This article reports on a study of the selection of academic top leaders from 1900 to 2025 in six highly ranked universities on the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities. These institutions represent the United States (Harvard and Stanford) with presidents as leaders, the United Kingdom (Cambridge and Oxford) with vice-chancellors, and Scandinavia (Copenhagen and Oslo) with rectors. For the population as a whole, the study shows an increase in the length of tenure, and in the selection of female leaders and of externals, while there has also been a decline in the number of recruitments per decade, in recruitment ages and the recruitment of persons with a background in STEM disciplines and Medicine (STEMM). A comparison between the six universities has demonstrated that Harvard and Stanford differ from the other four by having much lower numbers of recruitments, longer length of tenures, lower recruitment ages and recruiting externals earlier than their European counterparts. The Europeans started recruiting externals and female leaders in the 1990s. Oslo has so far not recruited any outsider, and Stanford has picked only male leaders. High shares of STEMM leaders are exhibited by Stanford and Oslo, while Harvard and Oxford have had low shares. An analysis of the most recent recruitments demonstrates that Harvard, Stanford and Copenhagen include outsiders in the decision process and keep candidacies secret. The latter is also the case for Cambridge and Oxford, which, however, do not include externals in the decision process. Oslo also leaves it to internals to decide but has a process where candidacies are publicly known. For the future, it is expected that non-US institutions will follow the top US universities more and more, thereby increasingly involving search consultants. The patterns on the Anglo-American market for academic leaders found in the present study are likely to develop further.

This article examines recruitment practices in Swedish polar expeditions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on A.G. Nathorst’s Arctic voyages 1898 and 1899, the Swedish-Russian Arc-of-Meridian surveys 1898–1901, and the 1903 Antarctic rescue expedition. Drawing on preserved correspondence, this article explores who conducted recruitment, how it was done, and what competencies were sought. The expedition leader recruited other scientists on his own, relying on recommendations from fellow academics. Hiring of sailors involved several persons; the leader, the ship’s captain, other seamen and semi-professional commissioners. The default mode was to re-hire old shipmates. When that was not possible, new recruits were evaluated through acquaintances or based on their reputation. Experience of travel in icy waters was considered valuable. Sailors with references from scientific expeditions were especially sought after, and could use this to attain higher wages than was the norm in ordinary work at sea.

Within Public Health Nutrition, the preconception phase, has emerged as a particularly important window for promoting a healthy diet, as it affects both current and future health as well as health in the next generation. Different approaches are used to support dietary change in this phase, and digital interventions are viewed as particularly promising. In this review, we describe digital interventions addressing preconception diet, discuss challenges in targeting the preconception population and highlight issues related to digital designs and measuring intervention effects. We draw upon six digital interventions with dietary outcomes, in different target populations. Only two of the interventions were found to be effective in improving relevant aspects of the participants’ diet, and these targeted specific and narrow groups or a single dietary component. Most of the intervention studies faced considerable challenges with recruitment. High attrition further complicated evaluation. In addition, there were difficulties related to participant engagement with the digital interventions. Challenges with lack of engagement, recruitment and attrition are not new insights within public health research, and we need to acknowledge the need for new approaches to recruitment, intervention development and evaluation. Alternative approaches such as citizen science and participatory action research in which the researchers work closely with the target population and other stakeholders during the whole process, should be explored. Moreover, as the current behavioural interventions that rely heavily on individual agency seem largely unsuccessful, future interventions should consider targeting more upstream and structural determinants of diet, rather than individual behaviour alone.

Achieving enrollment goals is essential for the successful completion of a clinical trial. This includes enrolling a sample size that provides adequate power and engaging a study population that supports generalizability of research findings. Yet, trial participation is routinely hindered by its complexity, associated risks, and frequently cited barriers to participation including lack of awareness, low trust/mistrust, and logistical burdens that make participation of low value or unrealistic to potential participants [1,2].

Drawing on an original dataset covering more than 100 political parties in over 20 European Union Member States, this article analyses how political recruitment procedures affect the proportion of women nominated on party lists in the context of the 2009 European Parliament elections. The findings show that the inclusiveness of the selectorates in the early stage of candidate selection processes is a key determinant of the representativeness of lists regarding their gender composition. Moreover, it is found that neither territorial centralisation nor the inclusiveness of the selectorate in the later stage of candidate selection play a significant role. The key to the puzzle, therefore, lies in the composition of the initial pool of potential candidates and those who make initial nominations.

A crucial aspect of elite dominance in modern democracies concerns the degree to which different political elites share similar career paths and shifts between different elite positions. Similarity in career paths and transfers across elite positions are crucial aspects of elite dominance in modern democracies. This paper argues that there are limits to elite career similarity and sector transfer because of varying recruitment criteria and reputational cargo across different political elite groups. We argue that career similarity and transfers across elite positions are lower when recruitment criteria are exclusive. We also argue that acquired reputation may be a career liability limiting transfers into other elite groups. Empirically, we examine career trajectories and transfers across elite groups by mapping the full career of Members of the Parliament, top bureaucrats and interest group leaders in Denmark. We demonstrate that within the Danish political elite, career paths are relatively distinct and transfer few. Career distinctiveness and lack of elite transfers are especially pronounced for the bureaucratic elite, which is guarded by stricter recruitment criteria and on guard against reputations that might taint its image as a pure merit civil service. In contrast to other studies, our results suggest that the shutters between elite sectors are relatively closed. However, the few individuals passing through these most exclusive revolving doors may have a significant political impact.

This article analyses the recruitment criteria, career patterns and social hierarchies of Dutch political science. Dutch political science is highly internationalised and outward-looking. About one-fifth to one-third of most departments is non-Dutch and English language courses are common. Two MA programmes are offered solely in English, and Dutch political science was among the first comprehensively to introduce the BA/MA system. Research is also internationally oriented. Promotion is increasingly based on merit although there are few women in the higher ranks. Working conditions are generally fine and young scholars enjoy a relatively high level of autonomy and reasonable rates of pay. The major hurdle is achieving a permanent position.

This article discusses the problems and opportunities facing any ‘young’ political scientist working – or wishing to work – in Spanish universities. Starting with a brief description of the delayed development of political science in Spain, it then explains some of the problems facing those seeking jobs in research, before analysing the ongoing reforms of the university recruitment process and the consequences for political scientists. Although there remain many problems in Spanish university recruitment procedures, such as a tendency towards hiring internal candidates at the expense of ‘outsiders’, there are signs that reform is bringing about a slow improvement, and is gradually ensuring a greater degree of excellence.

Volunteering is associated with health-promoting benefits for both recipients and volunteers and may contribute to a more inclusive society. However, studies have shown a persistent pattern of social inequality among those who volunteer, and immigrants participate as volunteers less than the majority population. To date, approaches for recruiting immigrant populations have not been sufficiently examined, even though multicultural societies are becoming increasingly diverse. This study investigates how recruitment is carried out in voluntary organizations and how volunteers who are involved in recruitment reflect on the inclusion of citizens with immigrant backgrounds. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 volunteers and three employees with recruitment responsibility at five voluntary organizations engaged in welfare and community-related activities in a semirural district in Norway. Our findings show that different structural factors and individual aspects of the recruiter influence the recruitment of immigrants as volunteers. Large-scale organizations are more professionalized and more directed by fundings and frameworks and demand more qualifications due to their volunteer tasks. This might make inclusive recruitment more challenging. Small-scale organizations have more flexibility and less professionalized volunteer activities, making recruitment more inclusive. In addition, if the small-scale organizations are minority driven, it seems to positively influence the recruitment of immigrants through increased diversity sensitivity and more connections with immigrants through their social network.

The purpose of the article is to assess the risks and opportunities of entry into the political science profession in Italy. Part one contains some brief reflections on the discipline and its institutionalisation. Part two offers an overview of the main features of the recruitment process and its national peculiarities. Part three looks into the current problems facing young Italian scholars who wish to become academics. Part four concludes with some suggestions to young political scientists who have much hope but also many doubts about how to cope with permanent uncertainty regarding their career development.

Research productivity in terms of publications in international journals varies greatly across European countries. Language and country size have been discussed as factors responsible for this. However, institutional factors may be more important. The contribution analyses the institutions shaping three typical stages of career development in research: the Ph.D. phase, the post-doc phase and professorship. The incentives for publication provided by two institutional systems are compared: the Anglo-Saxon type, represented by the UK, and the continental type, represented by Germany. The author concludes that the Anglo-Saxon system has advantages over the continental European system at all three stages of a career.