Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Doctoral students on the university–industry interface: a review of the literature

  • Published:
Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Doctoral students are highly important in university—firm relationships, since they are significant producers of knowledge in collaborative research projects, they are an important channel for knowledge transfer between universities and firms, and are vital in network configurations between firms and universities. An increasing number of doctoral students interact with firms, but we know relatively little about the experiences of these students or how collaboration influences their training, research and subsequent careers. With this in mind, this paper presents a literature review of (1) theoretical assumptions concerning the roles doctoral students are expected to fulfill in university–industry relationships, and (2) empirical research of doctoral students’ interaction experience and outcomes of doctoral student-industry interaction. The aim of the paper is to develop hypotheses for further research on doctoral student—industry interaction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. ISI Web of science and ERIC were used to search for empirical research on graduate students and university – industry collaboration. 20 empirical studies were found that dealt with this particular topic.

References

  • Auriol, L. (2007). Labour market characteristics and international mobility of doctorate holders: Results for seven countries. STI Working paper 2007/2. Paris: OECD.

  • Behrens, T. R., & Gray, D. O. (2001). Unintended consequences of cooperative research: Impact of industry sponsorship on climate for academic freedom and other graduate student outcome. Research policy, 30, 179–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beltramo, J. P., Paul, J. J., & Perret, C. (2001). The recruitment of researchers and the organization of scientific activity in industry. International Journal of Technology Management, 22(7/8), 811–834.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, J., & Jeffrey, P. (2007). A view from the coal face: UK research student perceptions of successful and unsuccessful collaborative projects. Research policy, 36, 1239–1250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cruz-Castro, L., & Sanz-Menedez, L. (2005). The employment of PhDs in firms: trajectories, mobility and innovation. Research evaluation, 14(1), 57–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David, P. A., & Dasgupta, P. (1994). Toward a new economics of science. Research policy, 23, 487–521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenberg, R. (1992). The flow of new doctorates. Journal of economic literature, 30(2), 830–875.

    Google Scholar 

  • Enders, J. (2002). Serving many masters: The PhD on the labour market, the everlasting need of inequality, and the premature death of Humbolt. Higher Education, 44, 493–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enders, J. (2005). Border crossings: Research training, knowledge dissemination and the transformation of academic work. Higher Education, 49, 119–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Etzkowitz, H., & Leydesdorff, L. (2000). The dynamics of innovation: From national systems and “Mode 2” to a Triple Helix of university–industry-government relations. Research Policy, 29, 109–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2003). Researchers in the European research area: One profession, multiple careers. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faulkner, W., & Senker, J. (1995). Knowledge frontiers: Public sector research and industrial innovation in biotechnology, engineering ceramics, and parallel computing. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaughan, M., & Robin, S. (2004). National science training policy and early scientific careers in France and the United States. Research Policy, 33, 569–581.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gemme, B., & Gringas, Y. (2004). Training a new breed of researchers, inside and outside universities. Working paper presented on colloquium on research and higher education policy December 2004, Paris: UNESCO.

  • Gibbons, M., et al. (1994). The new production of knowledge: The dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gluck, M. E., Blumenthal, D., & Soto, M. A. (1987). University–industry relationships in the life sciences: Implications for students and post-doctoral fellows. Research Policy, 16, 327–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter, M. (1985). Economic action and social structure: The problem of embeddedness. American Journal of Sociology, 91(3), 481–510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graversen, E. K., & Friis-Jensen, K. (2001). Job mobility implications of the HRST definition: Illustrated with empirical numbers from register data. In: OECD (2001) Innovative people: mobility of skilled personnel in national innovation systems. Paris: OECD rapport.

  • Gulbrandsen, M., & Larsen, I. M. (2000). Forholdet mellom næringslivet og UoH sektoren—et krevende mangfold. Rapport 7/2000: NIFU.

  • Gulbrandsen, M., & Nerdrum, L. (2007). University–industry relations in Norway. TIK working paper on Innovation Studies, No. 20070613. Oslo: University of Oslo, TIK.

  • Gulbrandsen, M., & Smeby, J.-K. (2005). Industry funding and university professors’ research performance. Research Policy, 34(6), 932–950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harman, K. (2002). The research training experiences of doctoral students linked to Australian cooperative research centres. Higher Education, 44, 469–492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harman, K. (2004). Producing ‘industry-ready’ doctorates: Australia cooperative research centre approaches to doctoral education”. Studies in Continuing Education, 26(3), 387–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kivinen, O., Ahola, S., & Kaipainen, P. (Eds.). (1999). Towards the European model of postgraduate training. RUSE: University of Turku.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyvik, S., & Olsen, T. (2007). Doktorgradsutdanning og karrieremuligheter. NIFU STEP Report Nr. 35/2007. Oslo: NIFU STEP.

  • Kyvik, S., & Olsen, T. (2008). Does the aging of tenured academic staff affect the research performance of universities? Scientometrics, 76, 439–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, A. (2001). Changing R&D organisation and innovation: Knowledge sourcing and competence building. Higher education systems and industrial innovation, Final report of contract no.SOE 1-1054—project no.1297. Funded under the Targeted Socio-Economic Research and Development/Directorate F, European Commission.

  • Liebeskind, J. P., Oliver, A. L., Zucker, L., & Brewer, M. (1996). Social networks, learning and flexibility: Sourcing scientific knowledge in new biotechnology firms. Organization science, 7(4), 428–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mangematin, V. (2000). PhD job market: Professional trajectories and incentives during the PhD. Research Policy, 29, 741–756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mangematin, V., & Robin, S. (2003). The two faces of PhD students: Management of early careers of French PhDs in life sciences. Science and Public Policy, 30(6), 405–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mangematin, V., Mandran, N., & Crozet, A. (2000). Careers of PhDs in social science in France: The influence of how the research was done. European Journal of Education, 35(1), 111–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinelli, D. (2001). Labor market entry and mobility of young French PhDs. In: OECD (2001) Innovative people: mobility of skilled personnel in national innovation systems. Paris: OECD rapport.

  • Metcalfe, J. (2007). The changing nature of doctoral programmes. Presentation for European University Association, DOC-CAREERS project Workshop on Transferable Skills, Brussels, 1st March 2007.

  • Mougérou, P. (2001). Knowledge diffusion, bridging institutions and the scientific labour market in the French innovation system. Paper presented at DRUID’s Nelson and Winter Conference, 2001. Available at: http://www.druid.dk/conferences/nw/paper1/moguerou.pdf.

  • Mougérou, P. (2002). A comparison between the French and the US scientific labour market: academic vs. non-academic jobs?. Paper available at http://moguerou.free.fr/phdcompa.pdf.

  • Nerad, M., & Cerny, J. (1999). Postdoctoral patterns, career advancement, and problems. Science, 285, 1533–1535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (1999). Trends in university–industry research partnerships. STI Review, 23(2), 39–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, W. W., Koput, K. W., & Smith-Doerr, L. (1996). Interorganizational collaboration and the locus of innovation: Networks of learning in biotechnology. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41, 116–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powles, M. (1993). Postgraduates at the interface between higher education and industry. Research working paper 93.2, The Centre for the study of higher education, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

  • Rappert, B., Webster, A., & Charles, D. (1999). Making sense of diversity and reluctance: Academic–industrial relations and intellectual property. Research Policy, 28, 873–890.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salminen-Karlsson, M., & Wallgren, L. (2008). The interaction of academic and industrial supervisors in graduate research. An investigation of industrial research schools. Higher Education, 56, 77–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santoro, M. D., & Gopalakrishnan, S. (2000). The institutionalization of knowledge transfer activities within industry–university collaborative ventures. Journal of engineering and technology management, 17, 299–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schartinger, D., et al. (2002). Knowledge interactions between universities and industry in Austria: Sectoral patterns and determinants. Research Policy, 31, 303–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slaughter, S., Campbell, T., Holleman, M., & Morgan, E. (2002). The “Traffic” in graduate students: Graduate students as tokens of exchange between academe and industry. Science, Technology and human values, 27(2), 282–312. Spring.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thune, T. (2006). Formation of research collaboration between universities and firms. Series of dissertations, No 8/2006. Oslo: The Norwegian School of Management.

  • Thune, T. (2009). Proximity and interactive learning in university–firm relationships. Industry and Higher education, 23(1), 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinding, A. L. (2004). Interaction between firms and knowledge institutions. In J. L. Christensen & B.-A. Lundvall (Eds.), Product innovation, interactive learning and economic performance—research on technological innovation and management policy. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallgren, L., & Dahlgren, L. O. (2005). Doctoral education as social practice for knowledge development. Conditions and demands encountered by industry PhD students. Industry and Higher Education, 19, 433–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallgren, L., & Dahlgren, L. O. (2007). Industrial doctoral students as brokers between industry and academia. Industry and Higher Education, 21, 195–210.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NIFU STEP Norwegian Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, Wergelandsveien 7, 0167, Oslo, Norway

    Taran Thune

Authors
  1. Taran Thune
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Taran Thune.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thune, T. Doctoral students on the university–industry interface: a review of the literature. High Educ 58, 637–651 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9214-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9214-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation