Precarious Transitions Project: Final Report

Abstract

Executive Summary. Research Objectives: The aim of the study was to understand how students who have recently submitted their PhD thesis (less than 18 months ago at the time of the interview) negotiate access to an academic position, with specific consideration of the role of the doctoral supervisor in this process. The research investigated the following issues: • To understand how PhD students negotiate the transition from doctoral student to academic and come to take up an academic position; • To consider the role of PhD supervisors and institutions in enabling access to capitals and resources in relation to gaining an academic position; • To explore how capitals are mobilised and converted in academic (employment-related) opportunities throughout the transition period, with specific reference to the student-supervisor relationship; • To investigate how, during the transition process, intersections of gender, social class, ethnicity and age influence the mobilisation and conversion of capitals in academic opportunities in a context where the number of PhD holders outnumber the number of positions available. This study focused on the traditional PhD due to the scale of the project and to acknowledge that this degree has long been viewed as leading to an academic career in some academic disciplines. The research was undertaken between October 2020 and March 2022. Key Findings: • There are inconsistencies and inequalities in the support provided to Early Career Researchers (ECRs) who make the transition to an academic post. • In particular, the study found some significant diversity in terms of the support provided by the supervisor, including in negotiating the transition from PhD student to academic or to other (‘alt’) careers. This raises equity issues as the study shows that the support provided by the supervisor, as well as by the department and institution, is crucial in the outcomes experienced by ECRs. • The extent and nature of the support provided through the supervisory relationship is also mediated by gender, ethnicity and social class. As a result, the supervisory team represents a crucial, yet understudied, mechanism in challenging or reproducing inequalities in terms of access to academic and other jobs constructed as desirable by doctoral students and ECRs. • The above findings also have implications for institutions, the wider sector as well as the broader societal context, as some PhD holders fail to receive the support they need to enter the academic labour market or do not wish to pursue a career in academia because of precarity at early career stages and a lack of career paths to long-term positions. This is particularly the case of graduates from the less privileged backgrounds. Recommendations: Our project focused on the traditional PhD as this is by far the most popular pathway taken by those seeking a career in academia. The following recommendations are relevant therefore to those doctoral students seeking to work in the academy upon successful completion of their PhD. • Institutions across the UK should consider implementing a ‘minimum offer’ that clearly states the research methods training, access to professional networks and support with developing a publication profile made available to post graduate students. • The institutional offer should also indicate U/G teaching and/or dissertation supervision opportunities available. • There should be a clear indication of the number of meetings a PT and FT student will hold with their supervisory team and an indication of the type of feedback and broader support that will be provided throughout the supervisory process. • Supervisory teams should be made aware of the institutional minimum offer to ensure that they support doctoral students in all areas of career development in equitable ways. • The opportunities open to students during their PhDs and their destinations should be monitored at national and institutional level so as to address any form of inequity. • Supervisory teams should be given access to material and training emphasising the need for inclusive supervisory practices, which meet the needs of a diverse population of PhD students.