Indices of Post-Graduate Students’ Social Mobility

Abstract

The article presents statistical indicators for analyzing the potential of postgraduate studies and, in general, the field of science and innovation in the context of social (educational and professional) mobility of postgraduate students. Key indicators characterizing the potential of educational mobility are arguably dynamics of the number and age structure of postgraduate students, as well as the dynamics of the number of defended dissertations. Since the sphere of science and innovation is for postgraduate students the labor market (a field of professional mobility as well), the article considers following indicators: share of the “science and innovation” sphere in the country’s GDP; research funding structure; number of research organizations; dynamics and structure of research organizations personnel. Conclusions are made regarding, on the one hand, ambivalent nature of the postgraduate studies as a factor of educational mobility, and on the other hand, the discrepancy between trends and internal dynamics between postgraduate studies as an educational institution and sciences as a sphere of professional mobility. On the basis of the analyzed indicators, a conclusion is also made about a certain limited potential of social (educational and professional) mobility and social maturing of postgraduate students.