The Polish Graduate Tracking System (ELA) continues to share new insights and update existing data. This autumn, researchers conducted an extensive comparative study on how doctoral education has evolved, following the shift from doctoral studies to doctoral schools. In addition, three ELA modules have been expanded with reports that offer deeper insights into the most popular aspects.
In 2019, the conventional doctoral studies system was substituted with a new model of doctoral schools. For the first time in history, ELA provides a comprehensive overview of the four-year doctoral education period in doctoral schools and compare it with the experiences of those who pursued doctoral studies in previous years.
Three ELA system modules—‘Students’, ‘Doctoral students’, and ‘Graduates’—are now enhanced with new reports. The reports focus on the educational paths and work experiences during studies, the educational paths and activities of doctoral students, and the choices of first-cycle programme graduates who continue their education in second-cycle programmes.
A more detailed description of all aspects of the 2024 autumn edition is provided below.
1. Changes in doctoral education: a shift from doctoral studies to doctoral schools
The analysis compares selected elements of monitored circumstances of doctoral students who enrolled in doctoral schools (the 2019 cohort) and those who pursued doctoral studies (the 2014–2018 cohorts). The selected elements include:
- the pace of completing doctoral degrees
- the risk of discontinuing doctoral education
- the description of income-generating activities of doctoral students
The pace of completing doctoral degrees
To ensure the comparability of the findings, the ninth ELA edition limited the doctoral degree completion period to 4 years, although standard ELA reports allow for a longer timeframe. Data analysis reveals that the introduction of doctoral schools had no significant impact on the overall share of doctors within 4 years of beginning their doctoral education, but some differences were observed across various fields of study. The highest scores were recorded in agricultural sciences, theological sciences, and art, while the pace was slowest in humanities and social sciences.
The risk of discontinuing doctoral education
The rate of discontinuing doctoral education in doctoral schools was lower than that in doctoral studies. While the dynamics of dropping out of doctoral studies were relatively consistent, a significant rise in the discontinuation of education in the fourth year was observed in doctoral schools. It is worth noting, however, that despite that significant difference, the percentage of dropouts at doctoral schools was lower compared to traditional doctoral studies. Between 2004 and 2018, doctoral education was discontinued chiefly by PhD candidates majoring in social sciences, engineering and technical sciences, and theological sciences. Following the introduction of doctoral schools in 2019, the share of PhD students who discontinued education in theological sciences and humanities decreased significantly. Conversely, the dropout percentage of PhD students specialising in art and medical and health sciences increased.
The description of income-generating activities of doctoral students
The average percentage of months in which the 2014–2019 cohorts of doctoral students remained employed continued to rise steadily. It should be stressed, however, that this percentage was considerably lower for doctoral schools compared to doctoral studies, suggesting that scholarships reduced the necessity for PhD students to earn extra income. PhD students in exact and natural sciences were the least professionally active, while those specializing in medical sciences and theological sciences showed the highest levels of professional engagement.
2. Education paths and employment during studies
The ‘Students’ module has been enhanced with two reports: Course of studies and Employment during studies.
The Course of studies report
The report describes:
- the timeliness of consecutive education stages
- the intensification of study disruptions (dropout, stopout, swapout – ‘seamless’ transition from one study programme to another)
- the flow of individuals who decided to change their study programmes
- the number of semesters studied per one degree (this rate allows to assess the impact of study disruptions on educations paths)
In addition, reports on second-cycle programmes published in 2024 onward will contain lists of HEIs from which students in second cycle programmes graduated.
The Employment during studies report
The report describes:
- the intensity of income-generating activities during consecutive years of study
- earnings of students during consecutive years of study
- income-generating activities concurrent with dropout, stopout, and swapout
- professional success after dropout and after completing a degree
3. Doctoral education and professional activity of PhD students
The ELA ‘Doctoral students’ module provides reports on education paths and professional activity of doctoral students. Until recently, the reports were generated from four different viewpoints: nationwide, by field of study, by higher education institution, and by field of study at specific higher education institutions. As of 2024, the reports will incorporate an additional perspective – that of specific doctoral schools.
The Education pathways of PhD students report
The report describes:
- dropout among doctoral students
- paths to complete doctoral degrees
- the number of years of doctoral education per one doctoral degree (this rate allows to assess the impact of dropout among doctoral students and delays in completing doctoral degrees)
The Professional activity of PhD students report
The report describes:
- intensity in various jobs during consecutive years of doctoral education
- earnings of PhD students during consecutive years of doctoral education
- comparisons of levels of success in the labour market attained by PhD students and dropouts
4. Decisions of first-cycle programme graduates who enrol in second cycle programmes
The ELA ‘Graduates’ module offers detailed information on first-cycle programme graduates who decided to pursue second cycle programmes.
The Transition between first-cycle and second cycle programmes report
The report on first-cycle programmes is prepared only from the perspective of specific higher education institutions. The report describes:
- the scale and dynamics of enrolling in further programmes (the percentage of all individuals who enroll in programmes for the first time and those who enrol in programmes after having completed their degrees, the percentage of months during which students studied after completing their undergraduate programmes)
- the completion of second-cycle programmes by students with undergraduate degrees
- the most popular HEIs selected by first-cycle programme graduates (overall and by domains of study)
Explore our detailed reports today!