Postgraduate Studies: Communication without borders (NST)

Alina Abdullah explaining her thesis on “Terrorism and Architecture”. With the International Doctoral Education Research Network, postgraduate students are no longer researching a thesis in isolation

Both students and supervisors can now access the International Doctoral Education Research Network for best practices and improvements in methods and technology, writes MICHAEL SUN

INFORMATION and Communications Technology has raised postgraduate research standards throughout the world including Malaysia.

Postgraduate students can no longer blame technology — or the lack of it — for not performing.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) deputy vice chancellor for academic and international affairs Professor Datin Paduka Dr Aini Ideris says: “Master’s and doctoral students can no longer forward the excuse (for their inability to complete their theses) that their research had been hampered by limited resources and the unavailability of equipment.

“If (the facility) is not available in Malaysia, we can send the student out or bring in the required professors. Communication is now without borders.” There are new software and websites that enable postgraduates to check whether a particular research has already been conducted.

Similarly, there are tools for research supervisors to verify whether students have committed plagiarism.

But some students and supervisors may not be aware of such cross-checking tools.

The second International Doctoral Education Research Network (IDERN) conference 2010 held recently in Serdang, Selangor, was aimed at raising students’ and supervisors’ awareness of recent advances in doctoral education.

“New technology and networking give students the chance to meet and discuss with their peers abroad who may also be pursuing other areas of study,” says Aini, who is adviser to the IDERN 2010 Organising Committee in Malaysia.

“Essentially, IDERN 2010 tells them that they are no longer researching a thesis in isolation,” she adds.

Born out of the Research Pedagogies Conference held at Canada’s McGill University in Montreal three years ago, IDERN was set up to bring together experts in doctoral education and those who share the vision of broadening the field of research through transnational perspectives.

The network of researchers embarks on studies to improve not only the performances of doctoral students but also the quality of guidance of supervisors, among others.

Building the capacity to influence the future of doctoral education policy and practice globally is central to its agenda.

Although there has been an increase in research into doctoral education over the past decade, much of it has been fragmented and localised.

The network aims to create opportunities for developing and expanding investigations into doctoral education during a period of increased mobility and change.

Aini says that IDERN 2010 was to build on the Montreal meeting.

“The aim of this conference is to share views on research into postgraduate education and promote best practices among members from 30 countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and some European countries,” says Aini.

Some 20 local public universities and 30 private universities took part in IDERN 2010.

The conference ran separate activities for postgraduate students and supervisors.

Students had the chance to attend sessions on how to produce quality research proposals and received guidelines on how supervisors should monitor them.

“(The role of supervisors is) to assist students to become rounded graduates who are communicative and who possess the desired soft skills, allowing them to easily fit into the job market both locally and internationally.

“We want Malaysian doctoral students to be able to work anywhere in the world with a system and standard that would be on a par with those of other parts of the world,” adds Aini.

“IDERN 2010 is important because supervisors must know how to guide students on how to plan their time and push them to finish on time. If students are not well monitored, they may go astray, dissipate their energies and not complete their doctorate (within the targeted four-year span).” The training provided through conference presentations and seminars is to support the national agenda — MyBrain15.

The acronym is for Malaysia’s targeted plan to produce 60,000 PhD graduates over a span of 15 years starting from 2008.

But would IDERN 2010 address the issue of technological acquisition and export competitiveness of human resources in Malaysia as highlighted by foreign economists? “Definitely, with the research networking now available. Certain universities may be lacking in specific fields but we are also quite advanced in a number of areas,” adds Aini.

“It is important to let the students and supervisors know that new technologies, if not available in Malaysia, may be obtained through networking with foreign universities.