Assessing the challenges of Postgraduate research: perspectives from University of Zululand
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
Universities the world over are recognised as institutions for the development of
knowledge, learning and innovation. The purpose of postgraduate research is to
foster the ability to efficiently investigate niche subjects during the research process.
The point of postgraduate research is not necessarily to innovate or expand
knowledge but to produce academic-research scholars. Most postgraduate research
comprises basic research, applied, and collaborative research (Mutula, 2009).
This study assessed the challenges of postgraduate research drawing on
perspectives from the University of Zululand (UNIZULU). As a comprehensive
university, the focus on UNIZULU provides an opportunity to understand how the
challenges of postgraduate research from a previously disadvantaged South African
university environment can be addressed. The study seeks to understand students’
and academic staff’s insights about the challenges facing postgraduate research with
reference to UNIZULU. It adopts a mixed-methodology approach by generating data
from questionnaires, interviews and focus-group interviews. Four primary questions
were directed to 34 study participants to gather data relevant to the challenges
experienced when conducting postgraduate research. The questions sought to
understand these challenges from two sides (students and authorities).
The findings of the study reveal that the challenges facing postgraduate research
include a lack of supervision and mentorship, understaffed university, a lack of
research-writing skills, a lack of funding, quality control and status recognition (as
mentioned by the participants). The study traces the postgraduate challenges to a
number of sources such as the university being understaffed, funding issues, a
shortage of postgraduate facilities and the mismanagement of research
documentation. The study concludes that the institution should implement cohort
supervision and create its own funding scheme. Doing so would address the issues
arising from the postgraduate research challenges. The study further suggests that
the KZN education sector, and specifically UNIZULU, reviews its postgraduate
research policies, especially on issues related to funding and housing. Such an
undertaking would justify the huge annual investment needed to sustain
postgraduate research
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty Of Commerce, Administration and Law in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Of Master Of Administration (Public Administration) in the Department Of Political Science & Public Administration at the University Of Zululand, 2017
Keywords
post graduate --challenges --research --South Africa