Danish Agency for Science Technology and Innovation. The Effect of the Industrial PhD Programme on Employment and Income. 2013. Pages: 35.

Introduced in 1971 and adapted in 1988 to its current form, the industrial PhD programme represents a particularity of the Danish higher education system which aims at combining the award of a PhD degree with professional hands-on experience.  The recently published report examines the effects of the industrial PhD programme by compiling data related to graduates’ profile, their type of employment, job functions and mobility on the labour market. The data are set in comparison with conventional PhD holders and  are compiled through Statistic Denmark’s data registers, covering the period from 2004 to 2010, the latest available data in the registers. Main differences between industrial PhD holders and conventional PhD holders can be ascertained in the employment rate, the income level and a difference of sector employment with participants of the industrial PhD programme being more likely recruited by the private sector in contrast to conventional PhD holders mainly employed in the public sector. Although some of the data provided suggest a difference between the two groups compared, it is mainly due to industrial PhD holders’ background in technical science and consequently their recruitment in the private sector which contribute to the statistical analysis’ results. Precise numbers and further information can be found here.