Challenges of PhD Training and Production in Sub Sahara Africa James Otieno Jowi African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE)

Context The study is premised on several facts, including; The higher education sector in Africa is expanding rapidly. Despite this rapid expansion, Africa has the lowest research productivity - compared to other world regions. The low research productivity, expansion of the HE sector and growing social needs require more focus on production of more PhDs. African universities have very fewer academic staff with PhDs e.g. in E. Africa about 35% of staff have PhDs. HEIs thus face serious capacity deficits for teaching and research in the universities. Several implications e.g. poor quality of programs, low innovation capacities, weak links with industry, relevance, etc. Most PhDs have been attained abroad- inadequate local capacities. Research & PhD training are important for African Universities and societies (see outcomes of Africa HE Forum 2015 and AU Agenda 2063). What then is taking place in African universities with regard to PhD training?

About the study The African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE) was commissioned by British Council and DAAD to undertake the study. ANIE is a pan-African network with a focus on research, capacity building and information sharing on the international dimension of HE in Africa. Main objective of study- How is research oriented PhD capacity being developed in African universities? The study involved 6 African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal & South Africa). Main areas covered by the study: How has the availability, quality and thematic priorities of PhD programs changed in the last ten years? Are there any national level research agenda or priorities? What are the links between institutional priorities and national research agenda? Institutional priorities and support systems for PhD training How do these priorities meet the needs of local societies and industry? What is the role of international collaborations in building PhD capacities in African universities?

Methodology ANIE: a pan-African Network with expertise from the selected countries. Ten universities were selected from each country (except for SA that had 6) Criterion for selection: public/private; old/new; urban/rural; size; those with PhD progs/without. Key respondents - Ministries responsible for HE/Research, quality assurance agencies, research foundations - Deputy Vice Chancellors for Research or Directors of Research - Faculty Deans, Deans of Graduate Schools and Heads of Department - Supervisors, Doctoral students and alumni - Representatives of industry and international agencies with relation to research and PhD training Data collection approaches - Desk reviews (including e.g IAU, 2010; Hearle, 2013; Cloete, et al, 2015; addressing this issue) - Questionnaire surveys -In-depth interviews with key stakeholders Some contextual country-specific, methodological requirements. Some data challenges.

General trends in the study countries In all the countries, there is a rapid expansion of the higher education sector. The HEIs are under pressure to expand doctoral training amid serious challenges. Most universities are young and have not developed adequate PhD capacities e.g. in Ethiopia, Kenya & Senegal. New PhD programs are being created leading to growth in enrolments- rapid increase in Kenya and Ghana compared to Senegal and Ethiopia. There is an increase in production of PhD graduates, though still low compared to the need-in Ghana and Nigeria there are universities focused on graduate training compared to other levels. PhD training faces serious challenges in all the countries e.g. funding, weak support/infrastructure, lack of supervisors, over emphasis on teaching. Government is the main funder of PhD- Constraints Universities which are successful in PhD training had to develop alternative funding mechanisms. Most of PhD production is located in few public universities (except in SA & Nigeria) -private ones contribute negligibly. There are several opportunities but which have not fully been utilized to develop PhD production

Some outcomes- National Levels The availability of PhD training in the 6 countries has tremendously grown over the past ten years- but is far from adequate. In most of the countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal) government now demands that academic staff must attain a PhD within a given time frame. National quality assurance agencies are putting pressure on universities to produce more PhDs and have more staff with PhDs Though there are developments in national and institutional quality assurance mechanisms, most PhD programs face quality challenges. International partnerships and collaborations are playing an important role in fostering PhD training. This was evident in all country cases. While national policy frameworks are important in guiding research and PhD training, they are weak or not existent in most of the countries. South Africa and Ghana cases provide good examples. In most of the cases, national research agenda is not clear and is contained in several different documents.

Some outcomes …cont. (Institutional level) The universities are almost in a crisis due to inadequate PhD capacities. Doctoral students dissatisfied with training- lack of funding, poor supervision, and inadequate support. PhD training funding - a major challenge. Majority PhD students self-funding & are uni staff. PhD supervision a major challenge- poised to become more serious with increases in PhD enrolments. (Except South Africa) university- industry links and its role in PhD training has not been fully utilized. Research & PhD training priorities are not aligned to national research agenda-just few exceptions. Though there are challenges, some countries play a wider role in PhD production e.g regional level as is with South African universities/ Cheikh Anta Diop University Some success through international partnerships and alternative funding approaches. Universities (Ibadan, Moi, Cheikh Anta Diop) that have identified key areas to develop PhD talent are making good progress. Innovative funding models through links with industry are making a difference for some universities. University networks & research networks (e.g Pasgr) beginning to play important role in fostering research and PhD training. Commitment of continental HE leaders e.g ARUA members is a positive indication

Some innovative approaches International partnerships can enhance PhD training in different ways (development on new PhD programs, Co-supervision, Visiting scholars, Deployment of Africa's diaspora, joint researchers). Innovative funding models for PhD training- e.g. DAAD model to train PhDs in Africa, establishment of National Research Funds, institutional approaches e.g. University of Ibadan Intra- Africa collaborations in PhD training- CARTA, ARUA, RUFORUM The Africa center's of excellence initiative e.g. the Pan African university. Development of university networks and other research networks Sharing of (specialized) research and training resources between universities.

Conclusions The study identifies key developments in doctoral training in Africa Though capacity and PhD outputs remain low, there is progress being made A number of challenges stifle progress in PhD production and need redress The study builds the case for the need to develop and support PhD training and research in African universities. Development of requisite and qualified human capacities will change the research landscape of Africa's HE. In what new ways can governments, through their policies and frameworks, better support PhD programmes and research in universities?. What to do differently and opportunities available to universities What has been tried and did not work? What can work/ can be useful to African universities? So……..we open the debate…..