Encouraging postgraduate studies

According to the Graduate Survey conducted by the Marketing Research Unit, only 65% of UP graduates enrolled for further studies in 2009; 74% of these students registered for a formal qualification. An emerging trend is the stagnation of the ratio between postgraduates (28%) and undergraduates (72%) since 2007. Of greater concern is that only one third of postgraduate students complete their doctoral degrees.

A bold intervention is necessary to increase the number of students in postgraduate studies, particularly those obtaining a PhD degree. A mentorship programme will improve the throughput of undergraduates and postgraduates, and increase the number of PhD registrations as well as the quality of research output.

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) pioneered a successful mentorship programme that identified undergraduates and partnered them with postgraduates. The NAS mentorship programme is formally based on laboratory work and research practices. Undergraduate students are expected to shadow their postgraduate mentors who will introduce them to postgraduate study material. As a result of the mentorship programme, NAS is the Faculty with the most PhD enrolments at UP.

Developing future academic leaders

The shortage of PhD students has a direct impact on the dwindling human resource pool for future academic leaders. To raise doctoral production and thereby ensure the sustainability of the academic leadership in the University, staff must be enabled to complete their PhD studies. This will be supplemented by quality post-doctoral opportunities to build their research careers and increase their NRF rating within the first five years.

Currently there are a number of mentorship programmes in the Faculties, such as the Nursing Mentorship Programme, the VC’s Programme for the successful cultivation of Social Science and Humanities doctoral scholarships in South Africa, BEE-GEE, and AfrILeaD. Each of these programmes aims to increase postgraduate enrolments and improve the caliber and number of academic staff. Unfortunately these mentorship programmes operate in isolation. The proposed mentorship and academic staff development programmes will integrate the current programmes and share resources.

The Mentorship Programmes will increase postgraduate enrollments, thereby increasing government funding. Increasing the cohort of postgraduate students is crucial to enhance the reputation and excellence of the University of Pretoria as leader in research. The successful development of outstanding postgraduate academics as supervisors and mentors is critical in the augmentation of a culture of research in UP.

The academic staff development programme will increase the PhD cohort and provide new academic leaders within the University. Enhancing the research careers of PhD staff will increase the research capacity and output as core activity of UP. Through the increase in postgraduate throughput and the development of PhD staff, the University of Pretoria will fortify its reputation for outstanding quality in higher education teaching, learning and research.