Exploring perspectives
A scoping review of the challenges facing doctoral training in Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21324436 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Oluwatomilayo Omoya (0000-0002-0545-5341, Flinders University, corresponding author), Udeme Samuel Jacob (0000-0002-3234-8226, University of Ibadan), Olumide A Odeyemi (0000-0002-6041-5027, University of Tasmania), Omowale A Odeyemi (University of Tasmania) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 89 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 1103-1127 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0018-1560 • E-ISSN: 1573-174X |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10734-024-01264-4 |
| OpenAlex | W4402312400 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 39 |
Given the growing demand to produce PhD holders in Africa, it is crucial to grasp the intricacies faced by PhD candidates. This review aimed to synthesise the existing studies that explore the perspectives of candidates pursuing or completing a PhD in Africa. In conjunction with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, a scoping review guide developed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was used. Multiple databases were searched, including EBSCO Host, Scopus, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline (Ovid), and Google Scholar. Of the 51 articles that were retrieved, 12 were included in the review from various African countries. All articles were screened for quality before inclusion. The studies explored the types and characteristics of the included articles. The studies were descriptively mapped using qualitative content analysis, which revealed five themes: the sociodemographic profile of the PhD candidates, funding, resources and training, supervision experiences, and coping mechanisms. There is evidence on sociodemographic characteristics, challenges posed by funding, inadequate resources, and supervisor–candidate relationships, the research addressing why African candidates are studying at a later age, gender-specific environmental and cultural barriers, and coping strategies used during candidature is comparatively limited. Consequently, further investigations in these areas are crucial to better support PhD candidates in Africa
Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Higher education · Medical education · Pedagogy · Training (meteorology) · Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions · Global Health and Surgery · Innovations in Medical Education · Medicine · Psychology
The achilles- heel of doctoral education in African higher education institutions
African female doctoral graduates account for success in their doctoral journeys
Trajectory of doctoral education and training in Uganda
Is it transformation or reform? The lived experiences of African women doctoral students in STEM disciplines in South African universities
Sharing perspectives and experiences of doctoral fellows in the first cohort of Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa
Gender responsive multidisciplinary doctoral training program
Building capacity for public and population health research in Africa
Appraising the Evidence
The Experiences and Needs of African Doctoral Students
Building the capacity to solve complex health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa
Scoping studies
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 5 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |