Learning by Research

The first results for 2017 PhD graduates are available in data-visualization.

Are UGA PhDs employed? The answer is clearly yes, with a rate of 95,7% f graduates in employment three years after their thesis defense. 85% of them also indicate that the doctorate was a determining factor (at least in part) in their recruitment. Note that two-thirds of them have signed a permanent contract (up to 90% in the private sector).


Not surprisingly, a large majority of them (63% : figure up from the 2016 edition) continue to work in research. However, there is a great diversity of jobs as shown in the table below.

The PhD, an international degree

With a rate of international PhD students of almost 50%, the PhD is resolutely international. This is reflected in the results of this survey.
While 63% of the jobs of PhDs are located in France, 37% are abroad (18% in Europe and 19% in the rest of the world). The number of countries represented is clearly on the rise, particularly in South America and Southeast Asia.35% (and rising) of the jobs of UGA PhD graduates employed in France are located in the Grenoble metropolitan area and 14% in the Rhône-Alpes region (excluding Isère). This demonstrates the attractiveness of our region and its ability to recruit PhDs.

The survey

This survey was carried out on the basis of a response rate of 95% of 2017 graduates, i.e. 772 responses collected and distributed among the 13 doctoral schools accredited at the UGA.
It provides a better understanding of the employment situation of graduates. What type of job was held, what sector, what length of time, what employer and location were among the answers given by the PhDs.The attractiveness of the territory and the international influence are also elements of the survey.

The PhD Career Data Visualization Tool Dataviv

You can find a lot of information on the career pursuit of doctoral students thanks to the data visualization tool set up by the Collège doctoral (in french).It is based on the Sphinx software to develop and exploit the survey and on its Dataviv module to disseminate the results in data visualization.The interest of such a tool lies in its ease of use for users, its filtering and scripting possibilities (dynamic character of the graphic representations) while offering the survey developers a stable tool allowing them to reproduce the survey each year and to be able to quickly compare the results of the different cohorts. This tool thus allows the development of an observatory dedicated to the follow-up of the careers of UGA PhDs.