From knowledge production to career preparation: does doctoral education in Taiwan sufficiently support doctoral students future development?

Abstract Since the 1990s, doctoral education in Taiwan has expanded under the influence of the knowledge economy, higher education massification, and global competition for research talent. Drawing on the glonacal agency heuristic, this study examines how government policies, quality assurance (QA) mechanisms, and universities’ institutional strategies interact to reshape the purposes and implementation of doctoral education in Taiwan. Applying a qualitative document analysis of government policy documents, external QA review reports, and institutional strategic plans, this study identified four major findings. First, Taiwan’s doctoral education has shifted from an academically oriented model of knowledge production toward a more application-oriented model linked to national competitiveness, industrial development, and doctoral employability. Second, this transition has produced a persistent misalignment among policy objectives, QA mechanisms, and institutional strategies. Third, it remained debatable whether doctoral education should remain academically oriented or evolve into a more market-driven model in Taiwan society. Fourth, a more coordinated governance framework that balances academic formation, application-oriented training, national development needs, and doctoral students’ long-term career pathways is suggested for future development.