La satisfacción en un doctorado español internacional e interdisciplinar: el impacto de la motivación, el pensamiento crítico y el engagement académico

This paper explores the factors that affect the satisfaction ofdoctoral students, making a special emphasis and focus on subjectivevariables such as motivation, critical thinking and academicengagement, aspects that have been scarcely addressed inprevious literature. In the context of the growing significance ofdoctoral studies for academic and institutional development, thisstudy aims to identify the motivations underlying the pursuit andchoice of a doctoral program and the different types of criticalthinking that students possess. Additionally, it seeks to explorehow these factors interact with each other and how they impactthe academic experience of doctoral students in a differentiatedway. The research was conducted at a public Spanish universityusing a mixed-method approach that included semi-structuredinterviews and surveys administered to doctoral students. Thefindings reveal that learning motivation and academic engagementare crucial determinants of students’ satisfaction with theirdoctoral studies. Furthermore, and while most critical thinkingdimensions do not have a direct impact on the doctoral student’ssatisfaction, perceived utility does exert a notable effect on satisfaction.Results provide valuable practical implications for doctoralprogram managers, who may implement strategies to enhancestudents’ experience, thereby contributing to the improvement ofdoctoral training.