Doctoral journeys of Female Students: Gendered Perspectives, challenges, resilience, and success factors.

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This study argues that although female doctoral students face many challenges, most ultimately succeed. It investigates the challenges
female students encounter during their doctoral studies, alongside the factors that enable their success.

Project Aim:

  • To explore the experiences, journeys, and factors that impede and support women seeking to progress within their doctoral studies.

Research Objectives:

  • To explore doctoral women’s journeys with an intersectional lens and determine whether differences arise due to class, race, or ethnicity.
  • To identify barriers that slow down or impede the progression of women during their doctoral studies.
  • To identify factors that support the progression and on-time completion of women during their doctoral studies.
  • To examine existing higher education policies and procedures related to doctoral students’ learning to assess their support for women’s retention and success.
  • To assess the need for changes in policies and practices regarding doctoral student entry and support.

Research Sites:

University of Johannesburg (South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), Moi University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) (Kenya), and University of Sunshine Coast (Australia).

Selected Publications:

  1. Namakula, H., Akala, B., Motala, S., & Wisker. (2024). The “becoming” journeys of black female doctoral students: Challenges and affordances.
    QPR Conference, April 17-19, 2024. Theme: Quality in Postgraduate Research (QPR) Conference: Graduate Researchers: Identity and Importance. Adelaide, Australia.
  2. Akala, B.U., & Akala, B.M. (2023). How can doctoral supervision be improved? Views from doctoral students in two faculties of education at South African universities.
    South African Journal of Higher Education, 36(6).
  3. Msimango, S., & Motala, S. (2023). Activating access and success in doctoral studies: Critical considerations of black females.
    In M.A. Samuel & H. Mariaye (Eds.), Transforming Postgraduate Research in Africa, Alternation African Scholarship Book Series (AASBS) #14, pp. 17–238.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.20853/37-6-5290