The Role of Institutional Reputation in Mediating Post-PhD Careers. The Case of Chinese Elite Universities
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| Title: | The Role of Institutional Reputation in Mediating Post-PhD Careers. The Case of Chinese Elite Universities |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Sangge Qi (ORCID |
| Source: | British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2026 47(2):193-212. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Private Colleges, Universities, Reputation, Institutional Characteristics, Mediation Theory, Doctoral Students, College Graduates, Education Work Relationship, Labor Market, Employment Potential, Competition, Job Search Methods |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| DOI: | 10.1080/01425692.2025.2585323 |
| ISSN: | 0142-5692 1465-3346 |
| Abstract: | Amid rising doctoral populations and growing diversification in post-PhD careers beyond academia, the disproportionate increase in employment opportunities for doctorate holders has created heightened pressures on doctoral graduates to improve their relative employability. This is particularly pronounced in high-participation higher education systems such as China, where post-graduation competition is complicated by the reputational status of institutions attended. Drawing on interviews with Chinese Social Science and Humanities doctoral graduates associated with distinct institutional affiliations of C9 and non-C9 League universities, this paper explores the mediating role of institutional reputation in graduates' negotiations of labor market positionings. Building on the concept of institutional habitus, the analysis illustrates how institutional reputation is constructed and internalized such that it operates as both a structural and emotional mediator, shaping the ways graduates position themselves within the labor market queue and their strategic responses to positional competition. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1500727 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Amid rising doctoral populations and growing diversification in post-PhD careers beyond academia, the disproportionate increase in employment opportunities for doctorate holders has created heightened pressures on doctoral graduates to improve their relative employability. This is particularly pronounced in high-participation higher education systems such as China, where post-graduation competition is complicated by the reputational status of institutions attended. Drawing on interviews with Chinese Social Science and Humanities doctoral graduates associated with distinct institutional affiliations of C9 and non-C9 League universities, this paper explores the mediating role of institutional reputation in graduates' negotiations of labor market positionings. Building on the concept of institutional habitus, the analysis illustrates how institutional reputation is constructed and internalized such that it operates as both a structural and emotional mediator, shaping the ways graduates position themselves within the labor market queue and their strategic responses to positional competition. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0142-5692 1465-3346 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/01425692.2025.2585323 |
