Volume 02 : Issue 2 (2015)

ENHANCEMENT OF POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SKILLS PROGRAMME FOR POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISORS

Postgraduate supervision is vital to the successful completion of the research of the postgraduate student. Globally there is more emphasis on the role and the competence of the postgraduate supervisor in higher education institutions and universities need to improve, maintain andfurther develop competencies regarding skills, knowledge and altitude of postgraduate supervisors in order to meet the changing requirements of postgraduate supen'ision in the Higher Education environment in South Africa. The study was a qualitative study whereby theoretical perspectives and previous findings related to postgraduate supervision was critically reviewed, assembled and interpreted. Through the literature review, the researcher could identify specific core issues on postgraduate supervision thai needed further elaboration and substantiation for Ihis study. It was apparent from the literature that higher education institutions should have a skills development programme in place in order to be effective and efficient in contribuling to the successful completion of postgraduate studies. To achieve the aim of the study, a skills development programme for postgraduate supervisors was developed to ensure the achievement of Higher Education's responsibility towards students in a planned and coordinated manner.

postgraduate student; postgraduate supervision: postgraduate supervisor; skills development programme

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