Facilitating students’ (doctoral) transition to the workplace: A critical review

The recent ongoing changes to the UK higher education sector have put immense pressure on both academics and students. Where academics are working hard to enhance the quality of the educational product, students, on the other hand, are struggling with the rising tuition fees and the challenging labour market. As a result securing a good job after graduation depends on how a student has managed to excel in gaining experience beyond the classroom and developing key skills through their time at university. This becomes particularly challenging in the current era, where globalisation brings further challenges and opportunities to the university sector, to seize the market advantages for those establishments able to respond in a timely and flexible way with appropriate innovation and internationalisation strategies. Doctoral researchers are an integral part of the student community. Hence it is important that universities assure the successful transition of these doctoral students to their workplace and externally. This study, therefore, attempts to provide a critical review on facilitating the doctoral students’ transition to the workplace through doctoral research positions and the role played by their PhD supervisors. The study methodology uses existing literature and interviews with students and faculty members to draw out experiences and perspectives. The results of this research can be applicable to any higher education institution in the UK and to other countries where the academic system is similar.