Graduate and Postdoctoral Development Programs: Toward a National Strategy
As the issue of career-readiness becomes integral to the graduate education and postdoctoral processes, graduate and postdoctoral development providers in research institutions are highlighting the importance of sharing and collaborating across the sector in order to bridge the skills gap between alumni and employers. This project fills the need for a nationwide approach to maximize the potential of Canadian graduates.
To explore the range of efforts and offerings across the country, a detailed survey was developed and circulated with the University of Toronto’s Research Ethics Board approval. This project works toward a national strategy by:
- Facilitating data collection and distribution that is meaningful, informative, and fully captures institutional strengths and areas for improvement
- Supporting industry leaders benchmark best practices and innovation by obtaining a comprehensive view of graduate and postdoctoral development programs across Canada
We are delighted to share our findings from the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (CAGS) and Graduate and Postdoctoral Development Network (GPDN) survey of graduate and postdoctoral development programs (GPDP).
The core of this effort is a navigable and living spreadsheet of GPDPs at institutions across the country. Students and postdocs can review this spreadsheet to learn more about programs at their current or prospective institution, and also to advocate for GPDPs or components of GPDPs that they feel would be beneficial (students and postdocs might also want to read a short summary of tips derived from this project in the Responsibilities May Include article series on University Affairs). GPDP practitioners and academic administrators can use the spreadsheet to compare activities and assessment methods with peer institutions nationally.
The spreadsheet is a living document – if institutions need to add or update their responses, they can reach out to the project team with the details of their request.
Access the online folders with the spreadsheet, report, appendices, infographic, and the 2017 reports
Access the spreadsheet
Access the report
Access the survey questions
Access the list of GPDP program offerings by institution and level
Access the infographic / project description
Access 2017 Phase I
Access 2017 Phase II
We are grateful for the support of all our sponsors, including:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
