Challenges in doctoral supervision in South African universities

Benard Ungadi Akala

doi:10.23954/osj.v6i2.2886

Abstract

This article addresses the challenges encountered by doctoral supervisors as they interact with their doctoral students in the contexts of South African universities. In a qualitative study of seven doctoral (PhD) supervisors and six PhD students, data was collected using interviews to examine the challenges supervisors experience as they supervise doctoral students. The PhD students were included in this study in because their responses would confirm or refute supervisor's views/opinions that emanated from their experiences in a social, cultural, and political context. Data analysis showed that doctoral supervisors experienced multiple challenges including overworking, time, and a set of academic characteristics of PhD students. Overall, the results of this study suggest that certain aspects among doctoral students who have completed doctorates in South African context, and their supervisors in different parts of the world would provide a starting point in the understanding of the implications of these aspects and their effect on the selection of doctoral students and the ongoing research in doctoral supervision in the South African context. doctoral supervision.

Highlights

This article addresses the challenges encountered by doctoral (PhD) supervisors as they interact with their PhD students in varying social, cultural, economic, political, and other contextual forces in South Africa
A report commissioned by Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in 2009 reported on the challenges of PhD students[7] leaving out the research supervisory experiences of PhD supervisors
While previous studies have identified some challenges with regard to PhD supervision, [55,79] this study suggests that the challenge of using information technology in the realm of information literacy among some doctoral students in South African universities need to be updated

Summary

Introduction

This article addresses the challenges encountered by doctoral (PhD) supervisors as they interact with their PhD students in varying social, cultural, economic, political, and other contextual forces in South Africa. By ‘challenges’, the study refers to some of the varied experiences that research supervisors entertain as they supervise PhD students According to this view, doctoral supervision encounters are affected by personal, interpersonal, intellectual, institutional factors and national, social, economic, cultural, and political factors that form part of the context. In looking at the issues related to supervisor accountability and the general understanding of participation in doctoral education in South Africa, issues related to new public management were discussed, focusing on institutional management, accountability, and PhD production at national level. Pseudo names were used in reporting the findings of the study

Findings

Discussion of findings

Conclusion