Global perspectives on the postdoctoral scholar experience

While widespread concerns exist over the experiences and career trajectories of postdoctoral fellows in higher education, these concerns are not always examined through the lens of a social and cultural context unique to a national system. Postdoctoral fellows do exist in various forms at academic institutions around the world. Understanding their experiences offer insight not only into the nuanced nature of doctoral and postdoctoral work but also the larger question about how various higher education systems engage in a globalized knowledge economy. This chapter examines the postdoctoral fellow's experience in various national contexts. Researchers from Australia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, and South Africa reflect on their higher education systems; the role of the postdoctoral fellow within the system; and how internal and external influences shape the postdoctoral experience.