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As PhD candidates of geography and planning, we engage in a collaborative autoethnography to reflect on our experiences during a writing retreat. We explore the significance of material and immaterial spaces of the retreat and how these spaces impacted our academic writing. We emphasise the value of a collaborative and supportive learning environment that challenges the productivity-driven, neoliberal narrative imbued in academic writing. Drawing on our personal reflections of the retreat, we illustrate how writing retreats foster a "space" of support, facilitate academic writing competence, and expose participants to new avenues of learning. Using a grounded theory approach, we draw on Donna Haraway's situated knowledges as well as and Dooren Massey's theorisation on space, to examine our individual reflections and collectively discuss the intricate relationship between solitude and productivity in academic writing. Our findings delve into diverse experiences of material space (physical) and immaterial space (psychological and imaginative), as well as the negotiation of solitude-togetherness and speed-slowness interface within the retreat context. We argue for rethinking the notion of a retreat, envisioning it as a space that challenges the norms of academic productivity and fosters a more caring and interconnected approach to scholarly writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Drawing on the job demands–resources theory, this study pioneered the investigation of the influence of academic psychological capital (including self‐efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism) on PhD students' creativity (including novelty and usefulness). It further explored the mediating role of academic engagement (including vigour, dedication, and absorption) in this relationship. A sample of 376 PhD students at two comprehensive universities in Jiangsu province, mainland China, responded to an online survey. Results showed that: (1) PhD students' self‐efficacy, resilience, and optimism positively predicted novelty, and all four dimensions of academic psychological capital positively predicted the usefulness dimension of creativity; and (2) dedication mediated the effects of hope and optimism on both novelty and usefulness; however, vigour and absorption did not mediate the association between academic psychological capital and creativity. The findings highlight the significance of academic psychological capital and academic engagement, especially dedication, in optimising PhD students' creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three missions of universities are education, research, and knowledge/technology transfer. At the micro‐level of the research and knowledge/technology transfer mission, we position researchers, as individuals who decided to pursue a scientific career in academia, with the PhD as the starting point. While existing literature acknowledges the supervisor's significance during this process from dependency to autonomy, this paper advocates for a closer examination of external factors such as the network, supervisor's experience, and work environment in idea generation. Ideas in this context encompass both curiosity‐driven and entrepreneurial concepts, often evolving from one to the other. Our research builds upon the theory of opportunity identification, drawing parallels between ideas and opportunities. The research asserts that PhD students primarily rely on their networks for idea generation due to limited prior knowledge and experience. Our findings underscore the dynamic interplay between PhD students, supervisors, and networks in the process of idea generation, advancing a comprehensive framework encapsulating the multifaceted influences on the trajectory from idea generation to execution in the context of PhD education. The framework is based on empirical evidence from a qualitative case study comprising 16 PhD students in a European H2020 project in the field of Photonics, illuminating the intricate relationship between supervisors' orientations (entrepreneurial or curiosity‐driven) and the types of ideas generated by PhD students. Practical implications highlight the need for tailored support and resources to foster independent research capabilities among PhD students, considering individual variations in supervisory support and networking opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Doctoral students report high rates of mental health problems. Universities are required to provide support services to all students, yet doctoral students infrequently access such services. For those doctoral students who do access these services, little is known about their experiences. This research aimed to explore the acceptability of university mental health support services for doctoral students with mental health problems.The project accessed qualitative data from a large online survey of UK doctoral student mental health, collected between 2018 and 2019, in which doctoral students were asked about their experiences of university support services. Qualitative data from 586 participants were included. The data were analysed using a deductive–inductive thematic analysis approach. A theoretical model of acceptability was used, which had seven thematic categories: affective attitude, burden, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity costs, perceived effectiveness and self‐efficacy.Ten subthemes were identified across the seven higher order themes, reflecting the multidimensional nature of doctoral student experiences of acceptability. Factors including positive interactions with staff and receiving contextually sensitive support were associated with greater acceptability, whilst perceived difficulties relating to confidentiality and accessing help contributed to lower acceptability.Positive and negative perceptions of university support services were identified across various domains of acceptability. This research identified multiple avenues for improving the acceptability of university support services to the vulnerable doctoral student group, such as better advertisement, upskilling of staff and increased utilisation of remote service delivery. Future research should seek to explore perceptions of diverse student groups and to more precisely identify specific attributes of support services that influence perceptions of acceptability, particularly with respect to perceived effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PhD students are particularly vulnerable to experiencing poor mental health. Mental health concerns that arise during their studies can not only affect their study progress but also have long-lasting impacts on their mental health after their studies. Extensive research has been conducted on the mental health of university students, but few studies have focused on PhD students and even fewer on PhD students in Australia. The present study investigated demographic, occupational, psychological, social, and relational determinants of mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and suicidality) in PhD students in Australia. PhD students enrolled in Australian universities were invited to complete an online survey. Results from regression analyses identified key determinants of mental health symptoms in our sample of PhD students (N = 302). In particular, higher levels of imposter thoughts, perfectionism discrepancy, and loneliness were strong predictors of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mental health of PhD students in Australia. Importantly, these findings inform areas of focus where potential strategies can be implemented to better protect the mental health of this population. For example, strategies that mitigate loneliness or foster effective, collaborative student-supervisor relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PhD life is a challenging phase and often faced with heavy academic stress. Indulging in social media may be one of the coping styles to relieve this stress. However, the underlying mechanisms by which academic stress affects social media addiction among PhD students are not fully understood. In this study, 431 PhD students (male: n = 243, 56.38%; female: n = 188, 43.62%; mean age = 27.34 years, SD = 2.70 years) completed online self-report measures of academic stress, anxiety, desire thinking, loneliness, and social media addiction. Grounded in general strain theory and the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, we conducted mediation and moderated mediation model analysis to examine the associations among these variables. The results indicated that academic stress was positively associated with social media addiction and this association was sequentially mediated by anxiety and desire thinking. Furthermore, loneliness moderated and strengthened the positive association between academic stress and social media addiction. We provided empirical support for the feasibility of integrating desire thinking into the I-PACE model. Our research also calls on society to pay attention to the mental health issues affecting these populations and encouraging them to actively participate in offline activities, seek social support, reduce their dependence on social media, and improve stress management and psychological adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doctoral engineering students leave doctoral programs without their intended degrees at high rates, with students from minoritized groups leaving at higher rates. In the current study, we modeled the associations between academic relationships, professional identity, and degree completion intentions (DCI). Positive academic relationships with research advisors and peers within doctoral degree programs can bolster persistence and professional identity development. Professional identity is proposed as a mediator of academic relationships on DCI. Participants were 913 doctoral engineering students from 113 universities across the United States. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for the proposed direct and indirect effects. A multigroup model was tested with six groups: underrepresented minority (URM) women, Asian women, white women, URM men, Asian men, and white men. The model fit remained strong. The model provides insights into ways engineering education systems may engage advisors and peers to support students as an avenue to increasing persistence to a degree. The findings highlight the importance of equitable systems, structures, and relationships that serve underrepresented students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract PhD students are particularly vulnerable to experiencing poor mental health. Mental health concerns that arise during their studies can not only affect their study progress but also have long-lasting impacts on their mental health after their studies. Extensive research has been conducted on the mental health of university students, but few studies have focused on PhD students and even fewer on PhD students in Australia. The present study investigated demographic, occupational, psychological, social, and relational determinants of mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and suicidality) in PhD students in Australia. PhD students enrolled in Australian universities were invited to complete an online survey. Results from regression analyses identified key determinants of mental health symptoms in our sample of PhD students (N = 302). In particular, higher levels of imposter thoughts, perfectionism discrepancy, and loneliness were strong predictors of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mental health of PhD students in Australia. Importantly, these findings inform areas of focus where potential strategies can be implemented to better protect the mental health of this population. For example, strategies that mitigate loneliness or foster effective, collaborative student-supervisor relationships.

The well-being and satisfaction of PhD students are receiving increasing attention in academic research, reflecting broader concerns regarding this group’s mental health and overall well-being. Studies indicate that PhD candidates often encounter heightened mental health challenges, such as stress, anxiety, and isolation, compared to their peers with master’s degrees. This study focuses on Hungarian PhD students in Transylvania, analyzing the factors influencing their happiness and satisfaction. Based on data collected in 2021 through a non-representative survey of 126 PhD candidates, this research identifies key factors contributing to their well-being, including internal and external motivators, supervisory support, and the effects of workload and personal circumstances. In conclusion, the well-being and life satisfaction of PhD students are influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including supervisory support, workload, personal resources, and cultural context. The study recommends institutional strategies to enhance their overall wellbeing and academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effort–reward imbalance (ERI) model is a theoretical model in the work context that identifies stressors and their adverse effects on health. This article attempts to apply the ERI theory to the PhD context and describes the adaptation and validation of the ERI scale for doctoral students (ERI-PhD) in a sample of 1,275 PhD students gaining a doctoral degree in Germany. We calculated item-total correlations and McDonald's Omega to assess the internal consistency and used exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to test the theoretical and factorial structure of the scale. The factorial time invariance was tested with a 6-week follow-up design (n = 705). The relationship between ERI and different PhD groups was examined to test discriminant validity. Linear regression analyses of the ERI-PhD with mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire–4) were examined to test the criterion validity. Exploratory factor analysis using a randomized half of the sample yielded a four-factor structure solution. Using the other half of the sample, confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the four-factor solution fitted the data the best. Also, the ERI level varied among demographic and PhD-related variables and contributed to the explanation of poor mental health. The PhD version of the ERI questionnaire is a valid and reliable new instrument for assessing the perceived social reciprocity between efforts and rewards and its effects on mental health (i.e., depression and anxiety). In light of stress-related PhD conditions (e.g., isolation, work–life conflicts) and many PhD students leaving academia, the tool can provide valuable explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An number of studies has shown that PhD students are experiencing dissatisfaction and stress. The high global percentage of PhD dropout rates has been regarded by higher education as an urgent issue. This study used the self-efficacy theory as an inquiry tool and in-depth interviews as a method to explore the current situation of Taiwanese PhD students and the stress and difficulties they face. The results of the study found that, although the dilemmas faced by Taiwanese PhD students has something in common with the self-efficacy theory, there are also special experiences in the context of Chinese culture which effect performance and accomplishment. Lack of affirmation prevents the PhD students from receiving positive evaluations and causes them to doubt their abilities. At the same time, PhD students have long suffered from parental mandatory expectation education, believing that they must be excellent and maintain family pride, thus putting them under considerable psychological stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PhD students come to work in academic environments that are characterized by long working hours and work done on non-standard hours due to increasing job demands and metric evaluation systems. Yet their long working hours and work at non-standard hours are often seen as a logical consequence of their intellectual quest and academic calling and may even serve as a proxy for their research engagement. Against that background, quantitative data from 514 PhD students were used to unravel the complex relationships between different aspects of time use and PhD students' work engagement. While the results support the academia as a calling thesis to some extent, they also show that the relationships between long and non-standard working hours and research engagement are partly negated by the fact that the same working time characteristics lead to perceived time pressure and lack of time sovereignty, which in turn negatively affects their engagement. Moreover, the mechanism behind this negation varies across scientific disciplines. These subjective working time characteristics are the same alarm signals that are flagged as risk factors in academic staff for occupational stress, burnout, and work-life imbalance and thus cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Un travail de recherche qui ne progresse pas, une supervision insatisfaisante, des perspectives de carrière incertaines ou encore le sentiment de ne pas appartenir à une communauté scientifique, telles sont les difficultés que rencontrent nombre de thésards pendant leur doctorat. Si ces difficultés font l'objet d'un nombre croissant de publications, peu de travaux se sont attachés à mettre en lumière les déterminants du vécu positif du doctorat. En effet, le vécu d'une thèse peut être extrêmement enrichissant. Dans cette revue de la littérature, notre objectif est d'exploiter les connaissances actuelles permettant d'envisager l'expérience du doctorat comme positive pour en extraire des pistes susceptibles d'améliorer cette expérience. Dans un premier temps, nous exposons les éléments de la littérature qui démontrent que, bien que le doctorat puisse être vécu comme une épreuve difficile, il peut également être vécu comme une expérience très positive. Dans un second temps, nous proposons des pistes d'améliorations de l'expérience du doctorat. Dans l'ensemble, cet article, présente un intérêt pour les doctorants désireux d'approfondir leurs réflexions sur leurs conditions de travail, mais aussi pour tous ceux qui les entourent, tels les directeurs de thèse, les directeurs d'unités de recherche, et les directeurs d'écoles doctorales. A research work that does not progress, an unsatisfactory supervision, an uncertain career prospects or the feeling of not belonging to a scientific community, these are the difficulties that many PhD students encounter during their doctoral studies. If these difficulties are the subject of a growing number of publications, very few studies have focused on the determinants of the positive experience of the doctorate. Indeed, the experience of a thesis can be extremely enriching. In this review of the literature, our objective is to exploit the current state of knowledge that enables to consider the doctorate as positive experience in order to extract helpful cues that could improve this experience. First, we present evidence issued from the scientific literature that shows that, although the doctorate can be a difficult experience, it can also be a very positive one. Secondly, we propose promising lines to improve the doctoral experience. Overall, this article is of interest to doctoral students who wish to deepen their thoughts on their working conditions, but also to all those who surround them, such as, the thesis directors, the research unit directors, and the doctoral school directors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a result of a complementary advanced publication workshop accompanying the curriculum course exercises for PhD students, on the role of ICT in the research work of a scientist. To fulfill the extended course requirements the participants decided to write relevant paper, if possible, related to their individual research endeavors and their relations to the digital world. The paper consists of a collection of short chapters written by young researchers. They express their own views, based on early research experience, relevant generally to the inclusion of critical digital age components in their theses. The chapters are only moderately consulted by the tutor in the direction of finding a common denominator related to social sciences.

We propose and test the proposition that innate personality differences in trait affect explain significant variance in student satisfaction. Using three standard measures of trait affect and data from a student sample (n = 409) of PhD candidates across science, social science and humanities in 63 universities from 20 countries, we find that 24% of variance in student satisfaction is accounted for by trait affect. We also find that both discipline studied and research orientation of university have moderating effects on the relationship between trait affect and student satisfaction. Our findings suggest student satisfaction scores need to be viewed with caution because, in part, they merely reflect individual-level trait affect that - like all innate personality traits - academics, university administrators and education ministers alike are powerless to alter. Our findings indicate that governments, universities and other organisations gathering student satisfaction data could usefully adopt measures to control for trait affect. Our findings also raise the possibility that universities might strategically incorporate innate affect in their student selection criteria to game satisfaction ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) differ from regular graduates in terms of input characteristics (i.e., who they are), process characteristics (i.e., how they experience the PhD trajectory), and the self-estimated likelihood of successfully completing the PhD. Additionally, it assesses to what extent and how the input and process characteristics explain the self-estimated success rate between the two groups. The data come from four waves of the PhD Survey (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021; N= 1,766) conducted at a large university in Brussels (Belgium). Results show that GTAs estimated their likelihood of successful completion of their PhD lower compared to regular graduates. This difference is mediated by a lower satisfaction with the supervisor support and a higher amount of time pressure among GTAs. Additionally, GTAs' surplus of time spent on teaching duties and the lack of a research plan was negatively related to the self-estimated likelihood of successful completion to a greater extent than regular graduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a two-semester advanced research methodology course, five PhD students completed three sketches—beginning, middle, and end of course—to represent how they were thinking and feeling about themselves as doctoral students as they progressed through their first year. They also wrote reflections to complement the sketches and shared their sketches in class. At the end of the course, the students co-led a study with their two instructors to examine their learnings and understandings gained from sketching. The students wrote individual narratives about their experiences and the instructors wrote narratives about how sketching was part of their pedagogical thinking. The analysis revealed seven student themes, including positive outcomes and challenges associated with sketching. One positive outcome was that students felt empowered as the sketches gave them the opportunity to reflect back on their progress, both cognitively and emotionally, over their first year of doctoral studies. Sketching itself was a challenge for some, but all felt that it was a powerful experience. Sketching provided the instructors with insights they might not have gotten through words alone, enhancing their sense of teaching and learning, and gave them valuable information to support the students.

This article investigates whether experiences of the PhD trajectory during the first year of enrolment predict dropout during a later stage. More specifically, we studied how supervisor support, time pressure and passion for research relate to dropout among PhD students and assessed the role of discipline in this process. We used longitudinal data from four waves of the PhD Survey (2018 through 2021; N = 589), conducted at a university in Belgium, as well as administrative data on the enrolment status. Results show that supervisor support is negatively related to dropout, and that this is especially important for PhD students in the human sciences. Time pressure is positively related to dropout. When stratified by scientific discipline, this effect was only significant for PhD students in human sciences and in the life sciences and medicine. Passion for research showed a negative association with dropout. Stratification by discipline showed that this effect was only found among PhD students in natural sciences and engineering. Furthermore, teaching assistants showed higher dropout rates, and female PhD students in human sciences and life sciences and medicine were less likely to drop out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A doctorate is associated with numerous challenges for many PhD students, including financial insecurities, little support from supervisors, and time pressure. The present study explores well-being of PhD students via the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model as well as the potential protective factor resilience. Method: A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,275 PhD students from Germany. Data was collected at two measurement points over a six-week follow-up period. Results: As hypothesized, overcommitment was found to mediate the relationship between ERI and perceived stress while no mediation effect was found for work engagement. Resilience strengthened the relationship between ERI and overcommitment, especially for an increasing unfavorable ERI, and counterintuitively did not act as a protective factor. Discussion: Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, providing a deeper understanding on the ERI model and the negative coping pattern overcommitment in the context of PhD students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental well-being of PhD students is a major concern in higher education. However, very few studies have investigated the influencing factors of PhD students' subjective well-being (SWB) - an important indicator of mental well-being. Even no study on the influencing factors of PhD students' SWB has been undertaken in mainland China. Based on job demands-resources theory, the present study pioneers the investigation of the relationship between PhD students' psychological capital (PsyCap; comprising self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism) and SWB (comprising positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction) in mainland China. It further examined the mediating role of academic engagement (comprising vigor, dedication, and absorption) in this relationship. PhD students (n = 376) from two comprehensive universities in Jiangsu province responded to an online survey. The results showed that (1) self-efficacy was positively associated with life satisfaction, hope was positively associated with positive affect, optimism was significantly associated with all three dimensions of SWB, but resilience was not significantly associated with any of the three SWB dimensions; and (2) dedication mediated the relationship between hope and life satisfaction and that between optimism and negative affect and life satisfaction, but vigor and absorption did not mediate any of the PsyCap-SWB relationships. Limitations and practical implications of this study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a result of a complementary advanced publication workshop accompanying the curriculum course exercises for PhD students, on the role of ICT in the research work of a scientist. To fulfill the extended course requirements the participants decided to write relevant paper, if possible, related to their individual research endeavors and their relations to the digital world. The paper consists of a collection of short chapters written by young researchers. They express their own views, based on early research experience, relevant generally to the inclusion of critical digital age components in their theses. The chapters are only moderately consulted by the tutor in the direction of finding a common denominator related to social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutes both foster the advancement of knowledge and address society's socioeconomic and environmental challenges. To fulfil these multiple missions requires significant changes to how the role of a researcher is perceived e.g. a researcher identity that is congruent with the objective of contributing to fundamental knowledge while also engaging with non-academic actors, broadly, and entrepreneurship, in particular. We argue that the early stages of an academic career—namely the PhD training trajectory—and the knowledge networks formed during this period have a major influence on the scientist's future capacity to develop an appropriate researcher role identity. We draw on knowledge network and identity theories to investigate how the knowledge networks (i.e. business, scientific and career knowledge networks) of PhD students promote changes to, reinforce or conflict with the perception of a researcher role identity. Our longitudinal qualitative network study includes PhD students and their supervisors funded by the H2020 FINESSE project. At the network level, we show that scientific knowledge is distributed equally throughout young academics' networks but that entrepreneurial (business) and career knowledge tend to be concentrated around certain individuals in these networks. On the PhD student level, we observe different pronunciations of the researcher role identity linked to students' interactions with their knowledge networks. We distinguish identity conflicts due to misalignment between ego and alters which leads to withdrawal from the network. Our findings have practical implications and suggest that universities and PhD student supervisors should support PhD students to develop a researcher identity which is in line with the individual PhD student's expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the publication requirements of PhD programs in China. It is based on a representative sample of PhD programs from 164 Chinese universities from all fields of science. Our results show that Chinese PhD student significant pressures to publish in order to obtain their degree, with papers indexed in the Science Citation Index often a mandatory requirement for students to obtain their degree. Moreover, it is found that first authorship is also mandatory: only as first authors count towards the degree, which may affect PhD students' collaborative behavior. These findings highlight the role of publications indexed in the Science Citation Index for China's PhD programs and contributes to our understanding of the landscape of research evaluation in China's higher education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streamlining the trajectory of postgraduate students' educational experience is critically important to facilitate their success and contribute to attaining national developmental aims. With this principle as the guiding premise, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of academic procrastination among PhD students in Ethiopian universities. Additionally, the study explored the factors contributing to academic procrastination and the strategies employed to mitigate its effects. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study utilized a concurrent parallel design. The McCloskey scale, adapted to the Ethiopian context, formed the basis of a survey incorporating both closed- and open-ended inquiries, administered to 324 randomly selected PhD students, yielding 294 valid responses. The pilot test demonstrated a commendable Cronbach's alpha reliability of 0.95. The prevalence was elucidated through descriptive analysis, and the scale was tailored to discern factors contributing to academic procrastination. Additionally, a narrative approach was employed to delve into coping mechanisms outlined in the open-ended responses. The findings unveiled a discernible prevalence of academic procrastination in Ethiopia. Factor analysis underscored psychological beliefs concerning abilities, attention diversion, inertia, and external influences as predominant contributors. Furthermore, the study shed light on student strategies in combating procrastination, notably emphasizing self-regulation, adept time management, conducive learning environments, and prioritization throughout their academic journeys. Ultimately, the study advocates for institutional-level interventions in support systems for students, alongside policy-level initiatives aimed at refining the academic trajectory within the nation.

IntroductionA doctorate is associated with numerous challenges for many PhD students, including financial insecurities, little support from supervisors, and time pressure. The present study explores well-being of PhD students via the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model as well as the potential protective factor resilience.MethodA web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,275 PhD students from Germany. Data was collected at two measurement points over a six-week follow-up period.ResultsAs hypothesized, overcommitment was found to mediate the relationship between ERI and perceived stress while no mediation effect was found for work engagement. Resilience strengthened the relationship between ERI and overcommitment, especially for an increasing unfavorable ERI, and counterintuitively did not act as a protective factor.DiscussionTheoretical and practical implications are discussed, providing a deeper understanding on the ERI model and the negative coping pattern overcommitment in the context of PhD students.

There is an association between personality traits and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In order to differentiate the association between various personality traits and GAD, a survey was conducted among PhD students in northern China (mainland). Three conclusions could be drawn with the help of regression analysis. At first, there is a positive association between Honesty-Humility (HH)/Emotionality (E)/Conscientiousness (C)/Openness to experience (O) and GAD, whereas there is a negative association between Agreeableness (A)/eXtraversion (X) and GAD. Secondly, age, gender, major, monthly income, HH, E, X, A, C and O could explain a 21.80 % variance in GAD. Thirdly, E and C are two robust factors that associated with GAD among PhD students.

PhD. students in leading higher education systems globally are recognized as researchers. Furthermore, they often receive salaries for their scientific endeavors. The funding system for PhD. students in top-tier universities is a topic of significant importance. Unlike in many leading institutions worldwide, PhD students are not treated as full-time researchers in Iran. Consequently, orienting their research towards addressing societal problems, aligning with specific needs, and meeting demands becomes challenging. This situation also limits the applicability of research results during the PhD. phase in Iran. In this study, we employed the case study method. We used data collection tools such as expert interviews and literature reviews to understand the policy prerequisites for implementing a grant-based financing system sourced from the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology. The policy model proposed in this article outlines 14 policy requirements categorized under three main dimensions: research allocation mechanisms, stable financing, and the identification and evaluation of grant-based research projects. These include 4 requirements for stabilizing financial resources for research allocation, 6 for allocating available funds to PhD. student research activities, and 4 for identifying and evaluating projects securing grants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which coaching behaviour is practiced in PhD supervision is unknown. Supervision and elements of supervision have been studied extensively but not coaching and supervision. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which coaching behaviours were practiced by supervisors while engaging with PhD students during supervision. A cross sectional survey using a self-administered structured questionnaire was used on an online platform (REDCap). Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to determine the extent to which each coaching and supervision phenomenon were practiced. Three hundred and eighty students registered for a PhD for longer than six months in a Faculty of Health Sciences were invited to participate in the study and 76 participated. Low to moderate levels in coaching behaviour and practice, personal support, supervisor availability and research academic support are reported. Personal support and the level of satisfaction with supervision were significant predictors of coaching behaviour and practice. This study established the extent of different supervisory behaviours and coaching behaviour and practice among supervisors. Coaching in this study was not practised largely with a third of the students interviewed experiencing coaching behaviour and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of PhD candidates who experience psychological problems has risen significantly over the past few years. Poor mental health can have numerous negative consequences for PhD candidates and their supervisors, as it may adversely affect their quality of life, attrition, and academic productivity. Despite these well-documented challenges, few studies have looked at how the supervisor – supervisee relationship can influence the emotional well-being of male and female doctoral candidates. The current work examined the role of the supervisor's support in emotions and intended doctoral persistence among men (n = 411) and women (n = 514), in all disciplines at two large universities in Belgium. Results indicate that emotional well-being was low for all doctoral candidates but women experienced even more negative emotions (anxiety, stress, discouragement, demoralization, sadness and depression) and fewer positive emotions (confidence, optimism, happiness, fulfillment, satisfaction and content) than men. Interestingly, we also found that perceived structure and autonomy, two dimensions of supervisor support, have a positive effect on emotional well-being and intention of pursuing a PhD trajectory for both men and women. This paper makes a contribution to the higher education and research supervision literature by offering new directions for research and by providing guidelines for the training of research supervisors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education (HE) policy emphasises the importance of high-quality doctoral education that prepares graduates for the knowledge economy. To support this, HE policy fora and higher education institutions (HEIs) have focused on institutional training programmes for doctoral supervisors. Writing and thesis production are central to the experience and success of doctoral students yet, in an Irish context, this topic has received little research attention. We applied the research question 'how do doctoral students in Irish HEIs experience writing and thesis production' to the free-text responses in the 2019 PGR StudentSurvey.ie dataset. Qualitative thematic analysis identified three main themes in doctoral students' comments: a zone of uncertainty, writing and the role of the supervisor and institutional responsibilities. The paper highlights that doctoral students have unmet writing support needs. It also identifies the importance of institutional supports, such as physical writing space, and calls for a reimagination of current doctoral supervision and academic writing practice to enable discursive spaces of collaboration for students, their supervisors and discipline specific writing specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to compare the approaches within the context of the PhD students’ dissertation process. Moreover, in this research it is aimed to identify how PhD students evaluate their own dissertation process. In addition, this research analyses the differences between the students’ study attitudes “in the PhD dissertation process in the field of educational sciences. This research adapts a qualitative research methodology and a case study design. Participants of the research were selected by purposeful sampling method with regard to the topic of interest. The majority of the participants, the PhD students, worked as research assistants at the same university. The data obtained from the PhD students were analyzed by using descriptive analysis method. Findings showed that the PhD students have different opinions about the development and design of the dissertation process. The PhD students stated feeling of inadequacy in the following issues: designing the research in accordance with theoretical method steps, the use of technology, the implementation of statistical methods, the cooperation between schools and universities, time management, and foreign language use in academic context.

International student mobility contributes to a knowledge‐based economy and forms an important component of a highly educated migration. This paper aims to identify how far political factors—including political discrimination, restrictions, freedom, UK migration policies and social cultural norms and policies—enhance or inhibit individuals' capabilities to become mobile. It offers a novel conceptualisation of mobility, drawing on structuration theory and the capability approach, to reveal the link between structure, capability and agency in the mobility process. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 40 PhD students, two professors from Turkey in the United Kingdom and three international education experts. A capability list established shows how mobility occurs when students' capabilities (freedoms) fail to flourish and they lose their power (capacity) to influence society due to the political environment in the home country. 'Impo‐mobility', derived from the word 'imposed', is proposed to refer to highly educated people having to become mobile as a result of impositions placed upon them by home and host‐government political practices. An appealing political environment is necessary if Turkey is not to lose highly educated individuals and the United Kingdom is to remain a global player in international higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media are becoming increasingly popular in a professional context and, if used appropriately, can be beneficial to postgraduate students. Little is known regarding the extent to which postgraduate students engage with social media for postgraduate purposes. The present study aimed to understand postgraduate students' general use of social media, as well as investigate social media use specifically for postgraduate (educational and/or scientific) purposes. A total of 231 postgraduate students from 45 countries completed a mixed-methods survey. Instagram was the most frequently used social media platform overall, with Twitter being the most commonly used for postgraduate purposes. Most students posted educational and/or scientific content on social media platforms, with approximately one-third having a social media account specific for postgraduate/scientific content. The most common reasons postgraduate students access social media for postgraduate-related purposes were personal connection with community, science communication, motivations and learning, and networking. The most common reasons for posting postgraduate content online were self-branding, accessing a broad audience, science communication, and building a postgraduate community. Overall, postgraduate students are commonly using social media for postgraduate purposes which presents opportunities to mitigate pitfalls of the student experience and promote positive mental health among this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the teaching methods implemented in the course 'Modern methods and techniques of teaching in higher education institutions' for doctoral students of exact sciences in the Doctoral School of Maria Curie Sklodowska University who were not taught classes before and who originally were not very interested in another course. The e-learning mode entails many challenges. In this particular case, the greatest challenge was to convince doctoral students to participate actively in classes and to become genuinely interested in the course. The article describes the topics of the classes and the methods used to reach PhD students of science (the author is a representative of social sciences). After the classes, a questionnaire was conducted online, which was aimed to identify students' satisfaction. The survey was aimed at examining the interest of doctoral students in e-learning, their assessment of the usefulness of distance learning and preparation for the implementation of teaching applications during the coronavirus pandemic. The use of a number of didactic applications; setting new challenges, research problems to be solved and changing roles; and conducting classes for students of media sciences gave positive results. The classes show that a teacher from the social scientific discipline can introduce a completely different view of teaching in exact sciences, especially in a remote form. During the exercises, didactic applications and methods were introduced during joint classes with teachers from the University of Mons (Belgium), which were conducted initially remotely and then stationary. The article is based on the results of research conducted under the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA)—project 'E-learning and ICT in education in Poland and Belgium. Comparative study' (Poland-Wallonia Bilateral Exchange Program). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of PhD graduates has been increasing yearly, but the job opportunities in Academia remain the same. This pattern will intensify the pressure on PhD students to look for other possible careers. Past work experiences, due to their developmental potential, occupy a prominent place in the career development paradigm. However, more is needed to know about the professional path of PhD students before they entered the PhD. This study aimed to explore PhD students’ previous professional experience, focusing on the extent to which previous experiences determine students’ perception and development of career expectations. A quantitative research approach was followed among 377 PhD students at a Portuguese Higher Education Institution (HEI). Results show that regardless of their previous work experiences, PhD students value career options related to research, preferably within Academia. However, in terms of career development, students who have diverse work experiences reported feeling more prepared to put into practice actions to prepare their career than students with professional experience in Academia or no professional experience. This study confirms that PhD students’ previous work experiences pay off by making a difference in the feeling of preparedness for career development, whereas in terms of student’s future career expectations after the PhD, it did not allow for a definite answer, as it seems that all professional groups prefer similar research-oriented paths. Intervention must be done simultaneously on an individual and contextual level, allowing students to have experiences during the PhD and promoting the reflection on these experiences so students may feel more prepared to develop their future careers. For companies, intervention should focus on showing the PhDs’ added value and also the potential of incorporating the R&D dimensions within their jobs. Failing to do so may contribute to enhancing the employability challenges faced by the growing number of PhD holders.

This article delves into the application of structural equation modelling (SEM) methodology within the realm of educational research, enabling researchers to construct comprehensive multidimensional models that elucidate the intricacies of studied phenomena and processes. Based on well-established statistical techniques such as correlation, regression, factor analysis, variance analysis, and covariance analysis, SEM methodology utilizes deductive logic to preliminarily construct a structural model of variable relationships, subsequently tested for consistency with empirical data. This study presents a comprehensive overview of diverse SEM software employed in doctoral training programs across leading global universities, while showcasing a practical example of employing SEM methodology in educational research for training PhD students. An essential aspect of SEM training for specialists involves the careful selection or acquisition of representative and valid datasets. Furthermore, this research examines the Ukrainian teacher's self-efficacy model using SEM methodology and compares the obtained results with data from the internationally renowned Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). The findings underscore the lower self-efficacy levels among Ukrainian teachers, particularly within the student engagement domain, thereby shedding light on crucial aspects of teacher effectiveness and potential areas for improvement.

This study aims to analyse, through a transitional justice approach, the reparations granted by the Romanian state to the victims of the communist regime. The paper will examine the role of reparations in transitional justice programs, the main sources of international law and legal doctrine regarding reparations, as well as the evolution of the Romanian legislation on compensations for the abuses caused by the communist dictatorship. Eventually, we will try to assess the significance of reparations for the legal order of Romania. The present paper intends to present a series of moral dilemmas that can be lived throughout the period in which PhD students are elaborating their PhD thesis. To this end, the first part of the paper, which is based on documentation, will present a series of nuances that are subtended by the concept of moral dilemma, offering a series of examples such as Plato’s dilemma, the student’s dilemma, as presented by Sartre or Sophie’s dilemma. In the second part, the differences that exist between the evaluation grids proposed by ethical theories and the manner in which they can generate various types of moral dilemmas in the lived life of individuals will be mentioned. In the last part, examples of moral dilemmas that can be lived through by PhD students throughout their doctoral programme will be presented following direct observation and self-observation.