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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...