{
  "id": 458946,
  "title": "Why physics should move beyond prestige in PhD admissions",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/why-physics-should-move-beyond-prestige-in-phd-admissions",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-10T10:00:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Physics World",
    "slug": "physics-world",
    "url": "https://physicsworld.com/a/why-physics-should-move-beyond-prestige-in-phd-admissions/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The pervasive belief that scientific progress requires creativity, precision, endurance and collaborative thinking clashes with a persistent recruitment practice in physics: heavy reliance on institutional prestige, grades and prior opportunities. While simple, these measures are entwined with structural advantage, creating a system that is efficient and familiar, but also exclusionary. These traditional admissions criteria are heavily influenced by unequal access to resources, insider knowledge, mentors and cultural capital. Even two students of equal potential can present markedly different CVs based on factors such as access to research-intensive institutions, informal advice networks, paid research internships or financial security. When admissions panels focus on these signals, they are not merely selecting for ability, but also for accumulated advantage. This is not just a fairness issue, but a strategic problem for science. The UK’s science and technical sectors face chronic recruitment and retention challenges. At the same time, society grapples with increasingly complex issues that demand interdisciplinary solutions. Physics graduates are increasingly sought after in various sectors, including industry, policy, entrepreneurship and education, necessitating adaptability, communication and ethical judgment. To foster the interdisciplinary expertise needed to address today’s challenges, a more thoughtful approach is required. At the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Diversity-Led, Mission-Driven Research (DiveIn) at the University of Glasgow, a new admissions model was developed to move away from privileging prior advantage towards focusing on competencies relevant to successful PhD completion. Rather than recruiting students for predefined projects, DiveIn recruits a cohort first and co-creates projects later. The programme worked with the Equity in Doctoral Education through Partnership and Innovation (EDEPI) to design a CDT with this in mind. EDEPI, which targets persistent inequalities, identifies comprehension, evaluation, delivering results and socio-emotional competencies as critical for doctoral success. To emphasize an interdisciplinary approach, cohort-based development and advocacy, DiveIn adapted the EDEPI framework. All applications are anonymized, with personal data, CVs and competency statements separated during evaluation. Assessors do not see names, genders, nationalities or institutional affiliations. The admissions process comprises four key elements: an anonymized, competency-based written application; a task-based exercise where all applicants analyze the same dataset; a double-marked, wide-ranging assessment; and a transparent, structured interview mapped to competencies. Applicants receive active support, including process explanations, guidance videos and live drop-in sessions. This process aims to evaluate applicants not just for their PhD readiness, but also for their ability to thrive in a diverse, collaborative environment. Early results from DiveIn’s first recruitment cycle indicate that this approach fosters diversity in background, discipline and experience. Importantly, the cohort’s diversity does not lower standards, and in fact, may enhance the quality and impact of the research. This suggests that by shifting admissions criteria from retrospective signals to competency-based measures, we can better select the researchers needed for the future while preserving standards. If we continue to rely on narrow, retrospective criteria, we will systematically overlook the researchers needed to tackle future challenges. By treating admissions as a design problem, we can cultivate a more resilient, creative and socially responsible scientific community.",
  "summary": "Fairer criteria must be used when recruiting doctoral students The post Why physics should move beyond prestige in PhD admissions appeared first on Physics World .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}