Современная российская аспирантура: проблемы и ключевые факторы развития

Failure of students to complete postgraduate studies is a matter of concern globally to several stakeholders among them academics, postgraduate candidates, government representatives, HEIs administrators, and postgraduate funders. The contemporary terminology for this phenomenon is throughput, regarded as the completion of studies within a minimum or maximum allocated timeframe. Throughput related issues in higher education include the length of time it takes for students to graduate, the students’ success rates, termination of studies and dropping out of the system before graduation or remaining in the system inactively, etc. In the context of South Africa, postgraduate throughput is noticeably lower in Universities of Technology (UoTs) given that research was previously not their primary focus. With reference to the above, this study, aimed to examine the factors influencing the throughput of postgraduates in a South African University of Technology. The aim of the study was achieved by establishing awareness of and adherence to the completion timelines for postgraduate studies, determining the research capacity available for the completion of postgraduate studies and determining the factors hindering the completion of postgraduate studies. To fully appreciate the concept of postgraduate studies and issues associated with postgraduate throughput, the literature on the factors influencing postgraduates’ throughput was reviewed. The theory of Student Integration (Tinto 1975) was employed to guide the present study. Tinto’s theory recommends that the extent of students’ integration into the academic life and social life within academia, and the extent of students’ commitment and diligence to their studies and the university-oriented goals are the symptoms signifying students’ persistence within academia. The study was informed by the post-positivist research paradigm allowing for the combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches in a single study within a survey research design. The population groups targeted for data collection were postgraduate students, academic supervisors, faculties’ research coordinators, and library personnel (librarian). Self-administered semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from postgraduate students and academic supervisors. Data from librarians was collected by means of face-toface semi-structured interviews. The collected quantitative and qualitative data was analysed through descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis, respectively. Analysis through descriptive statistics was limited to frequency counts, percentages, tables, charts, and graphs. Qualitative data results were presented in a narrative form (textual formats). The study findings outlined the importance of awareness of completion timelines, and rules and regulations governing postgraduate studies to throughput. It was, however, clear that there was laxity in terms of adherence to rules and regulations, even though the study could not determine whether the extent of laxity extended to failure to meet completion timelines as the majority of those who responded were still within their candidature. The study also found that there is optimum visibility of the core research capacity (in terms of facilities including library and research support programs, and trained personnel) for throughput and the satisfaction thereof was by and large on the moderate to satisfactory scale. The availability of academic writing skills was reported to be low yet significant to postgraduate throughput. The study confirmed the significance of personal/students, supervisory, and institutional related factors to throughput. The most influential factors were slow feedback; challenges associated with financial resources; lack of readiness to conduct research; lack of commitment to conduct research, lack of research skills; supervisors’ workload, commitments associated with family responsibilities; lack of sound training in research methodologies and methods as well as lack of technical support. The institution has the opportunity for significant improvement regarding the factors hindering the throughput of postgraduates.

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.

Quiet Achiever It is always sad when we lose colleagues. But it is particularly sad when they die too young. We worked with John for many years, and he was always highly regarded as a professional in agricultural and environmental economics. He was somewhat shy and retiring, always a gentle person, quietly spoken, very thoughtful and scholarly and very caring towards his colleagues, and undergraduate and postgraduate students. Former postgraduate students have commented that John's style as a supervisor was to guide and encourage, rather than to direct. He was an absolute joy to work with. We received numerous responses from his colleagues in agricultural and environmental economics following the announcement of his death, as we expected. But it was only when we read responses from colleagues around the world in fisheries resources and economics that we realised how widespread his impact has been. John was a member of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade. Following John's death, the Institute circulated to its membership an appreciation of John's contributions and forwarded their comments to us. He was indeed a ‘Quiet Achiever’. John was born in Scotland and raised in London. He obtained a BSc in Economics and Accounting at Bristol University and a PhD in Agricultural Economics at Wye College, University of London in 1971. He came to Australia in 1971 and for 3 years was a Research Fellow in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management at the University of New England (UNE). Here, John commenced the building of an Aggregative Programming Model for Australian Agriculture (APMAA) under the supervision of Professors John Dillon and John Guise. The project grew to support a team of four full-time researchers and was ahead of its time. It continued after John left UNE. John joined La Trobe University in 1975 as a lecturer in the School of Economics where he stayed for 37 years, reaching positions of Reader and Associate Professor. John's wife Ann wrote after his death that when John was still well he remembered with great fondness the halcyon days at La Trobe with his agricultural economics colleagues. His main research and teaching interests at La Trobe University were in agricultural, fisheries, forestry and environmental economics. He employed and further developed decision-making tools – in particular dynamic programming. He initiated and taught a wide array of courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including microeconomic theory, cost-benefit analysis, global environmental issues, resource and environmental economics, environmental law and management, and location and transport economics, to name a few. He supervised around a dozen PhD theses including ‘Methodological issues in contingent valuation: An application to endangered species’; ‘Sustainable and conventional agriculture: An economic analysis of Australian cereal/livestock farming’; ‘Trade games: non-cooperative strategies in the international wheat market’; ‘Incentives for switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources by the North and the South: a game-theoretic analysis of response to global warming’; and ‘The effect of trade in carbon credits on global timber demand’. John published around 50 journal articles, a number of books and book chapters, including the book ‘Dynamic Programming: Applications to Agriculture and Natural Resources’. His journal articles ranged from ‘A model for determining optimal feeding and marketing policies for beef cattle’ to ‘The impact of quotas on the Southern Bluefin Tuna industry’. The article ‘Within-season rents: maximized or dissipated in an open-access fishery?’ co-authored by John with Rognvaldur Hannesson won the outstanding article award in Marine Resource Economics for 2006. His book on Dynamic Programming is a seminal work that has been widely quoted in the literature. A reviewer in the Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics (1988) concluded that the book would make the tools of dynamic analysis available to a much wider audience of applied economists and that its greatest use would be for researchers and applied economists in the analysis of stochastic and dynamic problems. A valuable feature of the book was its inclusion of generalised computer programs in BASIC for different classes of dynamic programming problems. John won research grants including a significant grant by The Australian Research Council for a project on the ‘Determination of Optimal Annual Fish Catches allowing for Multicohort Stocks and Adjustments in Fleet Size’. He was also appointed Project Leader by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research for the project ‘Maximising the economic benefits to Pacific Island Nations from management of migratory tuna stocks’ with a budget of approximately $600,000. Professional positions held by John have included Book Review Editor and Joint Editor, Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics; Associate Dean for Research and Postgraduate Studies, School of Economics and Commerce, La Trobe University; President, Victorian Branch of the Australian Agricultural Economics Society; Distinguished Research Fellow, Centre for Fisheries Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Bergen; and Associate Editor, Marine Resource Economics. John also participated in a number of consultancies including for the Bureau of Immigration Research on ‘Immigration, Population Growth and the Environment’; and the Victorian Department of Conservation and Environment on ‘Economic Principles for the Establishment and Optimisation of Conjunctive Water Use Schemes’. John had several periods of sabbatical leave in the United States, Norway, England and Scotland, as well as at Australian universities. He and his wife Ann were especially fond of Edinburgh and planned to make their home there in retirement. Unfortunately, John's retirement years were few and beset by the rapid onset of dementia. John is survived by Ann and their daughters Jessica and Vanessa. John will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.

Aim/Purpose: [This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the journal "Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology,"16, 21-40.] The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the learning that happens in assuming a supervisee’s role during the postgraduate study. Background: The facilitators and barriers students encountered while pursuing postgraduate studies, strategies to achieve success in postgraduate studies, and how to decrease attrition rates of students, have been sufficiently explored in literature. However, there is little written about the personal and professional impact on students when they are being supervised to complete their postgraduate studies. Methodology: Autoethnographic method of deep reflection was used to examine the learning that transpired from the supervisee’s perspective. Two lecturers (a Senior Lecturer in Nursing and an Aboriginal Tutor) focused on their postgraduate journeys as supervisees, respectively, with over 30 years of study experience between them, in Australia and abroad. Contribution: Future postgraduate students, researchers, would-be supervisors and experienced supervisors could learn from the reflections of the authors’ postgraduate experiences. Findings: Four themes surfaced, and these were Eureka moments, Critical friend(s), Supervisory relationship, and Transformative learning. The authors highlighted the significance of a supervisory relationship which is key to negotiating the journey with the supervisor. Essential for these students also were insights on finding the path as well as the destination and the transformative aspects that happened as a necessary part of the journey. Conclusion. The postgraduate journey has taught them many lessons, the most profound of which was the change in perspective and attitude in the process of being and becoming. Personal and professional transformative learning did occur. At its deepest level, the authors’ reflections resulted in self-actualization and a rediscovery of their more authentic selves. Recommendations for Practitioners: This article highlights the importance of the supervisory relationship that must be negotiated to ensure the success of the candidate. Reflections of the transformation are recommended to support the students further. Recommendation for Researchers: Quality supervision can make a significant influence on the progress of students. Further research on the supervisory relationship is recommended. Impact on Society: The support in terms of supervision to ensure postgraduate students’ success is essential. Postgraduate students contribute to the human, social, professional, intellectual, and economic capital of universities and nations globally. Future Research: Further reflections of the transformative learning will advance the understanding of the personal and professional changes that occur with postgraduate supervision.

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the learning that happens in assuming a supervisee’s role during the postgraduate study. Background: The facilitators and barriers students encountered while pursuing postgraduate studies, strategies to achieve success in postgraduate studies, and how to decrease attrition rates of students, have been sufficiently explored in literature. However, there is little written about the personal and professional impact on students when they are being supervised to complete their postgraduate studies. Methodology: Autoethnographic method of deep reflection was used to examine the learning that transpired from the supervisee’s perspective. Two lecturers (a Senior Lecturer in Nursing and an Aboriginal Tutor) focused on their postgraduate journeys as supervisees, respectively, with over 30 years of study experience between them, in Australia and abroad. Contribution: Future postgraduate students, researchers, would-be supervisors and experienced supervisors could learn from the reflections of the authors’ postgraduate experiences. Findings: Four themes surfaced, and these were Eureka moments, Critical friend(s), Supervisory relationship, and Transformative learning. The authors highlighted the significance of a supervisory relationship which is key to negotiating the journey with the supervisor. Essential for these students also were insights on finding the path as well as the destination and the transformative aspects that happened as a necessary part of the journey. Conclusion. The postgraduate journey has taught them many lessons, the most profound of which was the change in perspective and attitude in the process of being and becoming. Personal and professional transformative learning did occur. At its deepest level, the authors’ reflections resulted in self-actualization and a rediscovery of their more authentic selves. Recommendations for Practitioners: This article highlights the importance of the supervisory relationship that must be negotiated to ensure the success of the candidate. Reflections of the transformation are recommended to support the students further. Recommendation for Researchers: Quality supervision can make a significant influence on the progress of students. Further research on the supervisory relationship is recommended. Impact on Society: The support in terms of supervision to ensure postgraduate students’ success is essential. Postgraduate students contribute to the human, social, professional, intellectual, and economic capital of universities and nations globally. Future Research: Further reflections of the transformative learning will advance the understanding of the personal and professional changes that occur with postgraduate supervision.

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.

This paper explores and examines the distal and proximal systems which construct social science postgraduate study in the UK and analyses the emergent identities of postgraduate students as they negotiate the multiple and interacting practices in their transition to study. The data represent part of a one-year research project, funded by the Higher Education Academy, in which staff and students from five UK universities participated. The paper takes a socio-cultural perspective and situates staff and students in the wider macro context of policy and practice surrounding postgraduate study as well as exploring the micro processes which construct the proximal experience of the transition. We argue that the silence surrounding postgraduate transition in the literature must be addressed in light of existing literature and the present research, both of which suggest that the systems which construct postgraduate study are complex and challenging to students, who do not always receive the support they require. We discuss the practices which implicitly assume expertise in postgraduate students in contrast to student self-identification as confused and struggling. Commonalities with other educational transitions are identified but we argue that there are distinct aspects to postgraduate transition which require greater breadth of research with both successful and unsuccessful postgraduate students.

The article draws on the reports by 12 guest professors - all women - who participated in an EU-financed pedagogical project within a Swedish university's postgraduate studies course, the purpose of which was to address equal opportunities in academia. It has been established that women with doctoral degrees are not being absorbed into the research community. The purpose of the project was to persuade more women postgraduate students to consider university research as a possible future career on finishing their postgraduate studies. The article focuses on the question of whether guest professors, in their capacity as outsiders, observe significant factors in postgraduate students' circumstances that elude departmental staff. Can these observations provide knowledge that might persuade more women to continue in research? Can guest professors provide postgraduate students with experiences and lessons that are not readily available from departmental staff? The analysis of the professors' reports indicates that such is the case.

Background: Postgraduate studies in public health are vital for addressing global healthcare challenges. This study examines the factors motivating students at the University of Sunderland to pursue advanced degrees in public health, aiming to understand both personal and external influences on their educational choices. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design, utilizing a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions. The research was conducted at the University of Sunderland's main and London campuses, targeting postgraduate public health students. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 28.0, focusing on descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations. Results: Out of 102 respondents, 94 met the eligibility criteria. The mean age was 31.5 years, with a majority being female (61.8%) and from the African continent (58.5%). Most respondents (52.1%) had clinical experience, and a significant portion (66%) cited career advancement as their primary motivation. Other notable motivations included improving community health (60.6%) and a desire to work in healthcare policy (44.7%). Cultural background significantly influenced motivations related to global health challenges, while academic history significantly affected motivations concerning community health improvement and disease prevention. Discussion: The findings highlight the diverse motivations driving students to pursue postgraduate public health studies, with career advancement being the most significant factor. Cultural and academic backgrounds play crucial roles in shaping these motivations, suggesting the need for tailored support and resources to address the specific needs of diverse student populations. The study underscores the importance of understanding these motivational factors to enhance educational strategies and support services for public health students.

Department Responsibilities on Supervision: Postgraduate Students' Perception at One of Malaysian Public University

This study investigated undergraduate and postgraduate students' experiences of blended anatomy education at Stellenbosch University during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the rapid transition from dissection and face-to-face (F2F) lectures to emergency (2020) and augmented (2021-2022) remote teaching, learning, and assessment (TLA) during the pandemic, it remains unclear how these shifts impacted student learning. By exploring students' experiences, this study aimed to identify how blended TLA strategies, learning materials, and resource accessibility can better support diverse learning needs and inform future anatomy education design and implementation. Guided by a constructivist epistemology, six online focus group discussions (FGD, n = 18 participants) were conducted with Allied Health Sciences undergraduates (Dietetics, Physiotherapy, Speech, language and hearing therapy, BSc Anatomy, and Occupational therapy) and postgraduate anatomy students. Participants were purposively recruited to ensure representation across different academic programs. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed to develop robust descriptions of students' experiences. This study highlights the interplay of practical skills, social relationships, professional impact, and curriculum design in shaping how students learn in blended anatomy environments. Practical learning was critical for bridging theory and clinical competence, with near-peer tutors playing a pivotal role in knowledge consolidation during F2F sessions. Peer relationships enhanced engagement and adaptation to challenges, while overall blended TLA offered flexibility but lacked immersion. Future blended approaches should prioritize integrated, robust, practical, and theoretical learning supported by high-quality teaching and relational support. Further research should examine the longitudinal impact of blended TLA on professional readiness, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative technologies.

The objective of this article is to determine to which extent the military service deferment can be considered as one of the important factors of students’ motivation to study for postgraduate school. The relevance of this study is linked to the difficulties in the implementation of state policy devoted to the increasing share of young specialists in the academic environment. The share of young scientists is declining, and the part of employees over 60 years old is growing. There is also a lack of information in the scientific literature. In the existing studies, this topic is not covered widely enough. In order to achieve the goal, the authors conducted a sociological research among male postgraduate students of military age of full-time education. The authors interviewed 149 postgraduate students from 41 universities. 50 respondents had a military card, 99 did not have one. The respondents were offered a questionnaire in which they had to assess the level of motivation to study at postgraduate school on a scale from 1 to 10 according to seven factors. In order to accurately interpret the respondents’ answers, the authors used the Mann-Whitney parametric test. The authors note that the key motivator for both groups of postgraduate students is “The possibility of obtaining an advanced degree.” The difference between the groups of respondents with and without a military card is observed in terms of the motivation factor “Interest in scientific and teaching activities.” This indicator is higher for postgraduate students with a military card. For the other five factors of motivation (except for the factor of “deferment”), there was no significant difference among the samples of respondents. Military service deferment is an important factor of motivation, but not it’s not a key one. The authors highlight that there is no need for additional roles for postgraduate students and applicants with and without a military card. The study showed that both are approximately equally motivated to study. The results of the study also show that the factors of motivation “The prestige of the profession of a scientist” and “The size of salaries” motivate postgraduate students less than other factors, although it is known that these factors are decisive when choosing a profession. The authors point out that in order to promote the young staff within the academic environment, it is necessary to pay attention to the mentioned factors.

This research explores the gap in academic English proficiency between undergraduate (S1) and postgraduate (S2) students at a pesantren-based university, using TOEFL ITP scores as the primary benchmark. Although academic English has been widely studied in university contexts, limited attention has been given to pesantren-based institutions—especially in comparing the proficiency levels of students across educational stages. This study addresses that gap by offering fresh insights from a unique educational setting that combines religious and academic curricula. A quantitative comparative approach applied involved 140 students, divided equally between the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. After testing the data distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test, results indicated non-normality (p < 0.05), leading to the use of the Mann-Whitney U test for statistical comparison. Descriptive analysis revealed that postgraduate students scored higher on average (M = 468.9; SD = 23.57) than undergraduates (M = 447.6; SD = 20.32). Furthermore, score ranges differed noticeably: undergraduates commonly scored between 430–460, while postgraduates were more frequently in the 460–500 range. The Mann-Whitney U test confirmed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (U = 1890.500, p = 0.020). These findings suggest a clear disparity in academic English mastery between undergraduate and postgraduate students in this context. The results highlight the importance of implementing targeted academic interventions at the undergraduate level—such as integrated English instruction, intensive support programs, and context-based language learning. By reinforcing English proficiency early in students' academic journeys, it can prepare their graduates to succeed in global academic and professional arenas.

While the number of students who choose to enrol in various postgraduate academic programmes continues to increase, the number of postgraduate students who graduate each year remains low. This requires institutions of higher learning to establish which factors and study modes are likely to promote an environment that is conducive to learning for postgraduate students. The experiences of postgraduate students can be used to promote a positive learning environment for postgraduate students. The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of postgraduate nursing students enrolled in postgraduate nursing diploma coursework and research at the University of Namibia with a view to describe what aspects affect their learning. An exploratory, descriptive and qualitative design was used. The study was contextual in nature. A sample of seven students participated in the study. Purposive sampling was used. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews conducted with seven postgraduate diploma nursing students. The data were analysed through qualitative content analysis. The following four themes were identified: individual experiences, academic factors, institutional factors, and suggested improvement measures which included an improved research approval process and institutional support system to enhance postgraduate studies. The findings of this study highlighted the need for well-articulated actions to deal with the negative challenges identified in the study by offering more academic support to the students during their research proposals and research project writing.

An analysis of students' preparation for the virtual learning environment