Doctors from universities sail into the wide waters of the maritime economy

Graduates of doctoral studies are increasingly needed not only at universities but also in maritime industries, administration, business and cultural institutions. On March 8 this year, during a meeting at the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk, representatives of the university summarized the results of research on the extracurricular activities of graduates of doctoral studies. The research was carried out by Polish scientists as part of the SEA-EU-DOC project.

The Baltic Sea & Space Cluster is a key cluster in the Baltic Sea region. The cluster is a partner of the SEA-EU project.

A diagnostic survey was conducted among doctors of various disciplines who did not stay at the university after their defense but went to scientific institutes, cultural institutions or directly to business. The SEA-EU DOC project is based on the findings of a survey of 621 former PhD students. Its aim was to assess the needs and degree of satisfaction of graduates with their careers and entering the labor market.

– SEA-EU-DOC is an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership project for higher education focusing on PhD studies in marine sciences. The University of Gdańsk is a partner in the project implemented as part of the Strategic Partnership for Higher Education of the Erasmus+ Program “Beyond academia: broadening the career horizons of doctoral students in marine and maritime sciences in Europe” (SEA-EU DOC) – noted the head of the Doctoral School of the University of Gdańsk prof. dr hab. Barbara Pawłowska, project manager.

The Oceanographic Campaign, which was initiated by the rector of the University of Gdańsk, prof. Piotr Stepnowski was an event which, in the first edition of the project, positioned the University of Gdańsk very highly as a university with interdisciplinary scientific competences and great potential to organize and manage international research in maritime conditions. The cruise brought together the knowledge of partners from different disciplines, enabling the study of important environmental issues on a pan-European scale.

SEA-EU-DOC aims to broaden the employment opportunities of PhDs in the specific context of marine sciences. This is justified by the growing number of graduates of doctoral studies and the deficit of academic posts for an indefinite period in European universities. It has been noticed that more and more people with a PhD degree go to work outside the academic environment.