Want to hire creative risk-takers? Doctoral graduates could be the answer

By David Bogle. Over half of PhD graduates now go into jobs outside academia. David Bogle says huge improvements in the training of doctoral graduates deserve more attention from employers. Not so long ago I heard a recruiter from a major financial institution bemoan the lack of creativity and research skills of graduates, but add in the same breath that they didn't recruit doctoral graduates. Clearly she wasn't aware of the quiet revolution taking place in doctoral education in the UK and, increasingly, across Europe. The transformation in the world of doctoral training is set out in a new report from the League of European Research Universities (LERU), whose 21 members produce over 12% of Europe's doctoral graduates. Our study, Good practice elements in doctoral training, sets out how universities are training creative, critical, autonomous, intellectual risk-takers in ways that go well beyond preparing them for a life in academia. More...