The 2009 graduate group was the sixth graduate cohort surveyed by the DZHW’s graduate survey research unit following 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005. The first survey took place approx. one year after graduation. The second started in 2015. It is aimed at graduates of all disciplines and types of higher education institution (HEI), delivering representative findings from all over Germany. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
One special feature of the 2009 cohort is the large number of bachelor graduates. For the first time in the time series of DZHW graduate research, they form a significant proportion of all higher education graduates. On the one hand, the comparison of bachelor graduates with graduates of traditional study programmes is particularly interesting for this group, e.g. in relation to the alterations to study programmes and post-university careers. On the other hand, the new study programme structure offers the chance of either embarking directly on a career after taking a bachelor’s degree, taking a further master’s degree or even combining both options.
In view of the economic and financial crisis, the issue of the transition to a career and job retention also gains particular significance: what career chances do graduates have in this situation and under what conditions do they start their careers? Is there an increase in numbers of internships after graduation? The first survey, whose findings were published in autumn 2011, was able to answer these and other questions. A special report analysing the particular situation of bachelor graduates was published in advance in May 2011.
The second wave covered medium-term career paths, concentrating particularly on differences in career positions of graduates with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In addition, issues of (spatial) mobility and motives for embarking on doctorate studies were also covered in more detail. The findings of the second wave have been published in October 2016.
A further survey is planned for 2019. In this way, long-term developments for this graduate cohort can be observed and analysed.
