Improving doctoral provision in Pakistan

A team of IOE researchers have returned from their latest training workshop in Pakistan, as part of a project that aims for more Pakistani students to access high-quality doctoral programmes.

Launched in May 2015, the five-year project will introduce doctoral programmes in several new public sector universities in Pakistan.

Led by Dr Anne Gold, the project seeks to enhance the capacity and number of doctoral supervisors in Pakistan's Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). In doing so, it will strengthen Pakistan's universities and produce important in-country research, which will ensure a larger group of home-based researchers and academics.

The project will provide formal training and refresher courses for new and existing PhD supervisors, as well as develop a framework to support the training and trained supervisors.

If successful, the team would like to extend the programme to other universities in Pakistan, and ultimately to other countries in South Asia.

Speaking of the trip, Dr Denise Hawkes, a team member, said:

"Working with senior academics from across Pakistan, the HEC and British Council has been very productive in establishing this training programme for all doctoral supervisors across the country. These workshops have enabled us to share our own experience of leading a doctoral programmes within UCL Institute of Education and also to gain insights into leading such programmes in Pakistan. 

"It is clear that many PhD students in Pakistan pursue PhD topics of national or regional significance with the support of their supervisors. It is a privilege to be sharing our expertise to help local academics and the HEC to continue to develop the doctoral programmes that support these students."

The project is a partnership between the IOE, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the British Council.

Links

• Denise Hawkes' research profile
• More information on the project, 'Capacity Building for Doctoral Provision in Pakistan'