Grant-funded Project Nr. 354/2004/B-GEO/PřF
Final Report

Project title:How are Faculty of Science Charles University graduates in geographical disciplines employable?
Research leader:RNDr. Dana Řezníčková
Co-researcher: RNDr. Pavel Chromý, Ph.D.; RNDr. Miroslav Marada, Ph.D.; Mgr. Tomáš Hudeček
Period of project:2004-2004
Overall grant:150 000 CZK

Project Results

Research Project Placement of graduates in geographical disciplines of the Faculty of Sciences, Charles University at labour market (354/2004/B-GEO/PrF), backed by the Grant Agency of Charles University in 2004, was aimed at the analysis of the placement of graduates of geographical disciplines of the Faculty of Sciences, Charles University in professional activity surveyed in a relatively short period after finishing studies. The work on the project has been carried out on the following levels: 1) The comparison of existing inquiries of placement of graduates in practice; 2) the construction and two pilot versions of a questionnaire; 3) creation of a web page for the questionnaire and a database of responses; 4) creating a directory of graduates, addressing graduates and sending the questionnaire; 5) the evaluation of the database of responses. 398 graduates who finished their studies in the academic year 1998-99 and the following years have been addressed on the basis of the addresses obtained from Study Department of the Faculty of Sciences, Charles University. Respondents could choose either to fill in the attached questionnaire and send it back anonymously by mail or to answer through the internet. The entry to the web page was enabled by using a password sent in the letter together with the questionnaire. Most respondents have used the second way; only 20 respondents sent their answers by mail. Totally there have been 183 responses, i.e. 46 %. The share of responded graduates of pedagogical and non-pedagogical studies was 43:57 %. From the total list of respondents most graduates of pedagogical studies have been of Geography-Biology combination (17 %) and Geography-History (14 %) combination. From non-pedagogical studies graduates in Social Geography (18 %) and Regional Geography (12 %) and followed by Demography and Physical Geography (11 %) have been represented most then. Concluding report of the grant project includes a detailed statistical analysis of responses of graduates (statistics of the first grade). The results of the analysis have been structured internally according to study specialisation (pedagogical, non-pedagogical), gender (men, women) and to the years of graduation (older graduates from the years 1998-2001, younger from 2002-2004). Consecutively factor analysis of selected items has been carried out. On this basis three types of graduates have been identified. From the responses of graduates we have found beside others: the average length of geographical studies is 5.4 years. The graduates of pedagogical studies study longer (6.0), the graduates of non-pedagogical finish mostly after 5 years. The longest studies are of those of pedagogical combination Geography-History (6.5 years). Nearly half of respondents have stated that the first occupation was started already before graduation, one fifth right after graduation. Only 1 % of respondents are involved in further studies and only 3 % of graduates have stated that they are unemployed. Nearly 60 % of respondents have started their first occupation in the branch, which they studied. Not all 15 % of graduates have started their carrier out of their branch. Nearly half of graduates are in the role of employees, more than one fourth are in the position of manager and more than one fifth are in an executive position. From the total list of respondents more than 27% are in the sphere of education, nearly one fourth in the state administration, more than one fifth in science and research and nearly one fifth in the sphere of regional development. The graduates of pedagogical studies, working out of the branch of their studies, are involved mainly in the sphere of science and research (nearly 27 %), in state administration (20 %) and tourism (20 %). Two thirds of the graduates working in education teach at secondary schools (66 %), 28 % at basic schools and 6 % at universities and colleges. Graduates have stated in absolute majority that they do not fear the loss of job. When evaluating preparation for practice graduates have stated firstly theoretical and methodological readiness and special knowledge of the field. Preparation in the spheres of communication and organisational skills and PC literacy has been evaluated negatively. Social geographers rather prefer „professional career“. Regional geographers put more emphasis on „interesting creative work“ and don’t put such emphasis on „use of special education“. Physical geographers put very strong emphasis on „using of special education“ and they are interested very little in salary and career; however they are not interested much even in „interesting creative work“. Surprisingly cartographers are not much interested either in „use of special education“ or in „interesting creative work“. The results of the grant project will be presented at the conference of the Czech Geographical Society – section of geographical education in Brno (April 2005), at Czech-Polish-Slovak Seminarium in Slovakia (June 2005) and at international conference on geographical education in Poland (August 2005). The final report will be presented to the Scientific Committee of Geographical Section of the Faculty of Science, Charles University and to the guarantors of individual study programmes. The results of the inquiry will be published in Geography and in proceedings of the above mentioned conferences.