A PRACTICE PERSPECTIVE ON DOCTORAL EDUCATION – EMPLOYER, POLICY, AND INDUSTRY VIEWS.

"As we enter the Transformative Age of digital and green transitions, the European Commission and other global policy-makers herald universities as key players in innovation and transformation. PhD students ostensibly represent the pinnacle of higher education and suitable candidates for policymakers’ visions. Academic research has shown that traditional PhD programmes may fail to equip their graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge required. Practitioners’ voices have, however, been less well heard. We review thirteen policy and industry reports relating to doctoral education including EU policy documents, wider policy contributions across the EU, and industry-led reports. We also conduct thirteen semi-structured interviews with PhD employers or experts in PhD recruitment/placement. Findings highlight the lack of transferable skills in doctoral graduates, but also shed new light on attributes and experience as key hiring factors. We examine interdisciplinarity and intersectorality as potential solutions to employer and policymaker demands."