An increasing number of people are choosing to pursue a university education because it is considered to be the best option. However, universities are meant to train academics, not workers. This creates tension: there are more PhD graduates than academic jobs, meaning many end up working outside of academia. This is why voices such as Isabelle Kohler’s are growing, calling for universities to better prepare PhD students for the labour market. But should fundamental research be adapted to meet the needs of businesses?

A PhD is intended to prepare you for a career in science. You learn to conduct independent research, supervise others and publish work that meets academic standards. The fact that these skills can also be useful in business is an added bonus, but it is not the purpose. If we turn PhDs into job machines, we lose the academic track.

The problem lies in the Dutch education system. Mbo and universities of applied science prepare students for specific professions, while university prepares students to become scientists. If more people enter university programmes simply seeking high-quality education, the system will falter. One solution would be to offer a new form of PhD that is academically rigorous but job-oriented. Universities already offer master’s programmes focused on business or society. Applying the same principle to PhDs would provide a whole group of PhD students with actual future prospects.