In recent years there has been a curious trend by governments of the western world to redirect their resources towards building a so-called knowledge economy. This is seemingly intended to signal our revival from the bleak depths of the Great Recession and herald a new age of information aimed at creating jobs for the future. Chastened by the unrestrained might of rival economies in Asia and South America, many western nations recognise the shifting ground beneath them and are evolving to remain relevant in today’s globalised world.
At the forefront of this resurgence is the focus placed on science education as a champion of economic and social progress, delivering an innovation-driven culture supported by high-calibre academic institutions and an increased production of highly capable PhD graduates. Recently, we’ve seen the granting of the largest research excellence award in European history, providing €2 billion in funding for “Future and Emerging Technologies” aimed at supplying a decade of “world-beating innovations at the crossroads of science and technology.” Across the pond, the US government have similarly backed plans for billions of dollars of funding towards developing novel technologies essential for understanding brain function and providing a lift to the economy through “job-creating investments in science and innovation.”
In Ireland, the trend persists with the recent pledge of €300 million towards scientific endeavours to “help deliver the quality of jobs of the future for Ireland,” across a wide range of areas. This fervour for novel and innovative scientific research was in full display at my recent attendance of the Molecular Medicine Ireland (MMI) annual scientific meeting, where MMI scholars (of which I am affiliated) presented the topics of their research at the event hosted by Trinity College, Dublin. The keynote address was delivered by Professor Patrick Jackson of Queens University Belfast, discussing what he believes to be the evolving paradigms of scientific research in the United Kingdom and Ireland and the need for leading academics to meet these challenges head-on.
One might imagine that given the attention shown toward academic excellence as a model for future socioeconomic development and job growth, current and prospective PhD students should feel ecstatic about their opportunities for success and career development. Yet the reality for many graduate students is one of dissatisfaction and disillusionment. Somewhat paradoxically, students worry most about their career prospects and whether they will find jobs of high quality and satisfaction. There is valid reason for their concern; traditionally, a doctoral degree was pursued as a stepping stone to an academic position but in modern times, the number of job openings is unrelated to the number of PhD graduates produced. This imbalance forces many graduates to pursue positions in industry, where they are woefully underskilled due to lack of transferrable knowledge.
While a lot of attention has been placed on the top-end of the academic spectrum, the plight of the PhD experience has been largely ignored. This represents a grave mistake as I strongly believe the success of a knowledge economy that stimulates competition and economic growth is mediated by the quality of the graduates driving this progress. In addition to the core competencies of their research thesis, students need to be given the opportunity for personal development in complimentary skills such as teamwork, communication, innovation and entrepreneurship. These skills not only improve the quality of academic work but also provide useful attributes that are transferrable into the labour market.
Earlier this year, Nature highlighted the emergence of structured PhD programmes in Europe, citing Ireland as a prime example. These programmes are focused on developing a new breed of graduates with the knowledge and skillset to work seamlessly across the academic and industry divide, pioneering innovative solutions for the future. As a graduate student in such a programme, I truly believe this approach is the best approach for students to achieve real value from their PhD education and for universities to re-tool for the modern age, anchored as vital centres of excellence that harness the brightest talents to tackle social and economic challenges and broaden the frontiers of knowledge in the 21st Century.
At the forefront of this resurgence is the focus placed on science education as a champion of economic and social progress, delivering an innovation-driven culture supported by high-calibre academic institutions and an increased production of highly capable PhD graduates. Recently, we’ve seen the granting of the largest research excellence award in European history, providing €2 billion in funding for “Future and Emerging Technologies” aimed at supplying a decade of “world-beating innovations at the crossroads of science and technology.” Across the pond, the US government have similarly backed plans for billions of dollars of funding towards developing novel technologies essential for understanding brain function and providing a lift to the economy through “job-creating investments in science and innovation.”
In Ireland, the trend persists with the recent pledge of €300 million towards scientific endeavours to “help deliver the quality of jobs of the future for Ireland,” across a wide range of areas. This fervour for novel and innovative scientific research was in full display at my recent attendance of the Molecular Medicine Ireland (MMI) annual scientific meeting, where MMI scholars (of which I am affiliated) presented the topics of their research at the event hosted by Trinity College, Dublin. The keynote address was delivered by Professor Patrick Jackson of Queens University Belfast, discussing what he believes to be the evolving paradigms of scientific research in the United Kingdom and Ireland and the need for leading academics to meet these challenges head-on.
One might imagine that given the attention shown toward academic excellence as a model for future socioeconomic development and job growth, current and prospective PhD students should feel ecstatic about their opportunities for success and career development. Yet the reality for many graduate students is one of dissatisfaction and disillusionment. Somewhat paradoxically, students worry most about their career prospects and whether they will find jobs of high quality and satisfaction. There is valid reason for their concern; traditionally, a doctoral degree was pursued as a stepping stone to an academic position but in modern times, the number of job openings is unrelated to the number of PhD graduates produced. This imbalance forces many graduates to pursue positions in industry, where they are woefully underskilled due to lack of transferrable knowledge.
While a lot of attention has been placed on the top-end of the academic spectrum, the plight of the PhD experience has been largely ignored. This represents a grave mistake as I strongly believe the success of a knowledge economy that stimulates competition and economic growth is mediated by the quality of the graduates driving this progress. In addition to the core competencies of their research thesis, students need to be given the opportunity for personal development in complimentary skills such as teamwork, communication, innovation and entrepreneurship. These skills not only improve the quality of academic work but also provide useful attributes that are transferrable into the labour market.
Earlier this year, Nature highlighted the emergence of structured PhD programmes in Europe, citing Ireland as a prime example. These programmes are focused on developing a new breed of graduates with the knowledge and skillset to work seamlessly across the academic and industry divide, pioneering innovative solutions for the future. As a graduate student in such a programme, I truly believe this approach is the best approach for students to achieve real value from their PhD education and for universities to re-tool for the modern age, anchored as vital centres of excellence that harness the brightest talents to tackle social and economic challenges and broaden the frontiers of knowledge in the 21st Century.