In the Educational Careers and Graduate Employment research area, we examine educational processes in the higher education system, the transition to employment, and professional pathways. Topics include starting and continuing academic studies, student drop-out, changing subjects or moving to a different higher education institution, successful completion of degree programmes, and the transition to employment or an academic career. The overall objective is both to describe and also to analyse the conditions that ensure successful educational and vocational pathways and to examine the benefits of tertiary education for individuals and society as a whole.
This research area collects extensive data on individuals with a higher education admission qualification, students, graduates und doctorate holders. The studies cover the various phases of higher academic studies or academic careers and frequently take the form of longitudinal studies. In addition to scientific analysis of the processes and transitions they examine, they contribute to educational monitoring. The DZHW's survey series generate an essential database for empirical research on higher education and are made available for scientific analyses by the institute's own research data centre.
This research area covers all levels of higher education and degree programmes, ranging from undergraduate and postgraduate studies to doctoral programmes and further academic qualifications. The educational processes and their outcomes, including professional pathways and employment of the highly qualified, are examined both in regard to their social, institutional and societal conditionality and also with respect to the role of individual factors.
While the German higher education system is the main focus of the research area's work, an important and growing factor is the integration of our research projects in international comparative research. Within the field of student research this integration has already been accomplished, while a European survey is currently being developed within the graduate research field.
The research area conducts its research on educational careers, the transition to employment, and vocational pathways within the following research units:
- Study Decision and Educational Pathways
- Professional and Academic Careers
