Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused major disruptions to the education sector, with detrimental effects on the supervision of postgraduate students and their success. Higher education institutions (HEIs) shut down to observe COVID-19 protocols and minimise the spread of the virus. University closures forced postgraduate-supervision processes to be conducted online, resulting in students experiencing many challenges, such as, loss of social networks and social interaction, lack of access to university computer laboratories and software, inability to collect face-to-face data, and wellness and mental problems. Whereas abundant research exists on COVID-19, little is known about factors that contributed to postgraduate students’ success during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative case study reports on the factors that promoted student success during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspective of 23 postgraduate students. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analysed through colour-coding and thematic categorisation. Results revealed that both students and supervisors contributed to the success of postgraduate students. They also showed that some students possessed certain attributes that enhanced their success, as well as that some postgraduate supervisors employed novel approaches to students’ supervision that promoted students’ success. This article encourages HEIs to leverage these factors to promote postgraduate student success beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
{"title":"Key factors contributing to postgraduate students’ success: Making a case for Coronavirus-19 and beyond","authors":"L. Sosibo","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6263","url":null,"abstract":"Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused major disruptions to the education sector, with detrimental effects on the supervision of postgraduate students and their success. Higher education institutions (HEIs) shut down to observe COVID-19 protocols and minimise the spread of the virus. University closures forced postgraduate-supervision processes to be conducted online, resulting in students experiencing many challenges, such as, loss of social networks and social interaction, lack of access to university computer laboratories and software, inability to collect face-to-face data, and wellness and mental problems. Whereas abundant research exists on COVID-19, little is known about factors that contributed to postgraduate students’ success during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative case study reports on the factors that promoted student success during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspective of 23 postgraduate students. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analysed through colour-coding and thematic categorisation. Results revealed that both students and supervisors contributed to the success of postgraduate students. They also showed that some students possessed certain attributes that enhanced their success, as well as that some postgraduate supervisors employed novel approaches to students’ supervision that promoted students’ success. This article encourages HEIs to leverage these factors to promote postgraduate student success beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140255732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The internationalisation of higher education has resulted in an increase in student mobility from countries of their origin to experience a different kind of education elsewhere. South Africa absorbs most international students within Africa. According to Chasi and Quinlan (2021, 209) the Council for Higher Education reported that 6.5 per cent of the total number of enrolments in universities in South Africa are international students, which is a significant proportion of the student body. The success of these students contributes to raising the profile of South African universities as far as rankings are concerned as well as generating revenue for the institutions. This article explores the lived experiences of postgraduate international students at a university in South Africa. The aim of the article is to identify the opportunities and constraints that students experience, coming from outside South Africa to pursue postgraduate studies. Using Sen’s capability approach, the article endeavoured to unveil conversion factors that international students encounter while studying for their postgraduate programmes. A qualitative approach was employed to generate data through interviews with students who had completed their postgraduate studies. The findings revealed the capability to study as a “doing” that mattered to the students with the intention of ultimately attaining their postgraduate qualifications. Experiences along the way included both enabling and constraining factors such as immigration, cultural adjustments, supervision and institutional factors. There is a compelling need to revisit the processes of admission and immigration regarding international students aimed at benefiting both students and institutions.
{"title":"Internationalisation and the lived experiences of Non-South African postgraduate students in accessing higher education in South Africa","authors":"T. Banda, B. Zungu","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6246","url":null,"abstract":"The internationalisation of higher education has resulted in an increase in student mobility from countries of their origin to experience a different kind of education elsewhere. South Africa absorbs most international students within Africa. According to Chasi and Quinlan (2021, 209) the Council for Higher Education reported that 6.5 per cent of the total number of enrolments in universities in South Africa are international students, which is a significant proportion of the student body. The success of these students contributes to raising the profile of South African universities as far as rankings are concerned as well as generating revenue for the institutions. This article explores the lived experiences of postgraduate international students at a university in South Africa. The aim of the article is to identify the opportunities and constraints that students experience, coming from outside South Africa to pursue postgraduate studies. Using Sen’s capability approach, the article endeavoured to unveil conversion factors that international students encounter while studying for their postgraduate programmes. A qualitative approach was employed to generate data through interviews with students who had completed their postgraduate studies. The findings revealed the capability to study as a “doing” that mattered to the students with the intention of ultimately attaining their postgraduate qualifications. Experiences along the way included both enabling and constraining factors such as immigration, cultural adjustments, supervision and institutional factors. There is a compelling need to revisit the processes of admission and immigration regarding international students aimed at benefiting both students and institutions.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140255656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Generally, departments of accounting at universities in South Africa that are accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) mainly focus on teaching the syllabus as prescribed by the Institute. There is no research methodology module in this syllabus neither at undergraduate nor honours level. To qualify as a chartered accountant, one needs to pass an honours degree in accounting and write and pass two board exams. A qualified chartered accountant (CA/SA) will most likely encounter a research methodology module for the first time at master’s-degree level. Since 2008, in addition to teaching and learning and community engagement, the departments of accounting have embraced their scholarly activities, which include supervision and/or publishing. As a result, there is an increased effort by the departments of accounting to have its staff members with a chartered accountancy qualification to enrol for master’s and doctoral degrees (De Jager, Lubbe, Papageorgiou 2018). It is commonly believed that it seems easier to supervise students or write articles after attaining these qualifications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers that are encountered by academics from a chartered accountancy background to engage in scholarly activities willingly. A qualitative research approach was followed in this study and data was collected by means of interviews. The population was accounting academics at the North-West University. The analysis of data was done qualitatively by means of thematic analysis. The findings revealed barriers such as not knowing where to start due to lack of background or knowledge in conducting research, time, workload, lack of management and lack of access to experienced mentors.
{"title":"Barriers towards research activities among academics in the chartered accountancy stream at the North-West University, South Africa","authors":"S. Sekgota","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6271","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6271","url":null,"abstract":"Generally, departments of accounting at universities in South Africa that are accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) mainly focus on teaching the syllabus as prescribed by the Institute. There is no research methodology module in this syllabus neither at undergraduate nor honours level. To qualify as a chartered accountant, one needs to pass an honours degree in accounting and write and pass two board exams. A qualified chartered accountant (CA/SA) will most likely encounter a research methodology module for the first time at master’s-degree level. Since 2008, in addition to teaching and learning and community engagement, the departments of accounting have embraced their scholarly activities, which include supervision and/or publishing. As a result, there is an increased effort by the departments of accounting to have its staff members with a chartered accountancy qualification to enrol for master’s and doctoral degrees (De Jager, Lubbe, Papageorgiou 2018). It is commonly believed that it seems easier to supervise students or write articles after attaining these qualifications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers that are encountered by academics from a chartered accountancy background to engage in scholarly activities willingly. A qualitative research approach was followed in this study and data was collected by means of interviews. The population was accounting academics at the North-West University. The analysis of data was done qualitatively by means of thematic analysis. The findings revealed barriers such as not knowing where to start due to lack of background or knowledge in conducting research, time, workload, lack of management and lack of access to experienced mentors.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140255691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Doing a doctorate can be an experience but it can also be challenging. Doctoral students often experience high levels of stress, pressure, and expectations, which can have a negative impact on their mental health. There is very little research examining the psychological well-being of doctoral students during COVID-19 in the South African context. This study therefore aimed to assess the psychological well-being of doctoral students at a private South African university. A cross-sectional study was conducted with forty-two doctoral students, using a self-completed and validated questionnaire. The data were collected using the QuestionPro online platform. The significant predictor for positive emotion was identified using multiple of linear regression analysis using SPSS version 27.0. Most of the participants agreed highly regarding relatedness, autonomy and competence. Autonomy and competence are significant predictors of positive emotions. This study highlights the importance of perceived competence, autonomy, and positive emotions for the psychological well-being of doctoral students during unplanned and involuntary periods of remote learning. The findings provide insights into approaches that might be employed to enhance the well-being of doctorate students through distant learning, hence minimising the adverse consequences of this particular circumstance.
{"title":"The psychological well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown of doctoral students at a private higher education institution in South Africa: An application of Self-Determination Theory","authors":"M. Hoque","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6245","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6245","url":null,"abstract":"Doing a doctorate can be an experience but it can also be challenging. Doctoral students often experience high levels of stress, pressure, and expectations, which can have a negative impact on their mental health. There is very little research examining the psychological well-being of doctoral students during COVID-19 in the South African context. This study therefore aimed to assess the psychological well-being of doctoral students at a private South African university. A cross-sectional study was conducted with forty-two doctoral students, using a self-completed and validated questionnaire. The data were collected using the QuestionPro online platform. The significant predictor for positive emotion was identified using multiple of linear regression analysis using SPSS version 27.0. Most of the participants agreed highly regarding relatedness, autonomy and competence. Autonomy and competence are significant predictors of positive emotions. This study highlights the importance of perceived competence, autonomy, and positive emotions for the psychological well-being of doctoral students during unplanned and involuntary periods of remote learning. The findings provide insights into approaches that might be employed to enhance the well-being of doctorate students through distant learning, hence minimising the adverse consequences of this particular circumstance.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140256844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Against the backdrop of a transforming doctoral education landscape and the emergence of non-traditional doctoral students, this article investigates strategies to promote the success of students balancing academic studies and their careers. Prevailing discussions on doctoral success strategies have often centred on “traditional” doctoral students. This article examines the doctoral success challenges confronted by “non-traditional” doctoral candidates who pursue higher education at different stages of their lives, often juggling such with work and family or other responsibilities. The study was informed by Ward and Brennan’s model to analyse the compatibility of student-doctoral education. This framework introduces the concept of student-doctoral fit that asserts that non-traditional students achieve optimal success when there is alignment between the student’s values and those upheld by their organization and social structure. Therefore, doctoral success for non-traditional students lies in the alignment of three main spheres, namely, the 1) student-doctoral environment, 2) student vocation, and 3) the student-doctoral culture. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 non-traditional doctoral students employed by a research organization. The findings underscore the intricacies of balancing academic and professional demands, shedding light on the challenges arising from the lack of integration between academic work and doctoral pursuits. They highlight the need to challenge the conventional separation of these facets. Notably, participants highlighted that they received more substantial academic training and support from the research organization and work mentors, emphasizing the variable nature of support by university supervisors. Given that the majority of challenges reported revolve around the fit between the student-doctoral culture and environment, it is recommended that research organizations and universities collaborate and establish robust support structures. This collaborative approach is essential to ensure academic success and facilitate non-traditional doctoral students’ smoother transition into professional careers
{"title":"Reimagining doctoral success for \"non-traditional students\": A phenomenological inquiry into the experiences of emerging researchers","authors":"Z.M. Mthombeni","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6239","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6239","url":null,"abstract":"Against the backdrop of a transforming doctoral education landscape and the emergence of non-traditional doctoral students, this article investigates strategies to promote the success of students balancing academic studies and their careers. Prevailing discussions on doctoral success strategies have often centred on “traditional” doctoral students. This article examines the doctoral success challenges confronted by “non-traditional” doctoral candidates who pursue higher education at different stages of their lives, often juggling such with work and family or other responsibilities. The study was informed by Ward and Brennan’s model to analyse the compatibility of student-doctoral education. This framework introduces the concept of student-doctoral fit that asserts that non-traditional students achieve optimal success when there is alignment between the student’s values and those upheld by their organization and social structure. Therefore, doctoral success for non-traditional students lies in the alignment of three main spheres, namely, the 1) student-doctoral environment, 2) student vocation, and 3) the student-doctoral culture. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 non-traditional doctoral students employed by a research organization. The findings underscore the intricacies of balancing academic and professional demands, shedding light on the challenges arising from the lack of integration between academic work and doctoral pursuits. They highlight the need to challenge the conventional separation of these facets. Notably, participants highlighted that they received more substantial academic training and support from the research organization and work mentors, emphasizing the variable nature of support by university supervisors. Given that the majority of challenges reported revolve around the fit between the student-doctoral culture and environment, it is recommended that research organizations and universities collaborate and establish robust support structures. This collaborative approach is essential to ensure academic success and facilitate non-traditional doctoral students’ smoother transition into professional careers","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140256395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In many South African universities, full research students receive little support during the research conceptualisation stage of the research journey, other than that provided by their supervisors, who tend to have limited time to engage with their students. Furthermore, during the proposal phase, scant attention is paid to the role of writing in research conceptualisation and scholarly development. In an attempt to address this neglect, the authors of this article worked collaboratively with academic staff from two schools within the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand to pilot academic literacies-informed projects aimed at integrating writing in the first year of existing postgraduate research programmes. This article provides insight into factors that constrain and enable such an integration endeavour. Data was collected through focus group discussions with the project teams from the participating schools. Drawing on Margaret Archer’s structure, culture, and agency as the analytical framework, five themes emerged from the data: leadership and oversight, supervision and postgraduate pedagogy, supervisor awareness and support, the postgraduate research education curriculum, and student engagement and commitment. The authors discuss these themes in terms of their enabling and constraining dimensions, and conclude with observations that could inform similar initiatives in other postgraduate research programmes.
{"title":"Integrating scholarly writing development into postgraduate research programmes: An exploration of enablers and constraints","authors":"P. Lamberti, M. Kluyts, D. de Klerk","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6273","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6273","url":null,"abstract":"In many South African universities, full research students receive little support during the research conceptualisation stage of the research journey, other than that provided by their supervisors, who tend to have limited time to engage with their students. Furthermore, during the proposal phase, scant attention is paid to the role of writing in research conceptualisation and scholarly development. In an attempt to address this neglect, the authors of this article worked collaboratively with academic staff from two schools within the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand to pilot academic literacies-informed projects aimed at integrating writing in the first year of existing postgraduate research programmes. This article provides insight into factors that constrain and enable such an integration endeavour. Data was collected through focus group discussions with the project teams from the participating schools. Drawing on Margaret Archer’s structure, culture, and agency as the analytical framework, five themes emerged from the data: leadership and oversight, supervision and postgraduate pedagogy, supervisor awareness and support, the postgraduate research education curriculum, and student engagement and commitment. The authors discuss these themes in terms of their enabling and constraining dimensions, and conclude with observations that could inform similar initiatives in other postgraduate research programmes.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140256676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L.I. Nwosu, T. Segotso, N. B. Enebe, M. Nyakuwanika
Background: Massification of higher education and growth in undergraduate students has propelled a wave of students seeking advanced degrees. Increasing numbers of postgraduate students reflect the performance of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and highlight the need to study key elements affecting postgraduate academic success. Purpose: This systematic literature review (SLR) aims to identify key success factors related to postgraduate studies. Research approach: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide the reporting of this review. Articles in ScienceDirect, Jestp.com, Ed.gv, Tandfonline.com, Oup.com, Springer.com, Researchgate.net, Sagepub.com, Wiley.com, Alt.ac.uk, and Stor.org were searched between January 2013 and January 2023. Results: A final 28 studies from 14 countries were reviewed to provide a holistic assessment of major factors affecting postgraduate academic success. The most common success factors in postgraduate studies are teaching and learning methods, quality research supervision, research capacity building, library services, Postgraduate Student Office workshops, and student characteristics. Limitations within some factors were also reported. Conclusion and implication: The study concluded that postgraduate students’ ability to function effectively depends on adequately implementing and managing critical and complex factors. The results of the study will inform postgraduate programme practitioners.
{"title":"A systematic review of key success factors in postgraduate studies","authors":"L.I. Nwosu, T. Segotso, N. B. Enebe, M. Nyakuwanika","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6284","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Massification of higher education and growth in undergraduate students has propelled a wave of students seeking advanced degrees. Increasing numbers of postgraduate students reflect the performance of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and highlight the need to study key elements affecting postgraduate academic success. Purpose: This systematic literature review (SLR) aims to identify key success factors related to postgraduate studies. Research approach: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide the reporting of this review. Articles in ScienceDirect, Jestp.com, Ed.gv, Tandfonline.com, Oup.com, Springer.com, Researchgate.net, Sagepub.com, Wiley.com, Alt.ac.uk, and Stor.org were searched between January 2013 and January 2023. Results: A final 28 studies from 14 countries were reviewed to provide a holistic assessment of major factors affecting postgraduate academic success. The most common success factors in postgraduate studies are teaching and learning methods, quality research supervision, research capacity building, library services, Postgraduate Student Office workshops, and student characteristics. Limitations within some factors were also reported. Conclusion and implication: The study concluded that postgraduate students’ ability to function effectively depends on adequately implementing and managing critical and complex factors. The results of the study will inform postgraduate programme practitioners.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140255518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Postgraduate student enrolment at South African universities has increased significantly. While this is commendable, it has raised concerns about low success rates. Various scholars have identified under-preparedness, supervision challenges, mental health issues and funding, among other factors, that contribute to the post-graduate success crisis. We believe that post-graduate support services have a significant role to play in dealing with this success crisis. Therefore, in this article, we present a two-fold argument about post-graduate support in South African universities. Firstly, we argue that universities have prioritised support services aimed primarily at undergraduate students, with insufficient support at the post-graduate level, and this has negative implications for post-graduate students’ well-being, success and, ultimately, the knowledge-creating project in the South African higher education context. In so doing, we also highlight some of the gaps as potential areas of improvement in existing postgraduate support services. Secondly, we argue that improved support for postgraduate students requires well-coordinated and collaborative efforts between multiple stakeholders: supervisors, students and university support services, among others. In this way, this article contributes to the body of knowledge on access with success, illuminating the value of support in, and the intricacies of, post-graduate studies.
{"title":"Leaving no one behind: Leveraging support to promote access with success in post-graduate studies","authors":"H. Namakula, M. Ndaba","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6248","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6248","url":null,"abstract":"Postgraduate student enrolment at South African universities has increased significantly. While this is commendable, it has raised concerns about low success rates. Various scholars have identified under-preparedness, supervision challenges, mental health issues and funding, among other factors, that contribute to the post-graduate success crisis. We believe that post-graduate support services have a significant role to play in dealing with this success crisis. Therefore, in this article, we present a two-fold argument about post-graduate support in South African universities. Firstly, we argue that universities have prioritised support services aimed primarily at undergraduate students, with insufficient support at the post-graduate level, and this has negative implications for post-graduate students’ well-being, success and, ultimately, the knowledge-creating project in the South African higher education context. In so doing, we also highlight some of the gaps as potential areas of improvement in existing postgraduate support services. Secondly, we argue that improved support for postgraduate students requires well-coordinated and collaborative efforts between multiple stakeholders: supervisors, students and university support services, among others. In this way, this article contributes to the body of knowledge on access with success, illuminating the value of support in, and the intricacies of, post-graduate studies.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140256816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
There has been slow uptake and growth in the local postgraduate student numbers in design, especially at the doctoral level. The question must be asked why, especially when looking at the growth of design as a discipline and a widening domain resulting from technological and social development. This study aims to explore industry perceptions about postgraduate studies in design to see if that could be a reason for the slow growth. The study starts with the background of the development of the design discipline, design education, and design research. An analysis of postgraduate graduate numbers over the last decade and current providers provides a context and general landscape. The analysis is followed by a report where the perceptions and attitudes of industry practitioners about postgraduate studies in communication/graphic design were qualitatively explored. The fieldwork comprised in-depth interviews that were conducted with communication designers at various points along their career paths. Three elements were explored: identification of the type of advanced knowledge needs in industry; how design professionals see postgraduate studies, their career paths, and vision for the future; and if postgraduate studies feature in their vision for the future. Some of the participants had previously attempted postgraduate studies and were not successful; their experiences added to the rich data. The research contributes to a better understanding of the reasons for the low postgraduate numbers, and the gap between industry and academia at postgraduate levels is confirmed. The study insights provide the possibilities of increasing postgraduate capacity in design by reducing the gap when designing suitable curricula.
{"title":"Mind the gap – industry perceptions about postgraduate studies in the discipline of design","authors":"H.M. van Zyl","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6280","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6280","url":null,"abstract":"There has been slow uptake and growth in the local postgraduate student numbers in design, especially at the doctoral level. The question must be asked why, especially when looking at the growth of design as a discipline and a widening domain resulting from technological and social development. This study aims to explore industry perceptions about postgraduate studies in design to see if that could be a reason for the slow growth. The study starts with the background of the development of the design discipline, design education, and design research. An analysis of postgraduate graduate numbers over the last decade and current providers provides a context and general landscape. The analysis is followed by a report where the perceptions and attitudes of industry practitioners about postgraduate studies in communication/graphic design were qualitatively explored. The fieldwork comprised in-depth interviews that were conducted with communication designers at various points along their career paths. Three elements were explored: identification of the type of advanced knowledge needs in industry; how design professionals see postgraduate studies, their career paths, and vision for the future; and if postgraduate studies feature in their vision for the future. Some of the participants had previously attempted postgraduate studies and were not successful; their experiences added to the rich data. The research contributes to a better understanding of the reasons for the low postgraduate numbers, and the gap between industry and academia at postgraduate levels is confirmed. The study insights provide the possibilities of increasing postgraduate capacity in design by reducing the gap when designing suitable curricula.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140255912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Scholarship on doctoral success highlights differences in timely degree attainment between disciplines. However, research on doctoral education in South Africa is limited to identifying general factors that affect the successful completion of a doctoral degree with very little reference to differences across disciplines. This study’s objective is to compare time-to-degree, as the number of years between a doctoral student’s commencement year and graduation year, across selected disciplines as well as to identify factors, above and beyond that of disciplinary field, which are explanatory of shorter time-to-degree. The study investigates the role of selected student demographics (such as commencement age, gender, race, and nationality), institutional (type of higher education institution), and situational factors (such as part-time or full-time enrolment) in predicting doctoral time-to-degree. Results of multiple linear regression models indicate that mode of enrolment is the strongest predictor of completion time with part-time students recording a statistically significantly longer time-to-degree when compared to full-time students. A student’s discipline, nationality, and institution are also identified as statistically significant predictors of time-to-degree while gender, race, and age are not. However, the interaction between commencement age and enrolment mode is indicated to be a strong predictor of doctoral completion time. Although shorter completion times can be considered an indicator of efficiency at doctoral level, it is imperative to consider wider contextual factors in thinking about this issue.
{"title":"A study of doctoral time-to-degree in selected disciplines at South African public universities","authors":"M.H. van Lill","doi":"10.20853/38-1-6268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20853/38-1-6268","url":null,"abstract":"Scholarship on doctoral success highlights differences in timely degree attainment between disciplines. However, research on doctoral education in South Africa is limited to identifying general factors that affect the successful completion of a doctoral degree with very little reference to differences across disciplines. This study’s objective is to compare time-to-degree, as the number of years between a doctoral student’s commencement year and graduation year, across selected disciplines as well as to identify factors, above and beyond that of disciplinary field, which are explanatory of shorter time-to-degree. The study investigates the role of selected student demographics (such as commencement age, gender, race, and nationality), institutional (type of higher education institution), and situational factors (such as part-time or full-time enrolment) in predicting doctoral time-to-degree. Results of multiple linear regression models indicate that mode of enrolment is the strongest predictor of completion time with part-time students recording a statistically significantly longer time-to-degree when compared to full-time students. A student’s discipline, nationality, and institution are also identified as statistically significant predictors of time-to-degree while gender, race, and age are not. However, the interaction between commencement age and enrolment mode is indicated to be a strong predictor of doctoral completion time. Although shorter completion times can be considered an indicator of efficiency at doctoral level, it is imperative to consider wider contextual factors in thinking about this issue.","PeriodicalId":44786,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Higher Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140256251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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