Fewer dropouts and increased stability
The reform has contributed to a decrease in the percentage of doctoral students discontinuing their education, particularly in the early years of the programme. According to an ELA system report, the dynamics of dropping out of doctoral studies followed a more uniform pattern, whereas in doctoral schools it predominantly occurred during the fourth year.
‘The introduction of doctoral schools has reduced the dropout rate, especially in the initial years. This data confirms that financial security is fundamental to top-level education,’ says Dr Marek Bożykowski, expert at the National Information Processing Institute (OPI PIB).
The pace of completing doctoral degrees
The overall share of doctoral students who completed their degrees within four years remained relatively stable, with some differences emerging across various fields of study. The highest scores were recorded in agricultural sciences, theological sciences, and art, while the pace was slowest in humanities and social sciences.
‘The new education model promotes quality rather than quantity. Providing scholarships to all PhD candidates and designing programs that align with researchers’ needs lead to better results and increased motivation,’ stresses Dr Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak, professor at SGH, expert at OPI PIB.
Fewer part-time jobs, more focus on research
The availability of universal scholarships has lessened the pressure on students to turn to moonlighting for extra income. PhD candidates in doctoral schools engage less in paid work compared to those at doctoral studies. PhD students in exact and natural sciences were the least professionally active, while those specialising in medical sciences and theological sciences showed the highest levels of professional engagement.
‘For the first time in history, ELA data allowed us to compare education effects between doctoral schools and doctoral studies. Despite a similar pace of completing a doctoral degree, significant differences emerge in the professional activity of doctoral students and their tendency to drop out,’ explains Dr Mikołaj Jasiński, expert at OPI PIB.
Early data suggests that the transition to the new doctoral education model results in fewer dropouts, greater stability, and less reliance on paid work. By prioritizing universal scholarships and a qualitative approach to doctorates, the reform seems to be paving the way for the success of future generations of researchers.
Explore the ELA website for more in-depth analyses and reports on doctoral studies and doctoral schools.
The Polish Graduate Tracking System (ELA)
The Polish Graduate Tracking System (ELA) is developed and maintained by the National Information Processing Institute (OPI) on behalf of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW). It provides reliable information on the circumstances of graduates of Polish higher education institutions in the labour market. It relies on data that has been gathered in public registers. ELA imports information from POL-on, another system developed by OPI PIB, and uses data collected by the Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). All data processed by the system is anonymised. Appropriate security mechanisms have also been implemented. The system is innovative and user-friendly. It generates reports, rankings and infographics to satisfy users’ needs. A free-of-charge mobile app enabling the use of the system is also available.
The system is accessible to the public at: ela.nauka.gov.pl