgraduate students and early-stage researchers to prepare them and improve the efficiency of them securing individual-specific new employment. This should be available to anyone who chooses to exit from the academic world and at any stage. Career services could therefore be complimented with first-hand expertise and broader knowledge of a. variety of career destinations, hiring practices, and in a perfect world there would be a collaborative initiative between jobseekers and career destinations to facilitate their matchmaking.