The graduate panel are survey of the DZHW graduate survey series, which uses standardized surveys to collect information about studies, career entry, career development and further qualification of graduates. The information can be used to investigate topics such as starting a family, compatibility of family and career, doctorates and knowledge work. The first generation of graduates in Germany was surveyed in 1989 by HIS Hochschul-Informations-System (predecessor institution of the DZHW), since then every fourth graduate cohort has been contacted. Since 2005, bachelor's and increasingly master's graduates have also been part of the sample. For each graduate cohort several survey waves are conducted, each wave taking place at a different time interval from graduation (combined cohort panel design). Thus, graduates are usually surveyed not only as freshly graduated, but also after 5 years as (professionally integrated) career starters and after 10 years as experienced professionals. The focus of the survey (so far) was strongly on the collection of key figures and less on the collection of panel variables.
