Abstract
AbstractThis paper explores the specificities of doctoral studies, focusing on students’ well-being. It is part of an ongoing research project analysing doctoral studies in Romania, focusing on three main themes: access, participation and completion. The multiple facets of the doctoral studies within the Bologna Process—seen at a crossroad between EHEA and ERA, and as a cornerstone of the ‘knowledge-based society’—reflect onto the various roles assigned to doctoral candidates: students, emerging researchers, teaching and research assistants. While the doctoral cycle tends to prioritise the development of research and academic skills, it appears to be lacking appropriate support mechanisms for students. In order to better understand these mechanisms, the paper is structured on three levels: current context, practices and the students’ perspective. This latter level explores internal and external factors of success—among others: motivation, personal/professional development, academic identity, doctoral supervision, research guidance, financial support, career counselling, and societal role. To do so, the paper draws upon a mixed methodology, using data collected from workshops with relevant stakeholders and a questionnaire addressed to Ph.D. students. By superimposing these layers, our paper aims to provide an overview of the current state of doctoral studies in Romania, with a focus on the well-being of doctoral students. Finally, it attempts to shape several proposals for improving both the practices and the policy framework of doctoral studies in Romania while taking into account the future of higher education and research in Europe, as well as European good-practice examples.
Highlights
This paper explores the specificities of doctoral studies, focusing on students’ well-being
When it comes to participation, an analysis carried out by the European University Association (EUA) on the European Union practices at the doctoral level underlined a tendency towards developing structured doctoral programs and doctoral schools, which add to the individual training component
A similar list of priorities was put forward by the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (EURODOC), which argues that the role of doctoral studies within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) context should be re-evaluated in order to be better aligned to the general tendencies in higher education and educational policies
Summary
This paper explores the specificities of doctoral studies, focusing on students’ well-being. The increase in the number of doctoral graduates at the international level contributes, on the one hand, to the development of knowledge-based economies (an idea promoted by the European Union, the OECD and the World Bank), but, on the other hand, generates criticism regarding the capacity to absorb highly qualified graduates into the labour market in roles outside the academic environment This leads to increased competition in research and higher education institutions (HEIs)— the preferred option for most candidates, with strong effects on the health of Ph.D. students and graduates, including on their well-being (Hancock 2020). The results of the EUA study (2019) indicate a low number of institutional rules and regulations that are in place regarding the training of doctoral advisors, which exist in only 17% of the participating European universities
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