Too many PhDs? An invalid argument for countries developing their scientific and academic systems: The case of Portugal

Abstract

This article contradicts recent arguments in Portugal that there are "too many PhDs" and argues that there is a need to understand better the changing nature of doctorates and doctorate holders. The article analyzes whether there is a surplus of doctorate holders in Portugal based on five critical dimensions, using data provided by supranational and national public organizations: stocks and flows; university academic staff qualifications; age structure; research output; and labor market for PhDs. The analysis shows that rather than a surplus, there is a shortage of doctorate holders in many sectors of activity, which is expected to be exacerbated in the next few decades. These findings underline the need to consider active public policies to attract and retain PhDs, as well as enhancing the degree of involvement of new doctorate holders in the modernization of higher education and in the internationalization of the economy. Intermediary institutions, public-private research partnerships and public administration may play a critical role in the process but require new economic actors and instruments with the capacity to invest in and employ doctorate holders.

PhD funding as a determinant of PhD and career research performance

“…This may be related to the development of the academic system in Portugal, which is growing fast in terms of new doctorates and young applicants to doctoral studies (according to Santos, Horta, and Heitor (2016), more new doctorates were awarded in the past decade than in the previous decades altogether). These younger applicants may also be perceived as potentially more productive and internationally oriented (Santos and Horta 2015; this is aligned with the fostering of the internationalization of the scientific system -as non-Portuguese nationals also tend to be more successful in the award of PhD funding as Table 3 shows).…”

“…These younger applicants may also be perceived as potentially more productive and internationally oriented (Santos and Horta 2015; this is aligned with the fostering of the internationalization of the scientific system -as non-Portuguese nationals also tend to be more successful in the award of PhD funding as Table 3 shows). Despite the academic system offering fewer stable employment opportunities (Araújo 2008), Portuguese universities need to further qualify their academic body, and high general unemployment rates (Santos, Horta, and Heitor 2016) make the option to pursue a PhD possibly more appealing to younger generations with tertiary degree qualifications. This finding, nonetheless, suggests it is more difficult for other profiles (e.g.…”

Doctoral education and employment in the regions: the case of Catalonia

“…Using a collection of data from OECD countries, Auriol et al (2013, p. 6) observe that 'although the higher education sector is the main sector of employment for doctorates, demand for doctorates is apparent across other sectors of the economy'. This trend, sometimes referred to as 'too many PhD graduates' (Larson, Ghaffarzadegan, & Xue, 2014), can be observed in countries where innovation and research systems are well developed, but not where these systems are still being developed, such as Portugal (Santos, Horta, & Heitor, 2016). Etmanski et al (2017) reveal that fewer than 15% of doctoral graduates obtain a professorship in Canada, while in Australia, Neumann and Tan (2011) find that 'only one-quarter of all doctoral graduates are initially employed in academic positions on completion of their PhD' (p. 609).…”

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“…No que concerne ao papel dos novos doutorados em Portugal na produção de conhecimento, convém desde logo notar que o nível de qualificações de investigadores e de docentes do ensino superior português ainda se afirma particularmente reduzido quando comparado internacionalmente (Horta e Hasanefendic, 2015;Santos, Horta e Heitor, 2016), mesmo que o atual quadro legal da carreira de investigação científica (Decreto de lei n.º 124/99) e de docência nas universidades (Decreto de lei n.º205/2009) e nos politécnicos (Decreto-Lei n.º 207/2009) estabeleça o doutoramento como requisito de acesso. Esta lacuna qualificacional assinala um importante espaço profissional de acolhimento para os novos doutorados com impacto no desenvolvimento científico nacional, conforme se pode verificar pela correlação entre o crescimento do número de novos doutorados em Portugal e o aumento quer do número de publicações científicas (indexadas na Web of Science), quer do seu fator de impacto, entre 2004 e 2011 (Santos, Horta e Heitor, 2016). Mesmo que o recente período de crise económica tenha dificultado o acesso e erodido as condições de trabalho nas carreiras de investigação (Cairns, Cuzzocrea e Briggs, 2017) e de docência (Cardoso, Carvalho e Cideira, 2018), os resultados das várias inquirições CDH revelam que a esmagadora maioria dos doutorados residentes em Portugal se inscreve nessa esfera académica (Cotrim e Duarte, 2015;DGEEC, 2017;GPARI, 2009GPARI, , 2011, ainda que não precisem se esta forte aliança também se verifica entre as coortes de doutorados mais recentes.…”

“…Por outro lado, esta estreita relação limita o alcance da transferência social do conhecimento altamente especializado destes doutorados, que surgem pouco presentes enquanto trabalhadores no tecido empresarial privado, especialmente se considerarmos que muitos são igualmente docentes ou investigadores. Acresce ainda que os empregados na administração pública também se revelam absolutamente residuais em qualquer dos anos sob escrutínio, apesar da diagnosticada carência qualificacional a este nível (Santos, Horta e Heitor, 2016). Assim, considerando que a maioria dos doutorados se inscreve no âmbito da docência universitária e da investigação científica, torna-se inegável o seu papel enquanto produtores de conhecimento e também o seu contributo para o reforço das qualificações dos corpos docentes e de investigação.…”