The project “Career decisions and career paths of doctorate holders – on the multifunctionality of the doctoral degree” is being developed by the DZHW and INCHER-Kassel as part of the National Report on Junior Scholars (BuWiN) 2021. Career decisions of doctoral candidates and doctorate holders as well as those of doctorate holders with a post-doctoral lecturer qualification (habilitation) are analysed drawing on several data resources. Within the project’s framework the DZHW aims at answering the following questions:
- Who attempts to gain a doctoral degree?
- Who attempts to gain a doctoral degree? Which career paths are taken up after doctoral graduation?
- Who remains in the scientific field?
To answer these questions, insights from existing research will be systemised and new analyses developed, drawing on graduate studies and surveys among doctorate holders conducted by the DZHW. These series of studies provide representative data with large numbers of cases as well as long-running series and evaluation periods. Hence it is possible to explore determinants of career preferences and career paths, occupational progression after receiving a doctoral degree, and the employment situation of HEI graduates with and without a doctoral degree.
The National Report on Junior Scholars (BuWiN) collects statistical data and recent research evidence on scientific qualification processes, career paths, conditions of employment and professional perspectives of junior researchers in Germany, making it an important basis for discussion and further development of the political and legal framework for young researchers in Germany. BuWiN 2021 is being prepared by an independent consortium, led by the Institute for Innovation and Technology (iit) as part of VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik.
