A SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISORS AT UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Postgraduate supervision is vital to the successful completion of the doctoral student’s research, which is influenced by the effectiveness of the postgraduate supervision process and the competence of the postgraduate supervisor. The development of the next generation of researchers in South Africa is a priority in the bid to make a significant contribution to the production of new knowledge. To be competitive it is necessary to promote and develop doctoral capacity which entails an understanding of what skills are necessary to provide effective postgraduate supervision. This is applicable in particular to universities of technology (UoTs) – unique institutions that came about after the merger with universities that had a more extensive experience in postgraduate studies. Their challenges are pronounced, taking into account their level of experience and the emerging research culture still developing in these institutions. UoTs face a unique challenge to produce knowledge that is useable and from which industry and businesses can benefit. UoTs, as part of the university typology, have very specific needs with regard to the development of a skills development programme for postgraduate supervision, because the knowledge generated at UoTs should inform both industry and business. However, to generate new knowledge, postgraduate supervisors need to have skills and knowledge on how to supervise doctoral students. UoTs need to be vigorous in the provision of knowledge and skills to develop postgraduate supervisors. The outcome of this study, namely a skills development programme for postgraduate supervisors, addresses this need. From this perspective and from the literature it is apparent that all types of universities should have a skills development programme in place in order to be effective and efficient in contributing to the successful completion of doctoral degrees. Although UoTs realise the importance of postgraduate supervision and research, they nevertheless need to implement a skills development programme in order to address the skills of postgraduate supervisors, especially novice postgraduate supervisors. No evidence of the existence of a skills development programme for supervisors to supervise doctoral students at UoTs in South Africa could be found by the researcher. Hence a skills programme was developed to manage the continuous professional development of academic staff in an effective and efficient manner. To achieve the aim and objectives of the study, i.e. to develop a skills development programme for postgraduate supervisors, existing literature on postgraduate supervision was investigated. The presentation of the programme will ensure the achievement of higher education’s responsibility towards doctoral students in a planned and coordinated manner. The researcher is of the opinion that postgraduate supervisors will be capacitated by a customised skills development programme. The programme does not have to be implemented in its original form, and other institutions can customise it according to their own unique situations. However, the process followed and components of the programme can be presented without reinventing the wheel. The researcher believes that this study will facilitate the development of postgraduate supervisors. Furthermore, the researcher is also of the opinion that the skills development programme described in this study can be implemented at other UoTs in South Africa. Therefore, the overall goal, aim and objectives of this study were reached.