Work-integrated learning for working life in academia – experiences from online learning activities with PhD students

The PhD period needs to provide work-integrated learning (WIL) in academia to enable the development of academic skills and handling situations of failure as well as success. During the Covid-19 pandemic there was increased risk for PhD students of losing pace in PhD projects, disconnectedness from academia and decreased well-being, while digitalisation in PhD education increased. The purpose was to test and explore the experienced value of group-based online learning activities for PhD students, and how they relate to WIL in PhD education. The two tested online learning activities were online monthly meetings and online writing retreats. The project was performed with Plan-Do-Study-Act. Evaluation data included the number of participants, types of spin-offs from the learning activities, and participants’ feedback. The data were analysed from the perspective of the experienced value of the learning activities and how they can relate to WIL in PhD education. The PhD students acquired increased academic and leadership skills, experienced less stress, enhanced self-efficacy, decreased dependency on supervisors and a safe social environment important for their well-being. In addition, there was good progress of the participants’ projects and joy at work.