The PhD factory

By David Cyranoski, Natasha Gilbert, Heidi Ledford, Anjali Nayar & Mohammed Yahia. The world is producing more PhDs than ever before. Is it time to stop?
Scientists who attain a PhD are rightly proud — they have gained entry to an academic elite. But it is not as elite as it once was. The number of science doctorates earned each year grew by nearly 40% between 1998 and 2008, to some 34,000, in countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The growth shows no sign of slowing: most countries are building up their higher-education systems because they see educated workers as a key to economic growth (see 'The rise of doctorates'). But in much of the world, science PhD graduates may never get a chance to take full advantage of their qualifications. Download a PDF of this story. More...