Most governments are unable to track a crucial subset of their highly skilled human resources: doctorate holders. This is particularly worrisome as this specialized group is considered to be at the heart of a country’s innovation system, which is vital for economic growth. At best, policymakers can monitor the number of students obtaining doctorates each year. But what happens after graduation? What kind of work do the graduates find? Does it match their education? Are they satisfied? Do they move internationally?
What is the role of the UIS?
Together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Eurostat, the UIS has developed a survey instrument to track the careers of highly skilled individuals in countries at all stages of development.
The joint project on the Careers of Doctorate Holders (CDH) is designed to guide governments in their national data collections by producing a ‘toolkit’ consisting of methodological guidelines, a core model questionnaire, output tabulations and supporting documents.