Demographic information

Overview and research

Within the OECD it is interesting to note that Australia produces 2.3 new doctorates per 100 graduates, compared with 3.9 in Canada, 10.1 in Switzerland and 11.2 in Germany. Hence, we are one of the 'medium' players within the field of doctoral education. What is interesting about this is that Australian researchers probably produce much of the significant research into research education.

While the overall number of candidates enrolling in a doctorate have more than doubled over the past decade in Australia, the actual number of domestic Higher Degree by Research candidates has dropped by 2% over the period 1994-2005. The drop in domestic candidates has been compensated for by an increase in international candidates (in 1994 14% of the overall total were candidates from overseas whereas by 2005 international candidates made up 21% of the total).

While Australia might not have a large population of doctoral graduates it is widely recognised that Australian higher education researcher produce a significant percentage of the international research on graduate education.

Based on:

Auriol, L. (2007). Labour market characteristics and international mobility of doctorate holders: Results of seven countries. Paris: OECD.

Chubb, I. (2007, 8 August). Cultivate a competitive edge. The Australian, p. 25.

Ideas and tools

Across Australia the part-time candidate cohort is substantial. While some disciplines argue that it is very difficult, if not impossible to undertake a part-time doctorate, creative thinking can identify a number of projects which are best, or even only undertaken by part-time candidates, e.g. longitudinal studies. What might some of these be in your discipline?

ANU information

In 2006 the ANU had a total of 1,655.1 HDR candidates enrolled (1,197.5 domestic and 457.5 international), calculated as Fulltime Equivalent.

The under 30 years age group is the largest for the ANU, followed by the 30-39 age group and there are slightly more male candidates (54%) than female (46%).

The ANU College with the largest enrolment of HDR candidates is Science with 593.6 and Law has the lowest enrolment 21.6 calculated as Fulltime Equivalent.

In a survey of ANU Higher Degree by Research Candidates undertaken by the Graduate Research School in 2006, 33% of respondents (20% female; 13% male) stated that they aspired to a Research Higherr Degree position.

A further 38% (20% female and 18% male) aspired to a teaching position in Higher Education.

For College-specific information contact:

College of Engineering & Computer Science - Faculty Annual Report (2003)

College of Law

College of Arts and Social Sciences

College of Asia & the Pacific - Annual Report (2007)

College of Business & Economics - Women in Economics Report

College of Medicine and Health Sciences

Alternatively, contact the College Associate Dean (HDR) for more general college information.