Doctoral programmes worldwide are facing numerous challenges. Among these challenges is the diversification of the student body in aspects such as age, socioeconomic background, motivation, and career aspirations. However, these programmes often struggle to respond adequately and promptly to these changes. In this article, we employ the concept of a 'departmental climate' to investigate how doctoral students at Russian universities perceive their environment. The data collected at nine Russian universities (n = 1097) were utilised. Our findings reveal that students whose job is related to doctoral study and those whose job is driven by academic career goals generally perceive the departmental climate more positively. We assume that Russian doctoral programmes are more oriented towards these students and provide them with more support than other students. Our results underscore the need for doctoral programmes to evolve to accommodate a diverse range of student needs, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness and inclusivity of doctoral education.