Doctorate holders

European Commission Eurostat

Description

The beginning of their career
Science and technology
Teaching
Target audience: Specialised/Technical

Sujets

• Higher education
• University

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-EUROSTAT
• Nombre de lectures: 65
• Langue: English

Extrait

Statistics in focus

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

131/2007

Author Tomas MERI

C o n t e n t s

Of the tertiary student population in EU in 2004, 3% were following a doctoral programme ................................ 1

More than 40% of doctoral students in Greece and Cyprus were in science ......................... 2

New doctorate holders twice as numerous in Europe than in the United States in 2004................ 3

Sweden had the highest graduation rate of new doctorate holders...................... 4

The unemployment rate of doctorate holders in Germany was of only 3.2% ....................... 5

88% of employed doctorate holders in Portugal work as professionals............................. 6

Manuscri pt completed on: 1  8.12.2007 Data extracted on: 19.06.2007 ISSN 19770316 Catalogue number: KSSF07131ENC © European Communities, 2007

Doc t ora t e holde rs The beginning of their career z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z Demand for reliable information on highly skilled people, and more specifically doctorate holders, has risen as the role played by knowledge and research in innovation and economic performance is increasingly recognised. The main focus in this paper is on doctorate holders and will review the supply of and demand for doctorate holders starting from the education inflows up to the detail of their employment. Career of Doctorate Doctorate doctorate students graduates holders Doctorate holders form the most educated group of the population and those most likely to contribute to the development and expansion of knowledge, science and technology. Despite this, only 3% of tertiary students were studying for a doctoral degree in 2004. The highest graduation rate for doctorates was found in Sweden. In Estonia and Cyprus more than 60% of the new doctorate graduates were women.

Of the tertiary student population in EU in 2004, 3% were following a doctoral programme Figure 1: Tertiary education participation by level of education, gender and field of education, in proportions, in the EU, 2004 Male Fem ale

Male Fem ale 0% 20% 40 % 60% 80% 100% Science, m athem atics and com puting Engineering, m anufacturing and cons truction Other field of education Source: Eurostat HRST database EU-27 excluding DE, FR, LU and SI. For ISCED definitions see methodological notes on page 2 and 7.

In 2004 in the EU, 18.2 million students were in tertiary education, 3% of them in a doctorate programme (ISCED level 6). As shown in Figure 1, the distribution in terms of level and field of education and gender varies widely in the EU. 25% of tertiary students at ISCED level 5 were following a science or engineering (SE) course. This proportion rises to over 37% for doctoral students (ISCED level 6). When one looks at the specific fields of education chosen, marked preferences appear. Female students were underrepresented in science and engineering (SE), at both ISCED levels 5 and 6.