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Postgraduate student attrition remains a pressing global issue extensively investigated in academic research. Guided by Tinto's student integration theory, this study explores factors driving high dropout rates among doctoral candidates at two Namibian universities. The investigation utilised purposive and snowball sampling methods to recruit participants. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving 23 doctoral candidates enrolled between 2013 and 2019. Thematic analysis identified research supervision challenges such as inadequate support, delayed feedback, strained supervisory dynamics, and supervisors' excessive workloads as critical barriers to degree completion. Compounding factors like competing personal, professional and familial obligations and financial constraints were found to impede academic progress substantially. Participants further identified perceived disengagement from policymakers, researchers and potential collaborators as exacerbating attrition risks. The study recommends targeted retention initiatives to mitigate dropout rates and foster degree persistence in response to these findings. The study warns that Namibia's doctoral education system, evidenced by unsustainable attrition patterns, risks undermining national development goals outlined in its 2030 agenda unless coordinated institutional and governmental interventions are prioritised.
Abstract
Postgraduate student attrition remains a pressing global issue extensively investigated in academic research. Guided by Tinto's student integration theory, this study explores factors driving high dropout rates among doctoral candidates at two Namibian universities. The investigation utilised purposive and snowball sampling methods to recruit participants. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving 23 doctoral candidates enrolled between 2013 and 2019. Thematic analysis identified research supervision challenges such as inadequate support, delayed feedback, strained supervisory dynamics, and supervisors' excessive workloads as critical barriers to degree completion. Compounding factors like competing personal, professional and familial obligations and financial constraints were found to impede academic progress substantially. Participants further identified perceived disengagement from policymakers, researchers and potential collaborators as exacerbating attrition risks. The study recommends targeted retention initiatives to mitigate dropout rates and foster degree persistence in response to these findings. The study warns that Namibia's doctoral education system, evidenced by unsustainable attrition patterns, risks undermining national development goals outlined in its 2030 agenda unless coordinated institutional and governmental interventions are prioritised.
Keywords: Student attrition, doctoral studies, dropout, postgraduate supervision, retention
1. Introduction and background
Postgraduate education is a cornerstone for advancing intellectual expertise and career-related skills within academic institutions and the broader professional sphere. It is imperative in light of the rising demand for doctorallevel researchers in various industries (Motshoane, 2022). Doctoral education is linked to multiple drivers, such as the rising need for advanced expertise in knowledgedriven economies, the imperative to foster researchbased innovation for solving intricate societal problems, and the push to improve academic institutions' global competitiveness in an increasingly interconnected world. However, higher education faces the challenge of generating adequate doctoral graduates. Attrition is a phenomenon characterised by students leaving their studies before completion. The attrition of doctoral students is a notable concern in postgraduate education that affects not only the students concerned but also the respective Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including those in Namibia. This issue has garnered attention due to its potential impact on academic institutions and the need for sustainable solutions. Doctoral student attrition is a multi-faceted issue resulting from a multitude of factors.
One of the targets of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for sustainable development. Goal 4 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals focuses on ensuring equitable and inclusive access to quality education for all individuals throughout their lives. Likewise, Agenda 2063 is a people-centred continental vision with 7 Aspirations, each with its own goals. It aims to bring Africa closer to achieving its vision for the year 2063. One of the specific goals of this aspiration is to foster well-educated citizens and promote a skills revolution with a strong emphasis on science, technology and innovation (Addaney, 2018). These systems should aim to produce well-educated individuals who possess a deep understanding of their environment and the aspirations for development, and these individuals should be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to actively contribute towards the realisation of these aspirations.
In 2004, Namibia's government adopted Vision 2030, a strategic framework outlining national development goals and achieving Vision 2030 hinges on producing doctoral graduates with the skills and knowledge to drive economic growth. However, where approximately 50% of postgraduate students fail to complete their programmes globally, doctoral attrition is a growing issue in Namibia and worldwide (Okahana & Zhou, 2017, Golde, 2000). Despite this, Namibia's doctoral completion rates and their implications for development remain undocumented and under-researched. This study addressed this gap by investigating why doctoral students at Namibian HEIs experience prolonged delays or fail to complete their studies. Beyond identifying these reasons, the study proposed retention strategies to improve completion rates and reduce attrition.
2. Problem statement
Low doctoral completion rates remain a critical concern with significant implications for individuals, institutions, academic communities and higher education development. In Namibia, the Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP) aims to enhance education quality and transition to a knowledge-based economy aligned with Vision 2030 (Government of the Republic of Namibia, 2007). Consequently, Namibian HEls are tasked with developing human capital and skills to support national goals. However, scholars such as Hurt, Woods Ways and Holmes (2022) and van Rooij, Fokkens-Bruinsma, and Jansen (2021) emphasise the difficulty of earning a doctorate, driving an increased focus on doctoral attrition factors.
Despite rising doctoral enrollments in Namibian HEIs, attrition persists. The National Council for Higher Education (2019) reports that only 92 out of 1,058 students completed their doctorates between 2013 - 2019, a rate far below enrollment figures and exceeding the typical four to six-year completion timeframe. These figures highlight inadequate doctoral success rates in the country.
Addressing attrition in African HEIs is an academic and socio-economic priority, as the loss of graduates causes a substantial human resource drain that can hamper Namibia's growth in research and innovation. There is a need for policymakers and HEIs to investigate the factors that contribute to such attrition and find strategies to alleviate the problem, thereby creating and establishing conditions in which doctoral students could succeed.
For Namibia to achieve its anticipated Vision 2030 of cultivating a nation capable of generating novel knowledge, possibly aided by doctoral graduates, within the ultimate goal of improving the country's socio-economic standing and joining the knowledge-based economies, HEIs in Namibia must have an understanding of the potential challenges that could impede the realisation of this aspiration. This study, therefore, aimed to address this gap and focused on establishing a sense of understanding of doctoral student attrition at HEIs in Namibia. The two research questions that guided this study were: (a) What factors cause attrition among doctoral students at HEIs in Namibia? (b) What strategies would help doctoral students to complete their studies?
3. Literature review
Doctoral education is significant because it promotes the development of a knowledgebased and industrialised society. As a result, several researchers have undertaken studies on doctoral education in general (Golde, 2000; Cloete, Mouton & Herman, 2011), uncovering diverse factors contributing to attrition among doctoral students within HEIs. These factors may force students to withdraw or extend their studies at the institution.
Notably, supervisory issues are salient. Prior studies have demonstrated the importance of a relationship between students and supervisors, as Ruud, Saclarides and George-Jackson (2018) noted. According to Inouye and McAlpine (2017), a students engagement with the supervisor's feedback is crucial to developing a research project and demonstrating a growing scholarly identity. This responsibility is central to doctoral work and allows students to develop critical thinking, written communication, and discipline knowledge with the guidance of their supervisor (Cardilini, Risely & Richardson, 2021). With flexibility, iteration, regular feedback, and constructive criticism, the supervisor can effectively train the student with investigative skills in this teaching-learning process (Deshpande, 2017; Mahlangu, 2021).
Several studies have identified that various personal factors such as time or financial limitations, family responsibilities, lack of a support system and the impact on or lack of relationships with significant others can impede students' progress (Herman, 2011). This assertion is substantiated by Sverdlik et al.'s (2018) argument that a considerable proportion of doctoral students attempt to balance their studies with their families and social responsibilities, which entails making challenging decisions regarding prioritisation and allocation of resources.
Literature has also identified that institutional factors may challenge a doctoral degree's success. In their study, van Rooij et al. (2021) identified the research climate as a crucial factor influencing the intention of doctoral candidates to leave their studies. Their study establishes a relationship between research climate and various factors, including experienced workload, the quality of the academic and personal relationships with the supervisor, a sense of belonging and the degree of freedom granted to doctoral candidates for conducting their research projects.
Researchers have established that to enhance the doctoral experience, it is crucial to focus on psychosocial factors such as integration, socialisation and support within the context of doctoral education. According to Shin, Postiglione and Ho (2018), a positive relationship exists between social integration aspects and completion rates, academic progress, and overall student satisfaction.
The phenomenon of social isolation can have a notably adverse impact on doctoral students, as evidenced by research indicating a deficiency in positive affect resulting from an absence of participation in rewarding extracurricular activities, which is associated with decreased levels of both intrinsic academic drive and motivation (Tanaka & Watanabea, 2012). Lott, Gardner and Powers (2010) and West et al. (2011) explained that lack of socialisation among doctoral students leads to isolation, stress and depression, and the likelihood that they will drop out of their studies is very high. Similarly, Gardner (2010) posited that a greater understanding of how doctoral students socialise could help faculty and supervisors provide more effective support for them, leading to better graduation rates overall. The subsequent section discusses the theoretical underpinnings of this study.
4. Theoretical framework
This study employed Tinto's student integration theory as a guiding framework. Developed by Tinto in 1993, the theory emphasises the relationship between students' institutional experiences and their ability to complete degree programmes, a shared priority for students and academic institutions. Tinto's model, rooted in Van Gennep's 1960 three-stage process of separation, transition and incorporation, posits that students achieve full integration by navigating these phases. During separation, first-year students distance themselves from prior communities, with progression influenced by gender, race, academic readiness, socioeconomic background, parental education, and initial institutional engagement. The transition phase hinges on personal motivations and goals, while incorporation requires immersion into the institution's academic and social communities. Tinto (1993) warns that inadequate integration risks isolation, attrition or poor performance. He attributes lack of incorporation to incongruence, a mismatch between the student and the institutional characteristics and isolation, which shape departure decisions. The interplay of transition and incorporation phases ultimately determines whether students persist or withdraw.
This study found relevance in Tinto's (1993) theory of student integration, elucidating students' viewpoints regarding academic and social structures. The theory details the academic challenges, the inability of individuals to pursue educational and job goals, and their absence as the primary factors contributing to student attrition from the programme. The framework posits a positive correlation between students' degree of academic and social integration and student retention rates.
Tinto's (1993) theory clarifies that doctoral integration occurs at varying stages, with students assimilating early or later in their programmes, highlighting differing individual trajectories that preclude uniform completion timelines. This study underscores factors shaping integration experiences and the critical role of fostering connection and belonging in doctoral education to support diverse student pathways.
5. Research methodology and design
This study employed an interpretive paradigm to explore doctoral attrition through participants' lived experiences, emphasising the socially constructed nature of academic challenges. A qualitative case study of two Namibian HEIs, selected for their historic university status, used semi-structured interviews lasting 30 - 45 minutes with 23 doctoral students registered between 2013 and 2019. Purposive and snowball sampling ensured engagement with participants directly experiencing attrition challenges. Thematic analysis, guided by Tinto's (1993) student integration theory, synthesised codes into themes iteratively refined against literature and research objectives, ensuring methodological coherence.
6. Ethical considerations
Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Education Ethics Committee, with additional permissions obtained from Namibia's Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation (МНЕТ!) and the two participating institutions. Participants were recruited through telephonic consultations and follow-up emails, with voluntary consent emphasised. They were informed of their right to withdraw at any stage without penalty. To ensure anonymity, pseudonyms (IAS1 - 1А59 for Institution A; IBS1 - IBS14 for Institution В) replaced identifying details, safeguarding confidentiality throughout data collection, analysis, and reporting.
7. Trustworthiness of the study
A member-checking technique was employed to safeguard against misinterpretation and honour participants' perspectives, enabling participants to verify their transcribed interview responses. Dependability was further ensured through an external audit, wherein an independent reviewer evaluated the research methodology and analytical procedures to confirm consistency and methodological rigour in accordance with Lincoln and Guba's (1985) criteria for qualitative trustworthiness. Subsequently, participants were invited to validate the interpreted findings, ensuring alignment between their intended meanings and the study's conclusions.
8. Findings and discussion
The researchers posit that, in light of Namibia's aspirations to join the ranks of countries that the knowledge economy drives, it is imperative to produce a substantial number of doctoral graduates who can effectively apply their knowledge to practical situations, thereby facilitating the country's attainment of its anticipated goal. The study findings indicate that multiple factors contribute to the attrition of doctoral students at HEIs in Namibia. The researchers begin the discussion by contextualising these factors within Tinto's (1993) theory of student integration framework. Subsequently, a thorough analysis of each factor is presented.
As seen from Table 1, the findings of this study revealed that students are confronted with various obstacles that can hinder their academic progress. The underlying causes for these factors may be ascribed to the integration of students into the academic and social system of the institution. The following section provides an in-depth discussion of the findings about each factor.
8.1 Research supervision challenges
The current study's findings indicate that research supervision challenges were the primary impediment to the participants' progress, as reported by a significant majority, if not all, of the participants. These challenges are discussed in the subsequent sub-sections.
8.1.1 Lack of support and feedback
The investigation into research supervision found unanimous agreement among participants that supervisors currently fall short in providing adequate support and feedback to students. The following verbatim excerpt substantiates this assertion:
It is expected that there will be a supportive environment that allows students to focus on their studies. This should include supervisors available to assist students since they have the knowledge and skills to improve the quality of the students' work. (IAS1)
This finding underscores the vital role of supervisor support in enhancing student engagement and motivation amid academic challenges. Without such support, students risk disengagement, highlighting supervisors' critical role in guiding complex research processes (Nygaard & Savva, 2021). Aligning with Tinto's (1993) student integration theory, it emphasises that students' sense of belonging and perceived academic value are pivotal to success, necessitating further research into motivation-supervisor dynamics.
The study also revealed that the feedback provided by supervisors to participants was often delayed. The prolonged waiting period for feedback provision was a significant concern, as it hampered the students' capacity to adjust their work promptly. The following participant's reflection sheds light on the impact of the absence of feedback on academic progress, resulting in a delay of nearly two years.
I had to wait two years before my proposal could finally be approved. There are situations when the supervisor is not even keen to look at the proposal you have submitted, (IAS7)
The above quote suggests that students undergo an unfathomable experience, like enduring a two-year wait for feedback from a supervisor. However, while the delay of nearly two years is undesirable, it is a valuable lesson for the participant. It emphasises the need for clear communication and feedback in academic settings. The current findings are consistent with Cekiso et al. (2019), who found that students faced challenges in terms of obtaining feedback from their supervisors, which included insufficient feedback, feedback lacking constructive elements, inconsistencies in the feedback given by supervisors for the same content, delayed feedback, inadequate attention, guidance or interest from supervisors.
Several academics contend that timely, constructive, high-quality feedback is crucial for facilitating and supporting doctoral students (Deshpande, 2017). Feedback allows doctoral students to determine which aspects of their writing are appropriate and which need development, as well as their strengths and weaknesses in academic writing (Manjet, 2016), rendering it indispensable at all times. Based on the preceding, this study argues that effective communication and feedback from supervisors are essential in guiding students throughout the research process, fostering critical thinking skills, and addressing any obstacles that may arise.
8.1.2 Limited knowledge of the students' research topics
The scholarly work of Tahir et al. (2012) posits that the optimal supervisory relationship is marked by approachability and flexibility, with the supervisor serving as a resourceful expert. This study highlights the issue of students being assigned supervisors who exhibit inadequate subject expertise in their research areas. Participants unanimously agreed that supervisors' insufficient subject expertise leads to inadequate guidance and risks neglecting students' needs:
After three months, the first supervisor allocated to me told me that my research topic was not in his field and stopped supervising me. | ended up not having a supervisor for two years. (IAS6)
The above findings align with what Mwangi (2022) reported, thatin some instances, supervisors do not have enough knowledge of the student's study topic to offer insightful feedback to aid doctoral students in finishing their studies.
In addition, participants expressed how some supervisors appear autocratic or even dictatorial when discussing the students' research focus, often when the supervisor has little expertise in the subject matter. Participants emphasised that despite supervisors being appointed based on the students research interest and given their knowledge and expertise in specific areas, some supervisors often feel uneasy with some topics and attempt to change even when the student disagrees:
Sometimes, there is a lack of understanding between the supervisors and the students regarding the research topics, and the supervisors compel students to research areas that are not significant or not of interest to them. (IBS1)
The quotation above shows that individuals who enrol for doctoral programmes already have a pre-determined area of research in mind. However, they are compelled to divert from their research interests and focus on areas of study that do not interest them if the supervisors disagree or are uncomfortable with the topic. Tinto's (1993) theory of student integration posits that students come with pre-determined ideas of what they know and want to learn. This study argues that the potential compromise of research outputs may adversely affect HEIs due to supervisors' incapability to aid the student in comprehending the full context of the research and the suitable methodology to bridge the gaps in knowledge that the research aimed to address.
8.1.3 Strained supervisor-student relationships
The study found unanimous consensus among participants that strained supervisor-student relationships critically hinder doctoral success. Almusaed and Almssad (2020) assert that supervisors must establish a favourable rapport with students and maintain an impartial stance to prevent any adverse events in their relationships.
The study revealed that particular supervisors intentionally prolong their students' academic progress due to personal grievances or unresolved misunderstandings between them. The necessity for a favourable environment and mutual understanding is emphasised as follows:
Some supervisors or individuals delay students for personal issues that they have against them. When some students complain to the institution regarding the lack of support from their supervisors, it becomes personal, and they find themselves being delayed unnecessarily. (1А2)
This finding aligns with Gunnarsson et al. (2013), who note that doctoral student-supervisor conflicts often escalate, triggering emotional tensions. Early alignment of expectations is critical to mitigating such issues (Almoustapha & Uddin, 2017). Research consistently links supervisor-student rapport to academic outcomes (Le et al., 2021; Al Makhamreh & Stockley, 2020), with Almoustapha and Uddin (2017) stressing its broader impact on students' academic and professional trajectories.
Tinto's (1993) student integration theory highlights faculty-student interaction as critical for academic-social integration, linking engagement to success and institutional belonging. The theory underscores how such relationships shape educational experiences, proposing informal, interactive environments through open communication to bolster faculty commitment and reduce attrition. Strengthening rapport cultivates belonging and loyalty, aligning with Tinto's emphasis on integration dynamics.
8.1.4 Heavy workloads of supervisors
Participants unanimously agreed that doctoral students face significant challenges due to supervisors' limited availability, stemming from overwhelming workloads. This finding is in line with Askew et al. (2016), who argued that the duties of academic supervisors for doctoral students are extensive and challenging, as they involve managing their own research goals and overseeing other postgraduate students, such as those pursuing Masters or Honours degrees.
As a result, due to time constraints, supervisors cannot allocate sufficient attention to the research supervision of their students according to the participants in this study:
Supervisors are usually academic staff involved in teaching (IBS 12).
Supervisors typically blame the lack of attention they give to their students on the teaching workload being too much, leaving them with little time to focus on students' research supervision. (IBS14)
This study aligns with Almoustapha and Uddin (2017), emphasising that supervisors' competing responsibilities hinder academic progress by limiting student research engagement. Supervisors' overwhelm and overwork detrimentally affect students, heightening attrition risks. Supervision quality critically shapes research duration, influencing students' capacity to manage complex academic processes and produce quality outputs, underscoring the need for institutional frameworks fostering productive student-supervisor engagement. Framed through Tinto's (1993) student integration theory, insufficient supervision detrimentally impacts academic support and success. Inadequate supervision obstructs progress, jeopardising doctoral completion.
8.2 Added pressure of personal, work and family responsibilities
The study unanimously agreed that personal commitments, full-time employment, and family responsibilities constrain participants' study time. In addition, participants reported that simultaneously working and studying has a detrimental impact on their completion times, as revealed in the quotes below:
Most of us are working. You are at work from morning until late in the afternoon or evening. You are so exhausted at the end of the day that you have no energy to study. (IBS4)
It is nearly impossible to balance office employment and academic responsibilities because of time constraints. Given that | have a job that requires a lot of my time and offen extends into weekends, | have very little spare time to devote to my academic pursuits, so my education frequently takes a back seat. (IAS8)
The findings above align with Hovdhaugen's (2015) study, which suggests that several potential factors can contribute to student attrition, with one of the most commonly cited factors being balancing employment with academic pursuits. Similarly, Sverdlik et al. (2018) found that many doctoral students strive to balance their academic work with their families and social responsibilities, necessitating challenging decisions concerning priorities and resource allocation. It is thus argued that attaining a doctoral degree demands significant time and effort due to the extensive reading required to comprehend existing knowledge and produce innovative and relevant knowledge.
8.3 Lack of financial resources
It has been reported that education is very costly, especially at the doctoral level, and such financial constraints pose a notable hindrance to the successful completion of doctoral studies at Namibian HEls, including fees for registration, tuition fees, research expenses and personal obligations.
The study found unanimous agreement that participants struggle to fund their studies despite having a monthly income, which is allocated mainly to non-academic responsibilities:
Most of us are paying from our pockets; we are working, but we have families to care for. This has negatively affected me financially because | have been paying for the services 1 never got and wasted my time and money without guidance from the institution. (1BS4)
Students must pay for themselves without financial assistance or scholarships to pay tuition fees and carry out their research activities, which require a lot of money. (IBS1)
Some participants reported that they resorted to taking out loans to finance their studies, expecting that such would lead toimproved career prospects, thus easing their debt repayment.
This study concurs with Belasco et al. (2014), Kuhl et al. (2014), and Ampaw and Jaeger (2012), identifying insufficient funding as a key barrier to doctoral completion. Van Der Haert et al. (2014) reinforce this, noting higher attrition among 3,092 unfunded students across disciplines. Cornwall (2019) highlights financial strain from employment and obligations as a critical stressor, while Tinto (1993) links inadequate aid to reduced academic engagement, as financial pressures divert time from doctoral demands.
8.4 Lack of interest and commitment
The findings revealed a shared consensus among participants about individuals' persistent unwillingness and hesitation to engage in research studies. Participants noted that securing organisational, business or governmental data collection permissions does not ensure respondent cooperation, as prospective participants often hesitate to engage or share information. Findings reveal persistent challenges in obtaining approvals, with entities inundated by academic data requests, further complicating access. Participants explained as follows:
When it comes to data collection, most participants are unwilling to complete your questionnaire or participate in the interviews, which creates an obstacle for your research. (IBS1)
People do not have the time or interest to respond to research requests constantly. Sadly, without data, research cannot be completed. (IAS2)
Interview appointments were not really kept, and the self-administered questionnaire, which the majority of respondents indicated was their preference, took a very long time to be completed. (IAS8)
This finding aligns with Rimando et al. (2015), who identified unforeseen data collection challenges among early-career researchers, including doctoral students. Ashton (2014) corroborates this, noting that sensitive topics may provoke participant discomfort or distress during interviews, with heightened emotional responses, including anger, potentially leading to refusal to participate.
This study established that the data collection process remains challenging in Namibia despite obtaining permission to conduct the research. However, this challenge presents an opportunity for further exploration and innovation in academia, ultimately leading to improved data collection methods and more robust research outputs. The current observation indicates a potential gap in the general public's awareness of the considerable advantages that research enquiries can offer a nation and its potential for enhancing the socio-economic growth of a given society.
The following section discusses the retention strategies proposed by the participants in this study as potential measures to mitigate attrition among doctoral students.
8.5 Retention strategies for reducing doctoral attrition
To help doctoral students finish their studies in a reasonable timeframe, one of the goals of this study was to develop potential measures to expedite the process of timely graduation. Tinto's (1993) theory underscores that academic-social integration is pivotal for student persistence and success. Implementing interventions to enhance belonging and engagement, as the theory advocates, improves retention. Research confirms its efficacy in reducing doctoral attrition, stressing its ongoing relevance in doctoral education.
Tinto's (1993) student integration theory is central to evaluating students" ability to persist and succeed academically, providing critical insights into factors influencing their experiences and success likelihood. The framework supports designing interventions to enhance belongingness and engagement, fostering retention. This study validates Tinto's theory in mitigating doctoral attrition and promoting timely graduation. As discussed below, participants' perspectives revealed two sub-themes and six categories outlining strategies to improve doctoral completion rates at Namibian HEIs and beyond.
8.5.1 Improved research supervision
Supervisors play an essential part in the lives of students pursuing doctoral degrees as they provide guidance, individualised support and mentorship in the completion of dissertations (Mwangi, 2022). As observed from the findings of this study, it is evident that research supervision presents numerous challenges that inhibit students' progress, as indicated by the participants. Six categories emerged from this sub-theme.
8.5.1.1 Improved communication and timely feedback
Findings emphasise that effective mentor-student interactions and responsive guidance enable students to progress successfully and complete their programmes.
A conducive environment should be created between the supervisors and students, and when issues are raised in the progress report, the institution should take action. (IAS1)
To assist students, institutions should consistently follow up with students to find out where they are, their progress, and their challenges. (IAS6)
The study argues that better research supervision regarding concise communication and prompt feedback would promote a dynamic environment in HEIs and address issues that are likely to arise.
8.5.1.2 Reduce supervisors" workload
This study suggests that institutions could consider reducing supervisors' workloads so that they can pay attention to their students. The study's findings emphasised the importance of institutions ensuring that they do not admit a more significant number of doctoral students than they can manage. Participants explained as follows:
The institution can set a ceiling to how many students per supervisor so that each student can get enough time and proper guidance from the supervisor. (IAS1)
In areas where the university has minimal capacity for research supervision, efforts must be made to engage external supervisors. (IBS10)
This helps to avoid situations in which a single supervisor is forced to oversee an increased number of students, which could reduce the overall level of quality. Establishing a maximum number of students, one supervisor can supervise will ensure that each student receives adequate attention and direction from their supervisors.
8.5.1.3 Allocate supervisors according to their areas of specialisation
The findings highlight that aligning supervisors with their specialised knowledge domains enhances supervision quality and generates more robust academic contributions:
Supervision, advice, and support are crucial. Supervisors for specialised fields or areas of expertise should also be identified when allocating supervisors, and they should be trained to provide the necessary support structure. It was disappointing when my supervisor could not assist me with my focus area, resulting in confusion rather than resolution. (1BS11)
Hyatt and Williams (2011) emphasise the necessity of supervisors' pedagogical and research skills to provide precise and practical guidance while writing the dissertation. In the process of supervisor allocation, it is crucial to identify suitable supervisors for specific sectors or fields of expertise.
8.5.1.4 Retain qualified research supervisors
Findings indicate that retaining expert supervisors remains challenging for many institutions due to various personal and professional obligations, making it difficult for the students who were left behind to deal with this situation since they would have to be given new supervisors, which would cause the process to move along at an extremely slow pace. The institutions must retain experienced supervisors to guarantee continuity and boost the percentage of doctoral graduates. The following are some suggestions made by the participants:
The institutions must retain expetienced supervisors to ensure continuity and improve the completion rate among doctoral students. (IBS10)
Address the issue of supervisor resignations. As much as resignations are normal in any organisation, institutions must do their very best to retain their experienced academic staff and researchers who are supervisors for doctoral students. (IAS4)
Institutions must proactively retain experienced academic staff and doctoral supervisors despite natural attrition and brain drain. Participants proposed enhancing incentives for supervisors, senior lecturers and professors to motivate prioritising student completion and aligning retention strategies with institutional goals.
8.5.1.5 Appoint supervisors on time
This study found that academic supervisors should be appointed promptly before completing the coursework, as the student will have already identified their research interest as part of the coursework or within three months after the coursework in the following academic year. Participants commented as follows:
I am not sure if the appointments of supervisors have improved because | was assigned a supervisor seven months after my coursework's completion, which delayed the approval of my research proposal. Hence, the appointment of supervisors must be done on time to avoid delays and frustrations. (IAS8)
1 was only assigned a supervisor seven months after | completed my coursework. (IBS14)
The quotes above suggest the need for improvement in the process of supervisor allocation to mitigate delays in data collection and frustration with timeous completion.
8.5.1.6 Create channels of communication within the institutions
The findings underscored the systemic absence of formal mechanisms for students to voice concerns about obstacles hindering their academic progression.
It was also suggested that it is necessary to have a coordinator for doctoral students to ensure that students can voice their concerns. Institutions should thoughtfully examine the possibility of instituting regular contact sessions, workshops, or seminars with students, during which the students could discuss any issues emanating from student complaint platforms:
When students raise concerns, management should act because ignoring these concerns could lead to some students dropping out or quitting their studies.(IAS1)
A coordinator for doctoral students is essential so that students can report all their grievances. (IAS3, IBS6)
Institutions could consider introducing regular contact sessions, workshops or seminars with students, during which they can discuss any problems they may be experiencing. (IAS2, 1854)
8.5.2 Develop possibilities for financial support.
The study illuminates the pervasive financial struggles embedded in the doctoral experience, with participants describing economic precarity as an ever-present burden that shapes their academic engagement and personal well-being. Thus, some institutions focus on improving attrition and retention rates by providing financial assistance, professional development and mentorship programmes (Holley & Caldwell, 2012). In Namibia, the government rarely considers funding for postgraduate students, including doctoral degrees.
During the interviews, it was revealed that students in Namibia face significant financial difficulties paying for registration fees, tuition fees, and even payments for fieldwork. As stated earlier, the Namibian government's funding of postgraduate studies is almost non-existent, as attention is focused on undergraduate studies, indicating that funding for postgraduate studies in Namibia is relatively uncommon:
Institutions can also establish postgraduate funds to assist postgraduate students financially. (IAS1)
The research fees per registration per academic year are too high even after course work is done, and the student only works independently with the supervisor but is still expected to pay standard tuition fees. (IAS8)
The findings underscore institutional obligations to address economic inequities in doctoral programmes, as participants described unsustainable research costs creating systemic exclusion and forcing scholars to abandon academic pursuits.
Participants proposed doctoral study loans and institutional postgraduate funds to mitigate financial strain. Reducing annual fees post-coursework to registration-only costs rather than uniform yearly charges could alleviate the burden of prolonged financial commitments.
9. Limitations and suggestions for future research
Limited literature was available on doctoral student attrition in a Namibian context, so much of the literature used in this study is related to an international setting. The transferability of knowledge generated from the Namibian context to an international setting is context-related and may be limited. This study recommends that future research be carried out in the following research areas:
* This study was limited to the thoughts and experiences of doctoral students at the two selected Namibian HEIs only. A study on the perceptions of doctoral student attrition of higher education executives and supervisors could be studied on a larger and more significant sample to be able to generalise the findings.
* Supervision in higher education has long been a topical issue and a pedagogical challenge. Future research could consider investigating doctoral student and supervisor experiences that may contribute to reduced attrition rates within doctoral education.
10. Recommendations and practical implications
Despite the study's limitations, its conclusions offer a foundation for strategies to improve timely doctoral completion at Namibian HEIs. While such strategies may not require national policy integration, they could be advanced through collaborative forums where institutions address student throughput challenges. Recommendations include:
+ Doctoral candidates should undergo enrollment orientation to assess preparedness for doctoral demands and readiness to become independent scholars. Programmes must integrate research methodology components to address gaps between students' assumed master 's-level knowledge and doctoral requirements.
+ HEIs should monitor supervision by tracking student-supervisor progress and ensuring ongoing support until completion. Support structures, including individual mentorship and departmental/faculty initiatives, can enhance institutional integration, aiding academic progression and reducing attrition. A unified institutional approach fostering critical thinkers and expert knowledge is vital for emerging economies' sustainability.
Emerging economies often lack research funding, necessitating governments and HEls to explore alternative tuition subsidy models. Restructuring Namibia's HEI funding beyond enrollment-based metrics, prioritising empirical research outputs such as accredited publications could incentivise universities to bolster postgraduate support and success.
11. Conclusion
This study explored factors influencing high doctoral attrition rates at Namibian HEls, identifying supervision challenges, financial constraints, and work-study-family imbalances as key barriers. It recommends institutional strategies to enhance perseverance, including formalised postgraduate support offices addressing psychosocial needs through counselling, peer networks, and communities of practice. The findings underscore the urgency for HEIs and policymakers to mitigate attrition's financial costs by prioritising timely graduation through systemic support reforms.
Doctoral attrition will persist without effective interventions. This study aligns with the UN SDGs and Agenda 2063, highlighting education's role in sustainable socio-economic, political, and cultural development and supports Namibia's Vision 2030 to transition toward a knowledge-driven society. As Namibia evolves, universities must prioritise producing skilled graduates to meet societal needs, underscoring HEIs' responsibility in addressing attrition to advance national development goals.
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