Mapping the population, careers, mobilities and impacts of advanced research degree graduates in the social sciences and humanities

Description

In order to contribute to the understanding of SSH research and research careers teams of researchers from 13 countries came together between 2011 and 2014 to collaborate on the project ‘Mapping the Population, Careers, Mobilities and Impacts of Advanced Research Degree Graduates in the Social Sciences and Humanities’ (POCARIM).

The target population were SSH doctorate holders who had received their doctoral degrees between 2000 and 2012 in one of 13 countries (France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK). The core aims of POCARIM are to understand the SSH doctoral populations and their production in the POCARIM countries; to identify their mobilities across disciplines, sectors and borders; and to identify and understand the types of impacts that are generated, as well as how and according to what timeframes these impacts are felt.

Across the 13 countries the team reviewed existing statistical population data, research literature and policy, and carried out a large-scale survey and hundreds of interviews with PhD holders in SSH fields working in a range of sectors and organizations in a variety of roles.

The study did not adopt or propose an aprioristic definition or framework for research careers. POCARIM data includes more than 300 in-depth interviews conducted across the participating countries.

Meta-Data

Study Title (long)	Mapping the population, careers, mobilities and impacts of advanced research degree graduates in the social sciences and humanities
Study Title (short)	POCARIM
Coordinating Institution	University of Salford
Creator	Louise Ackers Heike Jöns Zeinep Aycan Agrita Kiopa Dagmara Bacova Deborah Millard Carolina Cañibano G. Marini Christopher Coey Heloisa Perista L. Csonka Emanuela Reale Hannah Deakin Dominique Vinck Kate Geddie Richard Woolley Annamaria Inzelt
Contributor	University of Lausanne CEFMR/IOM Poland Loughborough University CESIS Portugal IKU Innovation Research Centre University Mateja Bela Ceris-CNR INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) Spain Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia Koç University Oxford Research AS Norway University of Salford
Sponsor	European Commission. 7th FP. 290770
Type	Mixed-methods one time cross-section study
Description of Observations	PhD graduates in SSH fields working in the consortium countries in different sectors of employment
Waves	1
Duration	2011
URL	http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/169012_en.html http://www.salford.ac.uk/research/care/research-groups/knowledge-health-and-place/projects/pocarim
Documentation	-
Publisher
Keywords	PhD holders careers mobility social impact social sciences and humanities Gender family/parenting networking internationalization institutional settings

Documentation

The final report can be downloaded here.

The survey report can be downloaded here

Data Collection Rounds

Data collection was carried out in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UK in 2011.

Results

Relevant results provide interesting input for renewed conceptualizations of research careers. For instance, interviews point out the important role of discovery and learning in career shaping. The final project report defines the research career as a networked learning process embedded in contextual institutional settings. The data also point to the important role of circular progress and reinforcing mechanisms in careers. The project research and reports also devote special attention to conceive of research careers as processes conditioned by family and parenting.