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How international PhD students choose universities and consider reputation and rankingsPrepared for: Lund University
Prepared by
The Knowledge Partnership www.theknowledgepartnership.com
www.theworld100.com
22 September 2014
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ContentsContents...................................................................................................................................2
Methodology.............................................................................................................................3
Pilot and preparations...........................................................................................................3
Participants.......................................................................................................................4
Findings....................................................................................................................................5
Lund student profiles.........................................................................................................5
Motivation for doing a PhD................................................................................................5
Choice factors (exercise one)...........................................................................................6
PhD Information Sources (exercise two)..........................................................................9
Most supportive country (exercise three)........................................................................10
Perceptions of best universities (exercise four)..............................................................11
Making a Shortlist...........................................................................................................11
Visiting the University......................................................................................................11
Rankings and World 100 status......................................................................................11
Orientation and settling in...............................................................................................12
The attractions of Lund and the University.....................................................................12
Finances.........................................................................................................................12
The academic life............................................................................................................13
Global connectivity..........................................................................................................13
Improvements.................................................................................................................13
Marketing and brand.......................................................................................................13
Life after the PhD............................................................................................................14
Referral scores................................................................................................................14
Summary................................................................................................................................15
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Methodology
Pilot and preparationsTwenty-one world-class universities were included in the qualitative phase, and 31 in the quantitative phase (see separate report), with the research taking place within the universities over 2013-14.
The first three universities acted as the pilot (York, Cardiff and Manchester), with questions and approaches being refined in each iteration until we were satisfied with their relevance and effectiveness. York was the first university, where we spent two days, refining the approach and exercises. At other universities, we allowed one day for interviews. Student feedback was integrated and the questions adapted if necessary after the first three pilots. For example, additional factors were added into some of the exercises at the request of the students, and some questions were deleted due to time pressures or lack of relevance. Half of the first cohort at the University of York were filmed (with their permission) and that allowed interesting observational feedback by the World 100 members and a chance for the exercises to be observed. The only significant changes were:
Some members of the client group (i.e. Directors of Marketing at W100 universities) asked for the brand exercise to be amplified to ensure students really understood the concept of brand before they were asked in more detail about their university’s brand.
We changed the main choice factor exercise to be more of a progressional journey, which is how students talked about choices. Whilst we had originally asked them to group factors into ‘nice to have’, ‘not relevant’ and ‘choice factors’, we soon realised this was too simplistic. Instead, we created a pyramid, with factors grouped under four categories, allowing them to arrange factors under ‘Essentials’ at the base of the pyramid, then add in any that were ‘Attractions’. Factors were then moved up from Essentials into ‘Shortlisting’, then ‘Deciding’. Any that didn’t matter were left off the pyramid. The final picture of where the factors ended up was then photographed to give a record of the ultimate importance of each.
A pre-interview questionnaire was added to avoid spending interview time on recording personal history and factual data, thus allowing more time to explore more relevant questions.
Once the pilot phase was completed, and the questions approved by the students and the clients, all the other universities conformed to the same procedure: students were also asked to fill in a pre-interview questionnaire to provide general details about subject, ethnicity etc., and to save interview time for more reflective answers. They were then interviewed face-to-face for an hour by one of the report authors (all trained in qualitative research). Interviews were taped (for writing up purposes only) and students were rewarded with a £20 gift voucher for their time. All students seemed engaged by the interview, and asked to see a copy of the findings.
All universities were given the main report, summarising findings from the full study across all universities. This report provides additional granular detail and confidential findings from the interviews carried out at Lund. Where relevant, findings are related to those from the qualitative study as a whole.
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Participants
The following 21 universities, in 12 countries, all ranked in the top 200 world rankings and members of the World 100 network, were involved in the qualitative research:
Participating universities
Australia Canada Denmark England Finland Ireland
Melbourne
McMaster Aarhus LSE Helsinki UCD
Copenhagen Manchester
Nottingham
Queen Mary
Sheffield
UCL
York
Japan Scotland Spain Sweden US Wales
Tokyo Aberdeen Madrid Lund Michigan Cardiff
Edinburgh
Glasgow
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Findings
Lund student profiles
Interviews took place at Lund University in February 2014. Each student was interviewed for an hour, one to one, by the researcher.
Four students were interviewed in total, three females and one male. Three of the students came from outside of the EU (two from China, one from Iran), with the final student coming from Germany.
Within the sample, the subjects of study varied significantly, enabling us to gain the perspectives of students from a range of different departments: Nanoscience, Linguistics, Management and Logistics, and Physics. This equated to two Humanities, Arts and Social Science (HASS) students and two Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM) students, matching closely with the overall sample from the study.
The exact profiles of the individual students were:
Female, China, Nanoscience
Female, Germany, Linguistics
Male, Iran, Management and Logistics
Female, China, Physics
Two of the students were in the first year of their PhD, one was in the second year, and one was in the third year. Just one student had completed their Undergraduate Degree outside of their home country, whereas three of the students had done so for their Master’s Degree. Having already studied outside of their home country, the students were ideally positioned to offer comparative reflections on their experiences of Lund to date.
Only two of the students had parents who had been educated at university level.
Motivation for doing a PhD
Three of the students were completing a PhD with the end goal of becoming an academic. The Management and Logistics student applied for a company position which was advertised as a job in industry alongside undertaking a PhD at Lund University.
The students recognised significant benefits of studying abroad. These included learning about new cultures and gaining global connections. The Chinese Linguistics student specified that she did not want to study in her home country as the academic environment is more controlled, and the student-supervisor relationship is very different. Chinese PhD, Lund University.
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Choice factors (exercise one)1
Supporting the findings from the sample as a whole, the Lund University students identified quality/reputational factors as the most important choice factors, and these often appeared high up the journey pyramid as Shortlisting and Deciding factors. The other factors of notable importance were Employer/Industry Contacts, Salaried Position, and Evidence of Integrative Research and Collaboration. Taught in English was a highly relevant factor (appearing as an Essential for three of the students) but did not progress further up the journey pyramid.
For Lund University students, the less relevant factors appeared to be Low Cost of PhD, Attractive Country, Straightforward Visa Access, and Located near Family and Friends. None of the students were studying in their native language and so this factor was not applicable.
Essential Factors
0102030405060
'Essential' choice factors for PhD students at all universities (n = 91), PhD students, www.theworld100.com
Factor EssentialTaught in English 3Quality university 2
Evidence of integrative research and collaboration 2Reputation of university 1Good academic facilities 1
Available funding/scholarships (i.e. cost neutral) 1A safe environment 1
Lund University students (n = 4)
Taught in English was the most frequent Essential factor for both the Lund University students and the sample as a whole. Although none of the students were native English
1 Please see Main Report for full explanation of the exercises
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speakers they were keen to undertake their PhD in English, which was described as the language of academia. Quality University and Evidence of Integrative Research and Collaboration were the other factors identified by more than one student at Lund.
Quality seems to be correlated highly with how much money a university has. Lund University
Quality for me means you have access to articles and books, and that you have really good teachers who undertake top level research. Lund University
Attraction Factors
Factor AttractionReputation of university 2Quality department 2Attractive location/city 2Quality university 1Attractive country 1Good academic facilities 1Salaried position 1Low cost of PhD 1
Ability to work in that country during or after PhD 1A safe environment 1
Lund University students (n = 4)
Reputation of University, Quality Department and Attractive Location and City were all nominated by two students as Attractions. In the main study, Reputation of the University was often categorised more highly (as Essential or Shortlisting), with the international PhDs tending to view Attractions as locational factors.
This is important at Bachelors or master’s level but maybe not so for PhD. At this level the quality is more important than what people perceive. Lund University
In my opinion, only people in the famous universities receive a top quality education. Lund University
You have to be comfortable in the place that you are studying. Lund is a very attractive place for me, my decision wasn’t based on the location but it’s nice to be in a good place. Lund University
Shortlisting Factors
Factor ShortlistingQuality department 2Salaried position 2Good academic facilities 1Taught in English 1Straightforward visa access 1
Lund University students (n = 4)
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For the Lund PhDs, Quality Department and Salaried Position were the two most prevalent Shortlisting Factors. Throughout the research study, international PhDs tended to nominate Quality Department as the prime Shortlisting Factor and this was typically prioritised above the Quality of the University (to some extent as in reality the students that were interviewed were picking from a narrow list of universities i.e. they were all top quality). The notion of a Salaried Position was only relevant to certain countries of study, but the students at Lund had a strong preference for a salary above a scholarship as they were often financially superior and ensured they were classified as a member of staff.
My research group is well qualified and well connected. Lund University
This is a measure of the researchers in the Department – their quality and the prestige of their projects. Lund University
There are a number of ways you can measure the quality of a department, such as the facilities associated with it, the department’s connections, and the citations/references of its academics. Lund University
I receive a salary and have to do 10-15% teaching as part of my contract. Lund University
I am classed as a member of staff here and I pay tax. The salary covers everything I need. Lund University
A salary is ideal. We are employed here which is much nicer than just receiving funding. Lund University
Everyone in Lund receives a salary. Compared to some of my friends in America it’s double the amount. I have spoken to lots of international students who chose Lund on the basis of the salary. Lund University
Deciding Factors
01020304050
'Deciding' choice factors for all university PhDs (n = 91), International PhD Student Choice, www.theworld100.com
Factor DecidingQuality supervisor 3
8
Ability to work in that country during or after PhD 1Employer/Industry Contacts 1
Evidence of integrative research and collaboration 1
Lund University students (n = 4)
The most prevalent Deciding factor for the students at Lund was Quality Supervisor, corresponding with the sample as a whole. Three other factors were also identified by a single student as the reason why they chose Lund University above all others.
My choice always started with the supervisor and not with the university. I was looking for someone with a good supervising style, someone with international prestige, and perhaps most importantly someone who shared my research interests. Lund University
This is the most important factor as they are the only person who is responsible for you throughout the PhD. Lund University
The supervisor was the most important factor but it’s unlikely that a top quality supervisor wouldn’t be at a top university. Lund University
The department and my supervisor have really good contacts, also many alumni have gone onto become directors of companies. Logistics, Lund University
PhD Information Sources (exercise two)
Facebook/social mediaInternational agents
Overseas national structures Other (please specify)
Administrative or professional experts in previous universityAdministrative or professional experts in other universities
Media (newspapers, magazines, etc)Employer's Advice
Academic conferencesAcademics in current university
Our students/graduates (in person or online)Family, friends or colleagues
Academics in their subject field in other universities Citations/References
Current supervisorUniversity websites
Rankings
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Most important information source: International PhDs (n =91)International PhD Student Choice, www.theworld100.com
Aggregate Rank
Information Source Aggregated RankRankings 94
9
University websites 93
Academics in their subject field in other universities 68Citations/References 45Facebook/social media 31Our students/graduates (in person or online) 31Family, friends or colleagues 29International agents 17Academic conferences 15
Administrative or professional experts in previous university 14Overseas national structures 12
Lund University students (n = 4)
In terms of aggregated ranking, the key information sources for the PhDs at Lund (and the sample as a whole) were rankings and websites. Academics in their Subject Field, and Citations and References were less frequently used but more impactful.
All four students had used Lund’s website at some point in the decision making process but they disagreed regarding its functionality.
Most supportive country (exercise three)
Country FrequencySweden 3Australia 2Germany 2UK 2USA 2Canada 1Netherlands 1
Lund University students (n = 4)
Sweden was unsurprisingly identified as the most supportive country for international PhDs, as the students had chosen it as their destination, and all of them appeared very happy with their choice. The other countries that were nominated more than once were Australia, Germany, the US and the UK.
The students seemed to imply that English-speaking indicated quality. The UK and US were subsequently perceived as the top countries for academic quality and support. One student said that these countries have many famous universities and developed industry leading to more opportunities.
Perceptions of best universities (exercise four)
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Oxford MIT
Own Univ
ersit
y
Toron
to
EHT Zur
ich
Tokyo
Melbou
rne
Hong K
ong
Copen
hage
n
Techn
ische
Univ
ersit
ät MÜNCHEN
Ecole
Polytec
hniqu
e
Leide
n
POSTECH0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Most reputable university: International PhDs (n = 91),International PhD Student Choice, www.theworld100.com
Examining the chart above, which displays the results from the entire research study, the students tended to rank Oxford top, followed by MIT, and their Own University third. This pattern was also evidenced for the Lund University PhDs, with some discrepancies further down the rankings; although based on four students no conclusive interpretations can be drawn.
Making a Shortlist
One of the students applied just to Lund University, although they had already completed their Master’s Degree there. The other students received offers from and subsequently shortlisted a range of universities in Germany, Scandinavia and the US.
Visiting the University
Only one of the students had visited Lund before applying and they were already at the University. All students had contacted their potential supervisors before applying and didn’t feel it was necessary to visit the University.
You can gauge what you need to online and through speaking to people, visiting is an unnecessary expense. PhD, Lund University
You can’t visit all of the universities on your shortlist. PhD, Lund University
Rankings and World 100 status
Three of the students used the rankings at the start of the decision making process. Students named the THE, QS, SJT and New York Times, with two students stating that the THE is the most famous one.
The departmental rankings were generally more influential, although the overall university rankings were also seen as important:
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I looked at the departmental rankings, and my research group was in the top 5 in the world which was very important. Nanoscience Lund University
The department ranking was more important, as for the PhD the research has much more of an association with the reputation of the department. Lund University
The overall ranking was slightly more important as society is more aware of the overall rankings, and this is what future employers take into account. Lund University
The students were quite accurate when asked to rank the University, and Lund was perceived to be ranked between 60 and 90.
Regarding Lund being ranked in the world’s top 100, most students said that it was a nice to have, but recognised that the rankings are changeable and have limitations. One student also mentioned that there are lots of universities that are very good but outside the top 100, mainly due to financial shortfalls.
Orientation and settling in
The general consensus was that the accommodation support at Lund University is very poor. Lund is a small city with large volumes of students and therefore available accommodation is in great demand. Students find it very difficult to secure accommodation, particularly international students who have to do this from a distance:
The support for accommodation is awful. There are lots of applicants, long waiting lists, students have been known to camp outside the University whilst they find somewhere to live. Lund University
A couple of students criticised the university regarding the limited information available for international students:
The only real criticism I have of the University is that there isn’t really very much for international students in terms of information. Lund University
The attractions of Lund and the University
Students described Lund as a small city compared to places they had lived before but there were lots of positive comments made:
It’s very good for PhD study as there aren’t many distractions. Lund University
Lund is a very cool place, I like cycling round the city, and the average age is 25 which makes it vibrant. Lund University
It’s quiet, the people are civilized, there’s nothing I don’t like. Lund University
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Finances
All students receive a salary which was much preferred to a scholarship. None of the PhDs seemed to be struggling financially even though Sweden was deemed an expensive place to live.
The salary more than covers all of my needs. Lund University
It’s not too expensive here, the salary is excellent, and I don’t have the travel costs of a major city. Lund University
The academic life
Some of the students felt well integrated, others did not, and this appeared highly dependent on the department they were in. Students undertaking STEM disciplines were generally better integrated as part of a research group, whereas the HASS PhDs described their experience as solitary. All of the students were happy with the level of supervision they were receiving.
In terms of graduate training opportunities, it was felt that the University could do more. One student had attended pedagogical workshops, but the others were unaware of these opportunities.
Global connectivity
Students felt that the University was globally connected, especially with other universities in Europe:
The research group has lots of global connections, and I have been to a couple of conferences overseas. Nanoscience Lund University
The University certainly feels globally connected. I have been abroad a number of times, and my department has partners in South Africa and Brazil. Logistics Lund University
Students described Lund as a truly international university. They stated that there was a thriving international community, however a large proportion of the international students were from Europe.
Improvements
On the whole, the students were quite reserved with their suggestions for improvement, although orientation support was clearly an area that was lacking. The Management and Logistics student made an interesting comment, stating that the PhD programmes in Lund are constructed very differently to others throughout Europe and that having more integration would be beneficial. However he also suggested that PhDs at Lund, and in Sweden generally, were the most comprehensive.
Having more integration of PhD programme regulations with the rest of Europe. Lund University
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Marketing and brand
Students found it very difficult to describe Lund’s brand, but could give examples of things it is well-known for:
Lund has a long history and is a very traditional university. It’s also a high ranking university, and it possesses a beautiful campus. PhD Lund University
In terms of research the university is top quality. There are many cool things that have come out of this university such as Bluetooth. PhD Lund University
The university is international, there are lots of international students. It doesn’t however cater too much for international PhDs. PhD Lund University
The three things that Lund is known for are research quality, being a huge university, and the student life for Degree students. PhD Lund University
There were mixed views regarding the questions of whether Lund was internationally recognisable, with some students suggesting that Lund needed to work on its international profile outside of Europe:
I don’t think the University is very well-known, especially in Asia. Lund University
Lots of people talk about it at conferences but it needs to work on its international image. Lund University
Students agreed that the marketing could be better, but questioned whether it needed to be. Two students commented that there aren’t usually too many PhD places at Lund and that it is highly competitive.
Life after the PhD
The students were adamant that having the University’s name on their CV would enhance their future career prospects, especially within academia. Outside of Europe, Lund was perceived to be less recognisable within industry.
In terms of future progression, certain students saw their PhD at Lund as a “stepping stone” into the top American universities. There was an even split between students wanting to continue in academia and others looking to pursue careers in industry.
Was the PhD Worthwhile?
Although the students clearly had a passion for their chosen discipline, most saw a PhD as a means to an end, either as a path into the academic circle or to bolster their prospects in industry. Therefore, the consensus was that success could only be measured by the outcome.
Referral scores
Three students said 8, one student gave a rating of 4.
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Summary The sample of 109 qualitative interviews from the main study provided a solid sample from which conclusions and recommendations could be drawn. Although the four interviews conducted with international PhDs at Lund University elicited some interesting findings, these were indicative and should be interpreted with caution as they may not provide full representation of the views of the Lund PhD student body.
The key choice factors for the Lund University students matched closely with the sample as a whole. Quality and reputational factors were very important, alongside others such as Taught in English and Evidence of Integrative and Collaborative Research. Quality Supervisor was the deciding factor for three of the four students.
The prime information sources were rankings and websites. Rankings were used frequently at the outset of the decision making process, with the Times Higher Education (THE) identified as the most influential one.
Lund University was perceived to be ranked third behind Oxford and MIT in a list of world ranked universities. Throughout the main study, the students would typically rank their own university in third place.
Lund was described as a small but student friendly city, and an excellent place to undertake a PhD. It didn’t however have the attractions or brand of Europe’s major city destinations.
All students received a salary which was much preferred to a scholarship and something which the University should actively market. Students studying in other Scandinavian countries shared this viewpoint.
The most prominent negative issue raised by a number of the students was the accommodation support, which was described as very poor, and something which the University needs to address urgently.
Students found it very difficult to identify with Lund’s brand, and used very generic words such as traditional, quality and international to describe the University.
Lund was thought to have a strong reputation within Europe and certain academic fields but that its international reputation could be enhanced.
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