Professional Development of Doctoral Researchers in Vocational Education and Training: A Cross-National Study in Times of Uncertainty

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unpredictable changes in private and professional lives have occurred worldwide, such as facility closures, contact and travel restrictions. Social distancing measures have reduced face-to-face meetings and networking interactions. The shift in conducting face-to-face events, such as conferences, in digital spaces has led to still unknown consequences for informal exchanges and networking. Under these circumstances, a research project was developed at the Institute of Technology and Education (ITB, University of Bremen) that focuses on the professional development and career aspirations of doctoral researchers in vocational education and training (VET). This paper provides an overview and analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral education in VET in specific regions of Europe (Germany, England, Sweden). With a focus on professional development, it was investigated (RQ1) how the pandemic-related circumstances affected the professional development of doctoral researchers, (RQ2) how they learned in such a time of uncertainty, (RQ3) what they perceived as conducive conditions for the doctorate, and (RQ4) the challenges they faced with respect to their professional development.