The South African PhD: insights from employer interviews
Loading...
Date
2013-06
Authors
Treptow, Reinhold
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education, University of the Free State
Abstract
Current international trends reveal that doctoral education is increasingly expected to satisfy workplace
demands. In South Africa, Work Integrated Learning (WIL), introduced as part of the HEQF, is the
principal initiative to facilitate greater relevance of higher education in the workplace. There has,
however, been significant confusion regarding its precise definition and implications. This article presents
insights gained from interviews conducted in 2009 with employers of doctoral graduates (located outside
the higher education sector) regarding their expectations of doctoral education. The implications thereof
for WIL are discussed and, based thereon, recommendations are made to facilitate greater workplace
relevance for doctoral education in South Africa.
Description
Keywords
Doctoral education, Work Integrated Learning (WIL), HEQF, Doctoral graduates, South Africa
Citation
Treptow, R. (2013). The South African PhD: insights from employer interviews. Perspectives in Education, 31(2), 83-91.