PhDs motivated, efficient...and stressed

Across all faculties at the University of Copenhagen, international PhD students are excited, motivated, efficient, and academically satisfied. But they are also stressed.

This is according to the respondents in the University Post PhD work survey.

The graph above illustrates the responses from all PhDs. We asked: On a typical day, how would you describe your level of boredom, excitement, motivation, work efficiency, stress, and academic satisfaction? They could respond: Not at all, a bit, quite a lot, very.

Read main article: Human science PhDs have little human contact.

Only 7 pct. ‘bored’

Low numbers on the vertical y-axis, or low bars, mean ‘not at all’ or ‘a bit’. High numbers, or higher bars in the graph, mean ‘quite a lot’ or ‘very’.

Stress is prevalent among international PhD students, according to our survey. 45 per cent are either quite, or very, stressed, 48 per cent just a bit stressed while only 7.5 per cent are not stressed at all.

69 per cent were quite a lot, or very, motivated in the course of a typical day, 61 per cent were quite, or very, work efficient, while 44 per cent were quite a lot, or very, excited.

Only 7 per cent of PhD students are quite, or very, bored.

miy@adm.ku.dk

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