Assuring Academic Integrity of Supervisor Appointment in Post-Graduate Program with Data-Driven Decision Making Strategy: A Proposal

Research supervision is one of the important aspect in academic quality assurance and the sustainbility of the science itself. However, there is lack of attention based on research literature and evidence of good practice on research supervision from the context of academic integrity in higher education. This study aims to develop a data-driven decision making strategy in supervisor selection for post-graduate program based using research projects data. Apart of that, the researchers reviewed the indicator of academic integrity in research supervisory from program standards in masters and doctoral degree by Malaysia Qualification Agency (MQA), international recommendation by UNESCO and Islamic principles according to the roles of the supervisor, administrator and student in the context of research supervisory. This study adopted data analytics and visualization technique using cloud-based collaborative platform as a research method for data acqusition, processing and analyzing the data. The researchers acquired the research projects profile data registered in the institutional database in Universiti Malaysia Pahang from Department of Research and Innovation as a case study. We categorized and mapped the research profile according to Malaysian Research and Development Classification System (MRDCS) code. The combined data was been analyzed and visualized to specific online dashboard to indicate the research experience in fraction of years as a metric. The researchers evaluate the characteristics of the dashboard based on the academic integrity indicators from MQA, UNESCO and Islamic principles as our measures. The result shows that there is a potential usefulness of the proposed strategy in assuring academic integrity for supervisor selection in post-graduate programmes. This novel approach has a potential impact on academic integrity in higher education which can be adopted at larger scale by higher education institution in Malaysia.

Superb Supervision: A pilot study on training supervisors to convey responsible research practices onto their PhD students

Background: One way to strengthen research integrity, is through supervision. According to previous research, a supervisor should be well versed in responsible research practices (RRPs) and possess the necessary interpersonal skills to convey RRPs. Therefore, we developed a pilot training programme for PhD supervisors that combined RRPs and interpersonal skills and evaluated participants’ perceptions. Our aim was to assess: 1) perceptions regarding supervision skills before and after the pilot training and 2) participants’ views on combining RRPs and interpersonal skills in the program.Methods: We developed a 3-day pilot training based on our investigations regarding the research climate for integrity in Amsterdam. Before and after the pilot, we sent the Research Supervision Quality Evaluation survey to the participating PhD supervisors and their PhD candidates. We gathered feedback on the training topics through daily evaluations. The pilot study was concluded with a focus group interview where participants discussed the quality of the training, deliberated over the combination of training in interpersonal skills and RRPs and discussed whether such training should become compulsory.Results: Twenty-one PhD supervisors participated in the pilot training of whom 95% had a biomedical background. Before the pilot, 20 supervisors and 23 PhD candidates completed the survey. 11 supervisors and 11 PhD candidates completed the final survey. Both supervisors and PhD candidates were more positive about the supervisor’s interpersonal skills and the ability to foster RRPs after the training. Participants were enthusiastic about the training’s dual focus. They believed that making the training compulsory would be undesirable but supported other ways of incentivising participation.Discussion: Participants appreciated the combination of RRPs and interpersonal skills. Their self-perceptions regarding supervision skills echo this positive view. The results highlight the potential of dedicated RRPs training programmes for supervisors. However, they should be interpreted with caution, as they regard a small sample of volunteering PhD supervisors, underscoring the need for larger scale programs to foster responsible supervision that are evaluated using rigorous designs.

Colliding Identities During COVID-19: Identifying and Addressing the Challenges of Being an Academic Mother During a Global Pandemic

Academic workloads require a careful balance of teaching, research, supervision, and administrative responsibilities. Being an academic parent adds an additional level of responsibility to this, which has traditionally been successfully managed with organisation, careful planning and support. For many academic parents the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted this carefully curated balance, forcing them to work from home while also dealing with the loss of childcare and the requirement to provide homeschooling. The pre-existing gender disparity in childcare and housework was exacerbated by lockdown, with a disproportionate impact on academic mothers who were often forced to take on additional childcare and housework responsibilities, alongside remote schooling. The gender disparity further affected job stability, with women losing a greater number of paid working hours during the pandemic and having greater employment instability. This article reflects upon the impact of gender disparity in academic parents during the Covid-19 pandemic, and considers potential barriers to productivity and progression, including the role of interruptions, delivering sensitive materials in a workspace shared with children and technological challenges.

Barriers to effective research supervision in clinical specialist training: Experience from a medical school in Malaysia

Introduction: A compulsory research component is becoming increasingly common for clinical residents. However, integrating research into a busy clinical training schedule can be challenging. This study aimed to explore barriers to research supervision in specialist training programmes from the perspectives of clinical supervisors and trainees at a Malaysian university hospital. Methods: Qualitative interviews and focus group discussions were conducted (December 2016 to July 2017) with clinical supervisors (n=11) and clinical trainees (n=26) utilising a topic guide exploring institutional guidelines, research culture and supervisor-student roles. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically to identify barriers to research supervision. Results: Supervisors and trainees from 11 out of 18 departments participated. Both clinical supervisors and trainees struggled to successfully integrate a compulsory research component into residency training. Among the reasons identified included a lack of supervisory access due to the nature of clinical rotations and placements, clashing training priorities (clinical vs research) that discouraged trainees and supervisors from engaging in research, poor research expertise and experience among clinical supervisors hampering high-quality supervision, and a frustrating lack of clear standards between the various parties involved in research guidance and examination. Conclusion: Both clinical supervisors and trainees struggled to successfully integrate a compulsory research component into residency training. This was not only an issue of resource limitation since questions regarding clinical priorities and unclear research standards emerged. Thus, institutional coordinators need to set clear standards and provide adequate training to make research meaningful and achievable for busy clinical supervisors and trainees.

1450Exeperiential Note on Enhancing Epidemiological Studies through Supervision of Postgraduate Research on Scaffolded Thesis-by-Publication

Focus of Presentation Most researchers are based in universities, and their research performance site is often metropolitan and urban cities. The effect is that scope of epidemiological studies has largely been without keen interest at the primary healthcare level. A pathway that this could have been addressed is teaching-research nexus in students’ research supervision. Hence in 2013, a research program was started and focused in primary health promotion. The program involved novel application of a known idea, whereby students do scaffold thesis-by-publication. Over the years, observations of students’ behaviour regarding the program are being made. This report narrates 7 years’ experience from Nigeria. Findings In the 7 years, 44 research students (3 PhDs, 20 Masters and 21 Hons) have passed through the program. Among the 21 Hons, 1 has volunteered to remain a collaborator and ‘unpaid’ Research Assistant in the program. Currently, 11 PhD candidates including 8/20 (40%) Masters’ degree graduates who are scaling up their work. In the year 2020, 4 of the PhD candidates have gone on to epidemiological study as well as primary healthcare performance evaluation of their local government areas in terms of public health problem of research interest. All students expressed being motivated by the publications. Conclusions/Implications Taking research students through thesis-by-publication journey is one approach to advance epidemiological studies. Making the students do the work on their own community advances health promotion, outreach to rural areas and primary health perspectives. Key messages Teaching-research nexus buoyed with thesis-by-publication can advance teaching and communication of epidemiology.

Graduate Students’ Perspectives on Challenges Encountered in Research Work in Higher Education: The Kenya Experience

Research contributes significantly in every country’s national and economic development. In addition, research is fundamental in post graduate progammes in Higher Education (CUE, 2014). This paper is a report of a study that was carried out in Kenya in the year 2020 on graduate students’ perspectives on challenges encountered in research work in higher education. The study adopted a Mixed Methods approach and a survey research design. The study was guided by the systems theory by Bertalanffy (1968) cited by Heylighen and Joslyn (1992). A sample of 10 PhD students and 15 M.ED students from a public university in Kenya was selected through purposive and convenience sampling method. Only the students that had submitted their thesis for examination participated in the study. Since the students were not on campus at the time of the study, only those within reach took part in the study. Data was collected from September to November 2020 using students’ questionnaires that comprised of both closed ended and open ended questions. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that graduate students had challenges pertaining problem identification and statement, data analysis, identification and discussion of the research gap, statement of research objectives/questions, and time management. Nevertheless, the students overcame the challenges through wide reading, and consultations with experts. The study recommended strengthening of teaching and supervision of graduate students, enhancement of graduate students’ support mechanisms and faculty development in higher education. The results of this study provide insight on challenges affecting graduate students in research work. The findings inform universities on teaching of graduate students and research supervision.