"In May and June, Nature surveyed 3,785 PhD candidates from around the globe, exploring everything from supervision practices to workplace concerns. The results, published today, offer a window into how today's doctoral researchers are adapting to the rapidly changing circumstances in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It's a mixed bag: candidates report feeling happier overall, but serious problems persist. The good news? PhD satisfaction levels have bounced back from their pandemic lows ( Nature's most-recent global PhD careers survey took place in 2022)."
"Post-COVID recovery Some 75% of the PhD candidates surveyed feel satisfied with their doctoral studies. This is a bounce back from 62% in 2022, and a rebound to pre-COVID levels: satisfaction levels were 71% in Nature 's 2019 survey and 78% in 2017. The dip in satisfaction during the pandemic makes sense to Pil Maria Saugmann, outgoing president of Eurodoc, an organization based in Brussels that represents early-career researchers in Europe."
"The sobering reality? Nearly half of respondents worldwide say that they still face discrimination or harassment, and many report seeing their supervisors for less than an hour each week. Beyond these challenges, doctoral candidates consistently cite poor compensation and inadequate career guidance as major sources of dissatisfaction."
Seventy-five percent of PhD candidates feel satisfied with their doctoral studies, rebounding from 62% in 2022 and returning to pre-COVID levels. Responses from 3,785 doctoral candidates worldwide show a mixed picture: nearly half report discrimination or harassment, and many have under one hour of supervisor contact per week. Poor compensation and inadequate career guidance are major sources of dissatisfaction. New technologies are reshaping how candidates work, yet academia remains the most preferred career destination. Overall, recovery in satisfaction coexists with persistent problems in workplace culture, supervision practices, pay, and career support.
Read at Nature
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