Postgraduate and early career

Conflict over proposals to grant say in running of university to all 4,000 postdocs, who conduct ‘bulk’ of research

Satisfaction with postgraduate research declines significantly over course of programme, survey reveals

Office for Students starts work on master’s version of National Student Survey

From the largest strike in the history of UK higher education, to the US ‘academic precariat’ looking to unionise to improve their conditions, Jack Grove assesses the changing influence of workers’ organisations

Law graduate urges research students to ‘take institutions to task’ on inadequate supervision

To spare doctoral candidates protracted and unproductive efforts, Tim Marler and Dean Young suggest a pragmatic route to successful completion, while, below, Julian Kirchherr advocates a quick-and-dirty path to a viable thesis

Review of UK guidelines says junior scholars should spend 20 per cent of time on their own projects and personal development

Completion rates improve as number of women in a programme increases, US study finds

Ahead of publication of revised concordat, Brunel leader calls for funding agencies to give document greater importance

Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s graduate scholarships will help students from under-represented groups

Union complains that early career academics have been told they must publish at least one 3* paper every 18 months ahead of 2021 assessment

Gavin Buckingham offers new lecturers tips on how to thrive in the pressurised first few months in the job

Junior scholars need all the experiences they can get, but their digital know-how can also boost the impact of academic events, says Alice Kelly

Life as a comedian at the Edinburgh Fringe has many parallels with the experiences of early career academics, explains Anna Ploszajski

Ad hoc approaches inadequate to deal with a widespread issue, campaigners say

Precarity is a significant feature of the academy worldwide, creating a feeling of ‘academic apartheid’ as it grows. Ellie Bothwell explores its impact

Martin Chalfie argues that young scientists who ‘play the game’ of publishing in selective journals are less likely to win permanent posts

Australian sector adopts ‘united viewpoint’ against unequal relationships

Leading a university seminar for the first time can be an intimidating prospect. Here, three PhD students offer some advice for those preparing for the new academic year

Early career social scientists should be entitled to extensive support from their university long after attaining their doctorate, study says

Australian group asks whether costs of ‘gold standard’ assessment are always warranted

THE's Asia-Pacific editor John Ross ponders the pluses of a slow-cooked doctorate

Extended PhDs would be money well spent in the quest for international competitiveness, says leading physicist

Peter Doherty warns scientists about being ‘used’ by journalists with a predetermined story to tell

Many students are struggling with stress-related health problems after switch to postgraduate programmes, research suggests

Nobel laureates call for early career researchers to be freed from ‘publish or perish’ mentality

At a gathering of young scientists and Nobel prizewinners, David Matthews detects a whiff of mutiny in the air stirred by the pressures of a modern research career

Report says early career academics should be given more opportunities to lead their own research teams to foster independence and improve job security

End stigma against students who don't want to pursue careers in academia, says report

Universities across North America told they must resolve issues around job insecurity as one institution faces 14th week of industrial action

Victory for Durham campaigners offers hope other universities could follow suit in ending ‘precarious’ employment arrangements

One in four female and one in five male postgraduate researchers found to be seeking counselling during their studies, according to new report from Research England

Investigation discovers that three-quarters of advertised posts are filled by an internal candidate

Ivy League university wins praise for formally recognising trade union created by graduate students who teach

Drug-related crime, rising unemployment and low salaries are all contributing to a postgraduate shortage that indicates an uncertain future for Mexico’s higher education system, finds Rachael Pells

Study suggests doctorates are now seen as a test of character rather than intellect

Staff strike prompts decision to award ESRC studentships to Cardiff University candidates based on paper applications only

Growing up working class meant Michelle Deininger was more worried about money than academic aspirations, but after a second chance she managed to complete her PhD 

Female chemists are more productive and successful in the job market if they have a female supervisor, analysis shows

Academic gatherings may be fun, but they do little to advance knowledge. To justify the public spending that supports them, such events must do more to provide benefits to those who don’t attend, argues Nicholas Rowe

Student left unable to complete doctorate is offered compensation

Professional doctorates offer a more useful, less stressful but no less rigorous alternative to the moribund PhD, says Richard Willis

While supervisors say protracted shifts are a crucial part of medical education, new research finds no benefit

Leaving academia can be a wrench, but it can also open up new opportunities to enjoy your discipline, says Greta Perel

New Zealand is reaping many benefits from reducing the cost of a PhD for international students a decade ago, says Brett Berquist

Female junior academics are also gaining research prestige, says study

Latest Hesa data reveal big jump in staff with a doctorate, although numbers remain static at some institutions

Publish before your viva, distinguish opportunities from time-drains and have a strong online profile, says Helen Coleman

Doing a part-time doctoral degree while working full-time is rewarding, but it can be demanding, says Pat Culhane

New centres mark new phase of collaboration between traditionally separate universities and research institutes

For academics and students alike, pressure to perform coupled with a lack of institutional support can severely affect mental health

But growth in those completing postgraduate research degrees in physics appears have stalled, according to latest Hesa data

Anti-corruption agency charges head of University of Zimbabwe with abuse of office over former first lady’s doctorate

Getting professional experience puts postgraduates in situations that they are unlikely to have faced in their university life, says Alfredo Cumerma

Symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress are more acute for PhD candidates classified as exceeding their schedule

Brock University is the latest Ontario institution to announce new financial support for overseas doctoral students

Claudia Pama launches campaign calling on research bodies to introduce proper sick pay provision

THE survey reveals how work pressures shape researchers’ decisions around relationships and family

Universities pay only for direct teaching time, making effective hourly pay derisory, union claims

The stressful postgraduate environment often leads not to solidarity but to the impoverishment of research, says Alfredo Cumerma