Quality doctoral thesis begins with effective supervision. Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Modern Languages and Communications senior Lecturer Dr Vijay Kumar Mallan believes research into doctoral education helps effectual doctoral supervision

New Straits Times, Michael Sun

Universiti Putra Malaysia Institutional Repository

More to producinga thesisBy MICHAEL SUNmsun@nst.com.myQUAUTY doctoralthesisbeginswitheffectivesupervision.. UniversitiPutraMalaysiaFac tyofModernLanguagesandCommunicationsseniorlecturerDrVijayKumarMallanbelievesresearchintodoctoraleducationhelpseffectualdoctoralsupervision."Doctoraleducationis anareaofresearchthatweneedtodo(inMalaysia)sothatuniversitylecturersknowhowtosuperviseeffectively,"saysVijayKumarattherecentInternationalDoctoralEducationResearchNetworkODERNrconference2010.Vijayis intheChairofIDERN2010organisingcommittee.Theconference,whichwashostedbyandheldatUniversitiPutraMalaysiaWPM),is aimedatraisingstudents'andsupervisors'awarenessofrecentadvancesindoctoraleducation.'BornoutoftheResearchPedagogiesConferenceheldatCanada'sMcGillUniversitythreeyearsago,IDERNwassetuptobringtogetherexpertsindoctoraleducationwhosharethevisionofbroadeningthefieldofresearch.throughtransnationalperspectives.Thenetworkofresearchersembarksonstudiestoimprovenotonlytheperformancesofdoctoralstudentsbutalsoqualityoftheirsupervision,amongothers.IDERN2010wasattendedbymembersfrom30coUIitrieswhichincludeAustralia,NewZealand,theUnitedKingdom,theUnitedStatesandsomeEuropeannations,amongothers.Some20localpublicuniversitiesand30privatetertiaryinstitutionsalsotookpart:Theconferenceranseparateactivitiesforpostgraduatestudentsandsupervisors.Studentshadthechancetoattendsessionsonhowtocomeupwithqualityresearchproposalsandguidelinesonhowsupervisorsshouldmonitorthem.VijayKumar,whoteachesatUPM'sDepartmentofEnglish,admitsthat"bullying"insupervisionexists."Thereareproblemsinhowsupervisorsdealwithstudentsandviceversa,"saysVijay.Whilemostsupervisionsarewellperformed,problemsareencounteredif studentsarenotacademicallyindependentormayhavelanguagedifficulties.Vijaysays:"It is aprocessinwhichpostgraduatestudentshavetobetaughtskillssuchasacademicleadership,networking,communications,researchandpresentation.Thiswill preparethemfor lifebeyonddoctoraleducation.IDERN2010alsohighlightedtheneedfor localresearcherstoaspiretowardspublicationinacademicShameem Rafik Galeajournalsofinternationalrepute.UPM'sFacultyofModernLanguagesandCommunication,DepartmentofCommunicationsseniorlecturerDrMohdNizamsays:"UPMpostgraduatestudentsarerequiredtopublishbeforetheygraduateunderthenewrule- onepublicationforthosepursuingtheMaster'sprogrammeandtwopublicationsdoctoralcandidates."UPM'sEnglishDepartmentheadAssociateProfessorShamemRafikGaleasays:"Youcan'tgetintohighimpactfactorjournalsifyourworkis notof(high)calibre.It willberejected."Vijay KumarShameemaddsthatthedoctoralprocessinMalaysiais designedtoengagestudentin qualityresearchwhichwill in turnpreparethemforresearchworkthatis worthyofpublicationinsuchjournals."Localtertiaryinstitutionsareproducingqualityresearchersandthatmustbemadeknowntotheindustry,"saysShamemwhoco-chairstheIDERN2010organisingcommittee.OnconcernsthatMalaysiaislaggingbehindregionalcountriesintermsofresearchinhightechnologyandwhichhasnegativelyimpacteditsexportcompetitiveness,headds:"InMalaysia,unlikea lotofothercountries,industriesdonQtworktogether(withuniversities).Somethingismissingbetweentheindustryanduniversitylink."Developedcountriesin theWestrealisetheimportanceofindustryworking.withinstitutionsofhigherlearning."Wehaveyettoseehowuniversity-industrylinkagescanbeharnessed.ForginganddevelopinggoodresearchprojectstodiscovernewfindingsinMedicine,Engineeringandsoonis nothappeninginMalaysia,"shesays.Havingapartnershipwithindustrywouldbeawin-win. situation."Industryhastorealisethatwedon'tfunctioninavacuum.Institutionsneedindustrysupportandaccesstoindustry,"sheadds.Toaccomplishthis,industry-linkeddoctoralprogrammesneedtobetimely."WedonotwantthedurationofourPhDprogrammestodragonfor10years.Thetargetshouldbebetweenthreeandfouryears,"saysUPMdeputyvicechancellorforacademicandinternationalaffairsProfessorDatinPatlirka~DrAiniIderis.

More to producing a thesis

http://psasir.upm.edu.my/9605/1/scan0013.pdf

More to producing a thesis

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