HERB 2(23): Postdoc – From Invisible Scholar to a Change Driver
This issue of HERB is dedicated to the postdoctoral position and its role in the life of universities.
The postdoc is an established stage of an academic career path to tenure in some countries, and a notion hiding positions with varying rights and obligations to boost scientific development in other countries without tenure- tracks. Generally, it is a term to denote a researcher with an academic degree in a temporary position that allows him or her to continue studying, acquire new skills and expertise, experience academic mobility, enrich his or her networks and take the next step on the career ladder. Even countries with an established tradition have numerous lacunae and problems with postdoctoral studies, such as overproduction, the unclear status of postdocs, overload with quite a modest salary, the dubious protection of their rights, and an unclear career outlook. In countries that are just starting this initiative, tangible goals, governmental roles and clear institutional mechanisms have not yet been outlined, which creates misunderstandings but also potential.
The current issue brings together essays, historical reviews, qualitative and quantitative research, and expert opinions from Russia, the CIS, the US, the EU and China to uncover global, national and institutional perspectives on postdoctoral programs. We discuss the rationale behind postdoctoral initiatives, their implementation, successes and failures, new challenges and future expectations inside or outside academia. The purpose of these efforts is to create a global picture of postdoctoral studies, for readers to think over their prospects for higher education institutions and national science in Russian and other developing countries.