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Assumed as a strategic resource for the knowledge society and economy, doctoral education has become the target of policy attention and intervention, with clear effects on its organisation and offer. Especially in Europe, and under the influence of several actors, doctoral education has grown in terms of the number of universities delivering it and of programmes; it became more diversified, with doctoral programmes in the most varied scientific areas and with different types and purposes; and it became more structured, with the inclusion of a curricular component and the shortening of the duration of the degree. Many of these changing trends are evident in the configurations assumed by doctoral education in Portugal. This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of these configurations by mapping the current landscape of doctoral education in the country. The analysis takes into account aspects such as the institutional, geographic, and scientific distribution of doctoral programmes, as well as their characterisation in terms of structuring, length, and collaboration. Finally, the trends observed in the doctoral education landscape are put into perspective and recommendations are put into perspective with a view to its (re)organisation, targeting both policymakers and universities., Asumido como un recurso estratégico para la economía y la sociedad del conocimiento, el doctorado se ha convertido en el objeto de la atención e intervención de las políticas, con claros efectos en su organización y oferta. Especialmente en Europa, y bajo la influencia de varios actores, el doctorado ha crecido en términos de número de universidades que la imparten y de programas; se diversificó más, con programas de doctorado en las más variadas áreas científicas y con diferentes tipologías y finalidades; y se volvió más estructurado, con la inclusión de un componente curricular y el acortamiento de la duración de la titulación. Muchas de estas tendencias cambiantes son evidentes en las configuraciones asumidas por el doctorado en Portugal. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo contribuir a una mejor comprensión de estas configuraciones mediante el mapeo del panorama actual de la educación doctoral en el país. El análisis tiene en cuenta aspectos como la distribución institucional, geográfica y científica de los programas de doctorado, así como su caracterización en cuanto a estructuración, duración y colaboración. Finalmente, se ponen en perspectiva las tendencias observadas en el panorama de la educación doctoral y se formulan recomendaciones para su (re)organización, dirigidas tanto a los responsables políticos como a las universidades., Assumida como um recurso estratégico para a economia e sociedade do conhecimento, a educação doutoral tem-se tornado alvo de atenção e intervenção política, com efeitos visíveis na sua organização e oferta. Sob a influência de diversos atores, e especialmente na Europa, a educação doutoral tem-se expandido, quer em termos do número de universidades que a ofertam, quer no tocante ao número de programas; tornou-se mais diversificada, com programas doutorais nas mais diferentes áreas científicas e com diferentes tipos e propósitos; e tornou-se mais estruturada, com a inclusão de uma componente curricular e a redução do tempo para conclusão do grau. Muitas destas tendências de mudança são evidentes nas configurações assumidas pelo ensino doutoral em Portugal. Este artigo tem como objetivo contribuir para uma melhor compreensão dessas configurações, por meio do mapeamento do cenário atual da educação doutoral no país. A análise leva em consideração aspetos como a distribuição institucional, geográfica e científica dos programas doutorais, bem como a sua caraterização em termos de estruturação, duração e colaboração interinstitucional. Por último, as tendências observadas no cenário da educação doutoral são colocadas em perspetiva e apresentam-se recomendações com vistas à sua (re)organização, tendo como alvo os legisladores e as universidades.

In the context of higher education, skills mismatch refers to the gap between the skills which graduates possess and the skills demanded by hiring industries. Several changes have been contributing to this mismatch. On the one hand, the labour market has been through a fast technological change and has become more volatile, which in turn has led to the emergence of new professional profiles (Garcia-Aracil and Van der Velden 2008). According to the literature (Branine 2008), generic skills have gained more value for employers. However, a question remains whether graduates are capable of applying the generic skills acquired in higher education in a real work context (Billing 2003). On the other hand, higher education has also undergone significant changes – massification and diversification of the student body – which made it increasingly difficult for potential employers to assess the skills match in such a wide pool of candidates. Moreover, higher education has been accused of being distant from the labour market needs and of being incapable of keeping up with changes and demand (Garcia-Aracil and Van der Velden 2008), particularly because of a poor focus on generic competences and of a lack of practical orientation. Assuming that higher education is partly responsible for overcoming the skills mismatch, a number of approaches have been suggested in the literature: collaboration with business and industry in day-to-day practices of teaching and research, such as work integrated learning programmes or internships, and external collaboration in the curricular design. Industrial doctorates are an example of an approach which aims to bring together academia and industry, thus presenting a high potential of closing the gap between the supply and the demand of graduate competences. This study aims to explore whether doctoral students enrolled in industrial doctorates believe that they acquire generic skills which literatures suggests are valued by employers. It relies on information gathered in 2018 through six focus groups discussions with students (N=30) enrolled in all the six industrial doctorates offered by Portuguese universities, funded jointly by the Portuguese foundation for science and technology and by private companies. Doctoral students think they are acquiring generic skills which could be relevant for a wide range of different jobs and industries. These skills include networking, communication, negotiation, teamwork and, with less emphasis, flexibility, writing skills and autonomy. Therefore, according to doctoral students, the competences gained during their degree have the potential to close the gap between employers expectations and higher education supply because these skills are fully aligned with those described in the literature and which are related to the business environment and its precise end goals, tight deadlines, teamwork and multi-tasking.