Abstract
The growing number of PhD students has spurred debates about the societal
relevance of PhD training trajectories. The academic labour market does not
provide enough jobs and many PhD graduates will have a career outside academia.
It has been questioned whether current PhD training trajectories are still
adequate and collaborative research projects are introduced as alternative
trajectories. Such trajectories can support the development of a broader set of
skills, but might have adverse effects on the development of academic skills. This
article studies the effects of collaborative training trajectories on PhD skill
development. We specifically focus on PhD students in multi-actor research
programs (MARPs), an increasingly popular organizational form for facilitating
transdisciplinary research activities. Using a survey among PhD students in
MARPs and in traditional trajectories, we study the effects of a MARP on the
development of four types of skills: (1) academic research skills, (2) academic
communication skills, (3) translation and dissemination skills, and (4) transferable
skills. Our findings suggest that collaborative training trajectories can indeed
result in the development of a broader set of skills without negative effects on
academic skill development. We conclude that collaborative research projects
can be a viable alternative and identify three conditions for an optimal effect on
PhD skill development.
relevance of PhD training trajectories. The academic labour market does not
provide enough jobs and many PhD graduates will have a career outside academia.
It has been questioned whether current PhD training trajectories are still
adequate and collaborative research projects are introduced as alternative
trajectories. Such trajectories can support the development of a broader set of
skills, but might have adverse effects on the development of academic skills. This
article studies the effects of collaborative training trajectories on PhD skill
development. We specifically focus on PhD students in multi-actor research
programs (MARPs), an increasingly popular organizational form for facilitating
transdisciplinary research activities. Using a survey among PhD students in
MARPs and in traditional trajectories, we study the effects of a MARP on the
development of four types of skills: (1) academic research skills, (2) academic
communication skills, (3) translation and dissemination skills, and (4) transferable
skills. Our findings suggest that collaborative training trajectories can indeed
result in the development of a broader set of skills without negative effects on
academic skill development. We conclude that collaborative research projects
can be a viable alternative and identify three conditions for an optimal effect on
PhD skill development.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Organizing Collaborative Research |
| Subtitle of host publication | The dynamics and long-term effects of multi-actor research programs |
| Editors | Tjerk Wardenaar |
| Publisher | Rathenau Instituut |
| Pages | 108-129 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-90-77364-60-4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |