Exploring the mobility trajectories of PhD holders from the WBF

Analyses

Relationship between nationality and country of work

Among the 2,600 individuals who provided information on their country of work and nationality, 1,676 were Belgian nationals, 404 were citizens of another European Union (EU) country, and 520 were nationals of countries outside the EU.

Of the 1,596 doctorate holders reporting that they were professionally active in Belgium, 1,339 (83.9%) were Belgian nationals, 154 (9.6%) were EU citizens—representing 38.1% of all EU graduates—and 103 (6.5%) were non-EU nationals, representing 19.8% of all non-EU graduates.

When Belgian doctorate holders settle abroad (n = 339), they tend to favor France (n = 56; 16.5%), the United States (n = 53; 15.6%), the United Kingdom (n = 41; 12.1%), and Germany (n = 31; 9.1%). As these percentages indicate, the geographical distribution of Belgian doctorate holders abroad remains fragmented, with no single country concentrating the majority of observed mobility.

Mobility trajectories

The diagram below illustrates the pathways of PhD holders, from their nationality to their country of employment. This allows us to trace their movements throughout their educational and professional journeys. Flows with greater width represent a higher number of individuals. For clarity, only countries with a minimum of five PhD holders have been included.

Let’s take the example of Italy, shown in orange below: among the 89 PhD holders of Italian nationality, 72 completed a master’s degree in Italy, while 17 did so in Belgium. After completing their doctorate in Belgium, 33 remained in the country to work, 25 returned to Italy, 8 moved to France, 7 to the United Kingdom, and 5 to the United States. The remaining 8 (not included in the diagram) chose other destinations, such as Norway (1 person) or Spain (1 person).

The diagram below illustrates the mobility trajectories of PhD holders, from their nationality to their country of employment. Returning to the example of Italy, among Italian PhD holders who obtained their degree in Belgium, 33 remained in Belgium, 25 returned to Italy, 8 moved to France, 7 to the United Kingdom, and 5 to the United States.

From this diagram, we observe the following trends:

• PhD holders of Belgian nationality predominantly remain in Belgium. 

• Many foreign PhD holders return to work in their country of origin, particularly those from African nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, and Cameroon, as well as from Asian countries, notably China and Vietnam.

Do they intend to return to work in Belgium? 

Among PhD holders working abroad who answered this question (n = 1,022), nearly half (n = 502) expressed an intention to return to work in Belgium. This proportion was higher among Belgian nationals, with 61.2% (n = 205) indicating a desire to return, compared to 43.2% (n = 297) among non-Belgian nationals.

Nationality: Mobility rates vary depending on nationality. PhD holders with Belgian nationality have lower mobility rates, both during their doctorate (27.6%) and after (34.5%), compared to those with other nationalities.

Gender: Few differences are observed between men and women regarding mobility during the doctorate. However, the differences become more pronounced after the doctorate: 45.7% of men were in mobility, compared to 35.1% of women.

Impact of parenthood on mobility

• Having children before the doctorate: In our sample, 12% (n = 348) of PhD holders reported having one or more children before their doctorate. The mobility rates of PhD holders show little variation between those who had children before their doctorate and those without children.

• Having children during the doctorate: In our sample, 22.8% (n = 664) had one or more children during their doctorate. A decrease in mobility is observed among parents who had children during their doctorate. The presence of young children appears to play a significant role in these dynamics. This highlights that the issue is not solely about having children, but more importantly about the timing of parenthood in their professional journey. Thus, the timing of parenthood emerges as an important factor influencing the mobility of PhD holders.

• Are mothers more affected than fathers? 

Yes and no. 

• • On one hand, the results suggest that parenthood has a more negative impact on the post-PhD mobility of mothers than fathers, especially for those who had children during their PhD. This highlights a greater incompatibility between post-PhD mobility and being a mother during the doctoral period.

  • On the other hand, the results show that parenthood during the PhD is a hindrance to mobility during the PhD, regardless of gender.

It is important to note that the direction of the effect is not tested. It is possible that mothers who had children during or after their PhD did not have the opportunity to benefit from mobility, or conversely, that those who did not prioritize mobility were more inclined to have children.

Regrets about the lack of mobility 

In 2021, we surveyed PhD holders who had never taken part in a mobility experience to find out whether they would have liked to do so.

• Among those who had not engaged in mobility during their PhD, 53.7% (n = 289) expressed a wish that they had.

• Among those who had not participated in mobility after their PhD, 40.7% (n = 259) indicated that they would have liked to.

These results show that an important proportion of respondents regret not having had the opportunity to take part in mobility experiences.

• Why was this wish not fulfilled?

A question was posed to PhD holders who had not undertaken any mobility but who, in retrospect, expressed a desire to have done so: what were the reasons that prevented them from fulfilling this wish?

Among the reasons mentioned, financial difficulties topped the list: 118 respondents who had expressed a wish to engage in mobility cited financial reasons as the main explanation for their lack of mobility.

Next, 112 PhD holders selected “other reasons” and provided written explanations. Three additional factors were frequently mentioned in their responses. The most common among them was the “workload and time constraints,” particularly in relation to assistantship and teaching positions (n = 20).

 « The workload from assistantship duties (TP) and mentoring (graduate students) was too heavy to allow time for extended stays abroad.» 

Some individuals highlighted the difficulty of reconciling mobility with the expectations of their supervisors: 

 « As I was working as his assistant, my supervisor only allowed me to go abroad during

 my vacation month. »

In second place, we find "the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic", mentioned by 15 individuals, primarily due to travel restrictions.

 « Border closures due to COVID. »

Finally, the "constraints imposed by supervisors" are also a barrier, cited by 14 individuals:

« My supervisor refused to support/approve my application. »

« My supervisor advised against it. »     

The third most frequently selected item concerns family reasons. These results show that, for some individuals, the lack of mobility is not due to a lack of interest, but to financial, professional, or personal constraints that are difficult to overcome.