Doctoral programs and employment in France. An issue for educational research

Author(s):

Judith Pérez-Castro(presenting / submitting)Anita Hirsch-Adler

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

22. Research in Higher Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

22 SES 06 B, Employability and Transition to Work of Higher Education Graduates

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-19

15:30-17:00

Room:

FFL - Aula 2

Chair:

Mariana Gaio Alves

Contribution

This paper presents the results of a research whose main interest was to analyze doctoral programs and their impacts on the professional trajectory of young researchers. The questions that supported our research were:

What are the major changes that French universities have undertaken in their graduate programs since the beginning of the Bologna process?

2. Is there a significant effect on the professional trajectory after finishing a doctoral program?, and

3. What are the main difficulties and advantages that surround doctoral programs?

The theoretical framework was based on the sociology of education with authors such as: Musselin (2001), Galderisi (2007), Beaud (2007), and Jourde (2007) among others.

The research showed us that:

· Doctoral programs have several financing problems, especially, with new researcher’s education. In 2010, only 64.6% of doctoral students had a financial aid. 32% of the scholarships were granted by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the rest was subsidies from other research organizations, collective regional fund or other financing foundations (MESR, 2010).

· The Ministry participation in doctoral education is becoming smaller every time. In 2006, the MERS gave 43% of the total amount of grants; in 2010, its contribution was reduced around 10% (CJC, 2010).

· Talking about employment, in 2010, 54% of the doctors were working in the public sector, while 46% was in the private one (EducPros, 2010). The most common professional choices for new doctors are to enter in a research institution or to become a professor-researcher in the public sector. Recent figures demonstrate that full time employees in public sector, among researchers, financed doctors and engineers, mainly work at a higher education institutions (50%), 29% is hired by a Scientific and Technological Establishment (EPST) and 14% by an Industrial and Commerce Establishment (EPIC).

· Besides, in recent years, it has been observed a strong trend towards precarious employment. Between 1991 and 2000, the rate of precarious employment for new doctors and researchers reached 26%, in 2001, it decreased to 19%, but in 2004, it grew again and got to 24%. Finally, in 2007, it arrived at 28% (MERS, 2009). On the other hand, unemployment seemed to be more controlled. Between 1999 and 2001, the rate was 7% and it was more or less steady until 2004 when it registered an important increase (11%). Finally in 2007, unemployment had a slight reduction and was in 10%. (Ibidem).

According to the Observatory of Scientific Employment, until 2006, France occupied the sixth place in the ranking of countries with greater amount of full time researchers. This tendency had remained without significant variations since 2000. But things started to change in 2006 when Korea overcame United Kingdom. In 2008, France lost its position against Korea and the United States was defeated by China who took the first place in the ranking (MESR, 2009).

Method

In this research, we followed a comparative methodology and work mainly with quantitative data. We also defined some general axis to guide our analysis, such as: 1. The continuity and dis-continuity of educational policies in French higher education before and after the Bologna Process, 2. The impact of educational policies in the development of graduate programs, 3. The growth of graduate programs according to the field of knowledge, 4. The distribution of financial support between the programs according to the field of knowledge, and 5. The impact of the programs on the professional trajectories and on the labor market. First, we studied university legislation and higher education policies, in order to have a general view of graduate programs. After, we analyzed statistical data from official sources. With this, we could identify some trends that underlie graduate programs and we also could distinguish the similarities and variations between the different fields of knowledge. Finally, we worked with official and non-official statistics to observe the differences in financial support and to discriminate the impact on the trajectories and on the market.

Expected Outcomes

The research allows us to say that obtaining a doctoral degree does not assure to find a well-paid job and in accordance with the researcher’s profile. The average salary for doctor was about 2,000 € in 2010 and the rate of unemployment in France was around 10%. This latter figure was the highest registered among the OECD country members (CAS, 2011). In general terms, academic system is one of the most requested markets; yet, lately, its internal and external mobility has been very low. Barely 30% of new doctors can find a position in a university or a research institution (CJC, 2010). Even more, only 27% of these doctors are able to get a job in the academic system after one year of graduation. Full time researchers, professors, engineers and financed doctors mainly work at a higher education institutions (50%), 29% is hired by a Scientific and Technological Establishment and 14% by an Industrial and Commerce Establishment. Precariousness is still one of the biggest threats of new researchers. In recent years, between 1991 and 2007, the rate of precarious employment has remained around 26% and 28%, with a slight decrease in 2004.

References

ASSOCIATION NATIONALE DE LA RECHERCHE ET DE LA TECHNOLOGIE (2009), Enquête sur le devenir professionnel des anciens doctorants ayant bénéficié du dispositif CIFRE, depuis sa création en 1981. Synthèses des résultat, París, ANRT. CENTRE D’ANALYSE STRATÉGIQUE (2011), Rapport: Le travail et l’emploi dans vingt ans, París. CAS. CONFÉDÉRATIONS DES JEUNES CHERCHEURS (2010), Statut et rémunération des doctorants, París, CJC. EDUCPROS (2010), Dossier docteurs: Vers une meilleure insertion professionelle, París, EducPros, in: www.educpros.fr/dossiers/docteurs-vers-une-meilleure-insertion-professionnelle/h/acc2f94b9b/d/1036/a/les-chiffres-cles-du-doctorat.html MINISTÉRE DE L’ÉDUCATION NATIONALE, DE LA JENEUSSE ET DE LA VIE ASSOCIATIVE – MINISTÉRE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCHE (2011), Repères et références statistiques sur les enseignements, la formation et la recherche (RERS 2011), París, MENJVA – MESR. MINISTÉRE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCHE (2009a), L’état de lieux de l’emploi scientique en France, París, Observatoire de l’emploi scientifique – MESR. MINISTÉRE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCHE (2009b), Décret no 2009-464 du 23 avril 2009 relatif aux doctorants contractuels des établissements publics d’enseignement supérieur ou de recherche, París, Jounal Officiel de la République Française -MESR. MINISTÉRE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCHE (2010), L’état de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche en France, París, MESR. MINISTÉRE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCHE (2011), Les pôles de recherche et d'enseignement supérieur (PRES): une offre de formation et de recherche plus coherente, París, MERS. www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/cid20724/les-poles-de-recherche-et-d-enseignement-superieur-pres.html ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (2010), Factbook 2010: Economic, environmental and social statistics, París, OECD, en: www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/oecd-factbook-2010_factbook-en ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (2011), Perspectives économiques, noviembre 2011. Résumés par pays, París, OECD. www.oecd.org/document/44/0,3746,fr_2649_33733_19726892_1_1_1_1,00.html

Author Information

Judith Pérez-Castro (presenting / submitting)

Juarez Autonomous University of Tabasco

Department of Education and Arts

Villahermosa

Anita Hirsch-Adler

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Institute for the Study of the University and Education

Mexico, city

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