PhD candidates’ engagement in researcher networks and the key learning experiences embedded in them

Researcher networks are highly important for a positive PhD experience as well as for the future career of PhD candidates in and beyond academia. This study explores PhD candidates’ engagement in researcher networks, ranging from the local to the global sphere, the key learning experiences embedded in them, and how such engagement is associated with their doctoral thesis format, research group status, and the candidate’s country of origin. A total of 768 PhD candidates from a research-intensive multidisciplinary Finnish university participated in the mixed methods study. The data were collected with the doctoral experience survey. The results showed that PhD candidates participate widely in research collaboration activities, especially by presenting at conferences and participating in international summer schools. Most learning experiences were located in local networks. Some differences between the candidates were found related to the thesis format, research group status, and candidates’ country of origin. This study provides new understanding of PhD candidates' researcher networks, and the results can be used in the development of support systems in doctoral education to enhance PhD candidates’ research collaboration locally and globally.