Researchers have shown that the pursuit of doctoral studies is often related to the desire to become an academic, despite the constrained academic labour markets and changing (or deteriorating, as some have argued) academic working conditions (AWC) worldwide. In this study, we assessed the extent to which Chinese PhD students were aware of the…

This paper addresses the subjective experiences of PhD holders from Switzerland and the UK who pursue careers beyond academia. Drawing on the concepts of organisational culture and culture shock, we examined the challenges that characterise this passage from academia to non-academic workplaces. With an exploratory aim, we analysed 32…

This paper analyses a sample of academic 'quit lit' to explore how graduate students might be better prepared for the realities of higher degree research and employment. It will pay particular attention to how graduate programs can provide realistic, transparent career advice and promote alternatives to academic (Alt-ac) employment for graduates.…

While research on Entrepreneurial University has largely focused on the support to venture creation, its contribution to youth employment and society might be much broader. Entrepreneurial capabilities and attitudes students acquire at universities are crucial also in waged jobs, and firms need employees predisposed to act entrepreneurially to…

With increasing evidence highlighting the link between psychological factors such as self-esteem, self-efficacy and optimism on employability outcomes, this paper reports an evaluation of a unique student experience initiative called 'Life Design' developed to support the professional and personal development of undergraduate students. First year…

We study whether the completion of an optional professional year placement during undergraduate studies enhances job quality, in terms of earnings, job security and career fit, for economics graduates from a UK university. Using linear and discrete choice models, we estimate the effect of doing a professional year placement on four graduate…

Interdisciplinary education has become increasingly prominent as a core instrument to prepare the next generation workforce. Yet, little is known about the impacts of long-term degree-oriented interdisciplinary education on post-graduation outcomes. This paper aims to investigate the influence of long-term degree-oriented interdisciplinary…

The lack of support in academia, especially during doctoral studies, is a widely debated issue. Such experiences can be expected to be highly relevant to young researchers for their developing identity as scholars and their career aspirations. According to self-determination theory, support for the three basic psychological needs for competence,…

The Gelmini reform implemented in Italy in 2010 was designed to ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness within the higher education (HE) sector. The reform was implemented in a climate of general austerity, which caused severe cuts in public funds for the university system. This paper documents the unintended consequences of the reform in…

This study addressed the question of how the counterfactual thinking of a student in an entrepreneurial university affects his/her future entrepreneurial career intention. In addition to testing this relationship, we also test how counterfactual thinking moderates the influence of attitude and opportunity identification in entrepreneurial career…

Due to the changing landscapes of higher education, a large body of research has studied how scholars make sense of academic identities and careers. Yet, little is known about how academics actually 'work' on their identities to navigate normative demands and complex career structures. This paper explores how scholars negotiate career scripts…

This study investigates student teachers' emotions about their upcoming team practicum. The theoretical foundation grounds in the FIT-Choice approach (Watt, H. M. G., and P. W. Richardson. 2008. "Motivations for Teaching: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Findings." "Learning and Instruction" 18: 405-98) and in…

Recent years have witnessed a surge of studies examining the scope of professional responsibility. Building on these efforts, this conceptual inquiry explores whether Nussbaum's notion of a 'decent society', grounded in the premises of equal respect for persons and different conceptions of the good, and thus aspiring to afford all its members a…

Against a background of Bologna process goals to improve employment prospects for PhD graduates, and the crisis of precarious employment conditions and prospects afflicting postdoctoral researchers -- hitherto postdocs, the OECD ([2021], "Reducing the Precarity of Academic Research Careers." In "OECD Science, Technology and Industry…

Understanding factors that cause students problems throughout their doctoral education is of benefit to doctoral educators striving to improve doctoral completion rates. In this paper, Baker and Pifer's (2015, "Antecedents and Outcomes: Theories of Fit and the Study of Doctoral Education." "Studies in Higher Education" 40 (2):…