phd degree holders in pakistan

Faculty research productivity: differences between foreign and local doctoral degree holders in Pakistan

Published: 12 October 2020
Volume 82 , pages 203–225, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

Niamatullah Baloch 1 , 2 ,
Luo Siming 2 ,
Ataklti Abraha 2 &
Shen Hong 2

1565 Accesses

9 Citations

2 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

The presence of foreign doctoral degree holders has significantly been increasing in Pakistani public universities. Despite their increasing presence and significance in universities, they have been ignored in higher education literature, notably the absence of empirical studies exploring their research productivity. This study aimed to explore research productivity differences between foreign and local doctoral degree holders and determine the factors (demographic, individual, and institutional) that contribute to their research productivity. Data were collected from 14 Pakistani public universities through a self-administered questionnaire using a systematic random sampling method. A total of 241 questionnaires were returned, among which 232 well-filled and completed questionnaires (foreign (119) and local (113), respectively) were used for analysis. The findings showed that foreign doctoral degree holders were not more productive in terms of total refereed journal articles and book chapters than local doctoral degree holders. However, foreign doctoral degree holders had published statistically significant research articles in international journals with impact factors and published more research articles with international colleagues than their local doctoral counterparts. Moreover, the findings showed that unlike the institutional factors, demographic and individual factors had significantly contributed to faculty research productivity in Pakistani public universities. Further implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are outlined.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Faculty research productivity in six Arab countries

Kamal Abouchedid & George Abdelnour

The impact of graduate students on research productivity in Korea

Ki-Seok Kwon, Seok Ho Kim, … Duckhee Jang

Comparing research productivity of returnee-PhDs in science, engineering, and the social sciences

Varsha Singh

Abramo, G., D’Angelo, C. A., & Di Costa, F. (2009). Research collaboration and productivity: is there correlation? Higher Education, 57 (2), 155–171.

Google Scholar

Allison, P. D., & Long, J. S. (1990). Departmental effects on scientific productivity. American sociological review, 55 (4), 469–478.

Allison, P., & Stewart, J. (1974). Productivity differences among scientists: evidence for accumulative advantage. American sociological review, 39 (4), 596–606.

Altbach, P. G. (2015). What counts for academic productivity in research universities? International Higher Education, 79, 6–7.

Altbach, P. G. (1989). Twisted roots: the Western impact on Asian higher education. Higher Education, 18 (1), 9–29.

Altbach, P. G., & Peterson, P. M. (2007). Higher education in the new century: global challenges and innovative ideas . Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Altbach, P. G., & Peterson, P. M. (Eds.). (2007). Higher education in the new century: global challenges and innovative ideas (Vol. 10). Sense Pub.

Altbach, P. G. (1999). The logic of mass higher education. Tertiary Education & Management, 5 (2), 107–124.

Altbach, P. G. (2008). The complex roles of universities in the period of globalization . Higher education in the world, pp. 1–14. Retrieved from http://upcommons.upc.edu .

Alzuman, A. (2015). Faculty research productivity in Saudi Arabian public universities: a human capital investment perspective. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.

Atta-Ur-Rahman. (2018) Fostering a knowledge economy Retrieved from https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/345764-fostering-a-knowledge-economy .

Austin, A. E. (2002). Preparing the next generation of faculty: graduate school as socialization to the academic career. The journal of higher education, 73 (1), 94–122.

Badar, K., Hite, J. M., & Badir, Y. F. (2013). Examining the relationship of co-authorship network centrality and gender on academic research performance: the case of chemistry researchers in Pakistan. Scientometrics, 94 (2), 755–775.

Baird, D. G. (1986). The uneasy case for corporate reorganizations. The Journal of Legal Studies, 15 (1), 127-147.

Barjak, F., & Robinson, S. (2008). International collaboration, mobility and team diversity in the life sciences: impact on research performance. Social Geography, 3 (1), 23–36.

Baruffaldi, S. H., & Landoni, P. (2012). Return mobility and scientific productivity of researchers working abroad: the role of home country linkages. Research policy, 41 (9), 1655–1665.

Barnett, R. (1990). The Idea of Higher Education. Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.

Becher, T. (1994). The significance of disciplinary differences. Studies in Higher education, 19 (2), 151–161.

Bentley, P. J. (2015). Cross-country differences in publishing productivity of academics in research universities. Scientometrics, 102 (1), 865–883.

Bentley, R., & Blackburn, R. (1990). Changes in academic research performance over time: a study of institutional accumulative advantage. Research in Higher Education, 31 (4), 327–353.

Blackburn, R. T., Behymer, C. E., & Hall, D. E. (1978). Research note: correlates of faculty publications. Sociology of Education, 51 (2), 132–141.

Bland, C. J., Center, B. A., Finstad, D. A., Risbey, K. R., & Staples, J. G. (2005). A theoretical, practical, predictive model of faculty and department research productivity. Academic Medicine, 80 (3), 225–237.

Bland, C. J., & Ruffin, M. T. (1992). Characteristics of a productive research environment: Literature review. Academic medicine: journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 67 (6), 385-397.

Braxton, J. M., Luckey, W., & Helland, P. (2002). Institutionalizing a Broader View of Scholarship Through Bayer’s Four Domains . ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report 29(2). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Brocato, J. J., & Mavis, B. (2005). The research productivity of faculty in family medicine departments at US medical schools: a national study. Academic Medicine, 80 (3), 244–252.

Chellaraj, G., Maskus, K. E., & Mattoo, A. (2005). The contribution of skilled immigration and international graduate students on US innovation . World Bank Working Paper, WPS3588.

Chelleraj, G., Maskus, K., & Mattoo, A. (2005) ‘ Skilled Immigrants, Higher Education and US Innovation ’, in C. Özden and M. Schiff (eds.) (2005) International Migration, Remittances and the Brain Drain, Washington: World Bank, pp. 245–259.

Chellaraj, G., Maskus, K. E., & Mattoo, A. (2008). The contribution of international graduate students to US innovation. Review of International Economics, 16 (3), 444–462.

Cheol Shin, J., Jeung Lee, S., & Kim, Y. (2013). Research collaboration across higher education systems: maturity, language use, and regional differences. Studies in Higher Education, 38 (3), 425–440.

Cole, S., & Cole, J. R. (1967). Scientific output and recognition: a study in the operation of the reward system in science. American sociological review, 32 (1), 377–390.

Corley, E. A., & Sabharwal, M. (2007). Foreign-born academic scientists and engineers: producing more and getting less than their US-born peers? Research in Higher Education, 48 (8), 909–940.

Creamer, E. G. (1998). Assessing faculty publication productivity: issues of equity ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report Volume 26 Number 2 . Education One Dupont Circle NW Suite 630 Washington DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher .

Creswell, J. W., & Bean, J. P. (1981). Research output, socialization, and the Biglan model. Research in Higher Education, 15 (1), 69–91.

Creswell, J. W. (1985). Faculty Research Performance: lessons from the Sciences and the Social Sciences . ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 4. Washington, DC: George Washington University.

Cummings, W. K., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2012). The internationalization of the US academy: a disciplinary perspective. In Scholars in the changing American academy (pp. 79–91). Springer Netherlands.

Dundar, H., & Lewis, D. R. (1998). Determinants of research productivity in higher education. Research in higher education, 39 (6), 607–631.

Drennan, J., Clarke, M., Hyde, A., & Politis, Y. (2013). The research function of the academic profession in Europe. In The work situation of the academic profession in Europe: Findings of a survey in twelve countries (pp. 109–136). Springer Netherlands.

Fairweather, J. S. (2002). The mythologies of faculty productivity. Journal of Higher Education, 73 (1), 26–48.

Fox, M. F. (1983). Publication productivity among scientists: a critical review. Social studies of science, 13 (2), 285–305.

Fox, M. F. (1992). Research, teaching, and publication productivity: Mutuality versus competition in academia. Sociology of education , 293-305.

Geiger, R. L. (1986). To advance knowledge: the growth of American research universities, 1900–1940 . New York: Oxford University Press.

Haque U. N., Mahmood M., Abbas S., & Lodhi A. (2018). The university research system in Pakistan. Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/default/files/the_university_research_system_in_pakistan.pdf .

Hassan, S. U. (2016, February 10). Research landscape of Pakistan. MIT Technology Review, Pakistan. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.pk/research-land-scape-of-pakistan .

HEC University Ranking. (2016). 5th Ranking of Pakistani Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) 2015. Retrieved from https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/universities/Documents/Ranking_Doc%20(2015).pdf.

Hedjazi, Y., & Behravan, J. (2011). Study of factors influencing research productivity of agriculture faculty members in Iran. Higher education 62, 5, 635–647.

Herciu, L. (2015). Pakistan: another BRIC in the wall . New York, NY: Thomson & Reuters.

Hibberts, M., Johnson, R. B., & Hudson, K. (2012). Common survey sampling techniques. In Handbook of survey methodology for the social sciences (pp. 53–74). Springer, New York, NY.

Higher Education Commission (2010). Medium Term Development Framework II (2011-15) (MTDF-HE II). Higher Education Commission. Retrieved from https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/planipolis/files/ressources/pakistan_higher_education_medium_term_development_framework_2011-2015.pdf .

Higher Education Commission. (2015). Annual Report. 2014-2015. Retrieved from https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/news/HECPublications/Annual%20Report%202014-15.pdf

Higher Education Commission (2017, July 7). Higher Education Commission Vision 2025. Retrieved from https://hec.gov.pk/english/HECAnnouncements/Documents/Announcement/HEC-Vision-2025.pdf .

Higher Education Commission Pakistan. (2016). Pakistan emerges as a country with scientific influence and citation impact. Islamabad, Pakistan: Higher Education Commission. Retrieved from https://hec.gov.pk/english/news/news/Pages/Pakistan-Emerges.aspx .

Hoodbhoy, P. (2017, July 1). Pakistan's professor mafia. Dawn Newspaper. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1342483 .

Hunter, R. (2020). Education in Pakistan. World Education News+ Reviews. Retrieved from https://wenr.wes.org/2020/02/education-in-pakistan .

Jonkers, K., & Tijssen, R. (2008). Chinese researchers returning home: impacts of international mobility on research collaboration and scientific productivity. Scientometrics, 77 (2), 309–333.

Jonkers, K., & Cruz-Castro, L. (2013). Research upon return: the effect of international mobility on scientific ties, production and impact. Research Policy, 42 (8), 1366–1377.

Jung, J. (2012). Faculty research productivity in Hong Kong across academic discipline. Higher education studies, 2 (4), 1.

Katz, J. S., & Martin, B. R. (1997). What is research collaboration? Research policy, 26 (1), 1–18.

Khan, S., Shah, S. M. H., & Khan, T. M. (2018). An investigation of attitudes towards the research activities of university teachers. Bulletin of Education and Research, 40 (1), 215–230.

Kumari, R. (2017). Research and Development: Review of Research Performance in Higher Education Sector in the Last Decade. Commissioned by the Higher Education Commission and the World Bank . Retrieved from https://hec.gov.pk/english/universities/projects/TESP/Documents/TESA%20Report%20-%20Research%20Performance.pdf .

Kwiek, M. (2015). The internationalization of research in Europe: a quantitative study of 11 national systems from a micro-level perspective. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19 (4), 341–359.

Kwiek, M. (2016). The European research elite: a cross-national study of highly productive academics in 11 countries. Higher Education, 71 (3), 379–397.

Kwiek, M. (2018). High research productivity in vertically undifferentiated higher education systems: who are the top performers? Scientometrics, 115 (1), 415–462.

Kwiek, M. (2020). What large-scale publication and citation data tell us about international research collaboration in Europe: Changing national patterns in global science. Studies in Higher Education . https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1749254 .

Kyvik, S., & Aksnes, D. W. (2015). Explaining the increase in publication productivity among academic staff: a generational perspective. Studies in Higher Education, 40 (8), 1438–1453.

Kyvik, S., & Smeby, J. C. (1994). Teaching and research. The relationship between the supervision of graduate students and faculty research performance. Higher Education, 28 (2), 227-239.

Kyvik, S., & Teigen, M. (1996). Child care, research collaboration, and gender differences in scientific productivity. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 21 (1), 54–71.

Landry, R., Traore, N., & Godin, B. (1996). An econometric analysis of the effect of collaboration on academic research productivity. Higher Education, 32 (3), 283–301.

Lee, S., & Bozeman, B. (2005). The impact of research collaboration on scientific productivity. Social studies of science, 35 (5), 673–702.

Lee, J. J., & Kim, D. (2010). Brain gain or brain circulation? US doctoral recipients returning to South Korea. Higher education, 59 (5), 627–643.

Leisyte, L., & Dee, J. R. (2012). Understanding academic work in a changing institutional environment. In Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (pp. 123–206). Springer, Dordrecht.

Levin, S. G., & Stephan, P. E. (1991). Research productivity over the life cycle: evidence for academic scientists. The American Economic Review , 81 , 114–132.

Li, L., & Yan, F. (2015). Effects of International Education Degree and Organizational Effectiveness Perception on Academic Research Productivity in China. RIHE the Changing Academic Profession Report No. 22. Japan: Hiroshima University. Retrieved from https://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/wakimoto/pdf/seminar22.pdf#page=85.

Long, J. S., Allison, P. D., & McGinnis, R. (1979). Entrance into the academic career. American sociological review, 44 (5), 816–830.

Mamiseishvili, K. (2010). Foreign-born women faculty work roles and productivity at research universities in the United States. Higher Education, 60 (2), 139–156.

Mamiseishvili, K., & Rosser, V. J. (2010). International and citizen faculty in the United States: an examination of their productivity at research universities. Research in Higher Education, 51 (1), 88.

Martín-Sempere, M., Rey-Rocha, J., & Garzón-García, B. (2002). The effect of team consolidation on research collaboration and performance of scientists. Case study of Spanish university researchers in Geology. Scientometrics, 55 (3), 377–394.

Marvasti, A. (2005). US academic institutions and perceived effectiveness of foreign-born faculty. Journal of Economic Issues, 39 (1), 151–176.

Marsh, H. W., & Hattie, J. (2002). The relation between research productivity and teaching effectiveness: complementary, antagonistic, or independent constructs? The Journal of Higher Education, 73 (5), 603-641.

Maruyama, A. (1999). Towards the promotion of investment in the CDM by the private sector: scope for finance support by Japanese government. In Workshop on Flexibility Mechanisms and Climate Change Policy in Asian Countries: Experiences and Technology Response from EC Research, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok (pp. 14-15).

Musiige, G., & Maassen, P. (2015). Faculty perceptions of the factors that influence research productivity at Makerere University. African Minds Higher Education Dynamics Series, 1 , 109-127.

Nafukho, F. M., Wekullo, C. S., & Muyia, M. H. (2019). Examining research productivity of faculty in selected leading public universities in Kenya. International Journal of Educational Development, 66, 44–51.

Nauman, S. (2017). Lack of critical thinking skills leading to research crisis in developing countries: a case of Pakistan. Learned Publishing, 30 (3), 233–236.

Nguyen, Q. H. (2015). Factors Influencing the research productivity of academics at the research-oriented university in Vietnam . Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Griffith University, Australia.

Osama, A., Najam, A., Kassim-Lakha, S., Gilani, S. Z., & King, C. (2009). Pakistan’s reform experiment. Nature, 461 (7260), 38–39.

Perna, L. W., & Titus, M. A. (2005). The relationship between parental involvement as social capital and college enrollment: an examination of racial/ethnic group differences. The journal of higher education, 76 (5), 485-518.

Porter, S. R., & Umbach, P. D. (2001). Analysing faculty workload data using multilevel modeling. Research in higher education, 42 (2), 171–196.

Postiglione, G., & Jung, J. (2013). World-class university and Asia’s top tier researchers. In Q. Wang, Y. Cheng, & N. C. Liu (Eds.), Building world-class universities. Different approaches to a shared goal (pp. 161–180). Rotterdam: Sense.

Qadir, A. (2011). Tangential modernity: culture of higher education reform in Pakistan . Tampere University Press.

Rahman, U. A. (2012). The HEC impact. Technology Times, 4 (1). Retrieved from https://www.technologytimes.pk/2012/12/31/the-hec-impact/.

Rameez, A. M. (2019). Institutes on rise, performance in decline. Pakistan Today. Retrieved from https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2019/08/14/ institutes-on- rise-performance-in-decline/Institutes on rise; performance in decline.

Ramsden, P. (1994). Describing and explaining research productivity. Higher Education, 28 (2), 207–226.

Riaz, H., Jabeen, N., Salman, Y., Ansari, N., & Moazzam, A. (2017). A study of higher education reforms in Pakistan: key reforms and drivers. Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan , 54 (2).

Sabharwal, M. (2013). Comparing research productivity across disciplines and career stages. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 15 (2), 141–163.

Schuster, J. H., Finkelstein, M. J., & Finkelstein, M. J. (2006). The American faculty: the restructuring of academic work and careers . JHU Press.

Sheehan, B. A., Welch, A. R., & Lacy, F. J. (1996). The academic profession in Australia . Education, Training and Youth Affairs: Department of Employment.

Shin, J. C., & Cummings, W. K. (2010). Multilevel analysis of academic publishing across disciplines: research preference, collaboration, and time on research. Scientometrics, 85 (2), 581–594.

Shin, J. C., Jung, J., Postiglione, G. A., & Azman, N. (2014). Research productivity of returnees from study abroad in Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Minerva, 52 (4), 467–487.

Smeby, J. C., & Try, S. (2005). Departmental contexts and faculty research activity in Norway. Research in Higher Education, 46 (6), 593–619.

Stephan, P.E., & Levin, S.G. (1992). Striking the Mother Lode in Science: The Importance of Age, Place, and Time, New York: Oxford University Press.

Tarar, N. O. (2006). Globalisation and higher education in Pakistan. Economic and Political Weekly, 41 (49), 9-15.

Teodorescu, D. (2000). Correlates of faculty publication productivity: a cross-national analysis. Higher Education, 39 (2), 201–222.

Tien, F. F., & Blackburn, R. T. (1996). Faculty rank system, research motivation, and faculty research productivity: measure refinement and theory testing. The Journal of Higher Education, 67 (1), 2–22.

Tourangeau, R., Rips, L. J., & Rasinski, K. (2000). The psychology of survey response . Cambridge University Press.

Toutkoushian, R. K., & Bellas, M. L. (1999). Faculty time allocations and research productivity: gender, race and family effects. The Review of Higher Education, 22 (4), 367–390.

Toutkoushian, R. K., & Webber, K. (2011). Measuring the research performance of postsecondary institutions. In University ranking: Theoretical basis, methodology and impacts on global higher education, (eds). J.C. Shin, R.K. Toutkoushian, & U. Teichler. Dordrecht: Springer.

Turner, L., & Mairesse, J. (2003). Explaning individual productivity difference in scientific research productivity: How important are institutional and individual determinants? Condensed matter (1380–1997). Submitted to Annuales d,economic et de statistiques for the specialissue in honor of Zvi Griliches.

Uddin, A., & Singh, V. K. (2014). Mapping the computer science research in SAARC countries. IETE Technical Review, 31 (4), 287–296.

UNESCO. (2018). Statistics for education. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved from http://data.uis.unesco.org/ .

Ur Rahman, A. (2009). Pakistan: sense of urgency powered education reforms. Nature, 461 (7266), 874–874.

Wang, X., Xu, S., Liu, D., & Liang, Y. (2012). The role of Chinese-American scientists in China–US scientific collaboration: a study in nanotechnology. Scientometrics, 91 (3), 737–749.

Wang, X., Xu, S., Wang, Z., Peng, L., & Wang, C. (2013). International scientific collaboration of China: collaborating countries, institutions and individuals. Scientometrics, 95 (3), 885–894.

Webber, K. L. (2012). Research productivity of foreign-and US-born faculty: differences by time on task. Higher Education, 64 (5), 709–729.

Webber, K. L. (2013). Research productivity of science and engineering faculty at US universities: the contribution of foreign vs US-born status. The Journal of the Professoriate, 7 (1), 51–84.

Welch, A. (2011). Higher education in Southeast Asia: blurring borders, changing balance . Abingdon: Routledge.

Williams, H. A. (2003). A mediated hierarchical regression analysis of factors related to research productivity of human resource education and workforce development postsecondary faculty. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Louisiana State University. Retrieved from http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0326103-212409/ .

Wood, F. (1990). Factors influencing research performance of university academic staff. Higher Education, 19 (1), 81-100.

World Bank nd. (2017). Pakistan: Country Summary of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/278200-1121703274255/1439264-1193249163062/Pakistan_countrySummary.pdf.

Xian, W. (2015). A quantitative study of the internationalization of the academics and research productivity: case study of China. Chinese Education & Society, 48 (4), 265–279.

Ynalvez, M. A., & Shrum, W. M. (2011). Professional networks, scientific collaboration, and publication productivity in resource-constrained research institutions in a developing country. Research Policy, 40 (2), 204–216.

Zainab, A. N. (1999). Personal, academic and departmental correlates of research productivity: a review of literature. Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science, 4 (2), 73–110.

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Qinggen Zhang, post-doctoral scholar at HUST, for the provision of invaluable statistical assistant during analysis process.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Faculty of Education, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS), Balochistan, 90050, Pakistan

Niamatullah Baloch

School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China

Niamatullah Baloch, Luo Siming, Ataklti Abraha & Shen Hong

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Niamatullah Baloch or Luo Siming .

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Baloch, N., Siming, L., Abraha, A. et al. Faculty research productivity: differences between foreign and local doctoral degree holders in Pakistan. High Educ 82 , 203–225 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00630-2

Download citation

Accepted : 16 September 2020

Published : 12 October 2020

Issue Date : July 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00630-2

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Foreign doctoral degree holders
Local doctoral degree holders
Research productivity
Differences
Pakistani public universities
Find a journal
Publish with us
Track your research

Doctor of Philosophy in Education | IED, Pakistan | The Aga Khan University //

Our Leadership
Our Faculty
Areas of Focus
Network of Professionals
In the Media
Work for Us
Giving Opportunities
Bachelor of Education
MPhil in Education
PhD in Education
Financial Assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
Continuing Professional Education
Publications
Teaching License Policy
Kazim Bacchus Research Seminars
Pandemic Perspectives
AKU-IED Libraries
Development Projects
Professional Development Centre, Karachi
Professional Development Centre, North
Professional Development Centre, Chitral
Aanchal ECD Podcast
AKU-IED Blogs
Bite-sized Maths
Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability
Conversations with the Dean
Doctoral Lecture Series
Public Lecture Series
Education in COVID-19

PhD in Education

The acute educational problems facing Pakistan and other developing countries need researchers who can ask critical questions, design innovative methods of inquiry and generate usable knowledge for scholars, education practitioners and policymakers. Our PhD in Education is designed for professionals who aspire to play such a role in improving the provision and quality of education.

The programme deepens students' understanding of educational problems and research needs in the developing world preparing them for leadership roles. It enables students to conduct research to inform educational policies and practices in the developing world.

Learn more about Financial Assistance at AKU!

Life beyond AKU-IED

Here's what our alumni have to say about their experience of being developed as teachers, researchers and leaders in the area of education .

"Along with academic guidance and support, what I found most empowering was that I grew and transformed professionally despite my personal challenges. The high quality, equitable and humane learning environment created by the leadership and faculty is what makes the IED a unique place for study."

Dr Nasima Zainulabidin, Class of '18

"The PhD experience at IED immensely strengthened my profile as a researcher. Building on this experience, I have worked as a lead researcher and a consultant for different institutions in Afghanistan. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor at Kardan University, Kabul."

Hajee Parveen Roy, Class of ‘12

Hajee parveen roy, class of ‘12.

"Following his PhD at IED, Dr Haji Karim stepped into higher education to teach as an Assistant Professor at the University of Baltistan."

Dr Haji Karim Khan, Class of '09

Haji Karim shares his experience as a doctoral student and his journey since graduating from AKU-IED.

Dr Haji Karim Khan, Class of '09

Find out about eligibility criteria, English language requirements, fee structure details, scholarships and all forms of financial assistance available.

Pakistan Today
Profit Magazine
Paperazzi Magazine

Even when it seems hopeless, we must never quit

Helter-skelter, privatization: a path to success or another false start, pm in saudi arabia, anthrax and toilet cleaners, lahore flourishes with seasonal blooms before eid, uog student leads team as environmental initiative takes root at fc…, manja at aitchison or in besham, russia, kazakhstan evacuate over 100,000 people amid worst flooding in decades, “money rules” in american elections, xi, lavrov discuss emerging challenges, opportunities, bollywood plays part in india election season dominated by modi, iran fm accuses us of approving strike on damascus consulate, amir, imad make a comeback as pakistan team for nz t20…, army chief hosts iftar for pakistan cricket team, pcb selection committee meets with players in islamabad ahead of nz-series…, ‘medieval non-sense at public expense’: farhatullah babar on pak army training…, gary kirsten, jason gillespie finalised as coaches by pcb, research standards of pakistan .

Our neighbour is doing better at research

Pakistan’s population is increasing enormously. As per the Bureau of Statistics January 2023 report, the population has increased to 238.1 million. The country faces various internal and external challenges like security, economic, political and social challenges and these challenges are associated with quality education. The country faces numerous other challenges like tension from neighbouring countries, treatment of major powers, and more.

There is a lack of interdisciplinary research activities; most of the world’s organizations are moving towards interdisciplinary research; but in Pakistan, only a few organizations are conducting research on multidisciplinary subjects; the institutions should encourage multidisciplinary research to promote collaboration among multiple disciplines

The people of Pakistan are undoubtedly talented and still need more resources. This focuses only on the standard of research in Pakistan; for this, numerous worldwide databases were explored to find out the current situation of Pakistan in the realm of research. According to SCIMAGO Journal Rank (SJR), Pakistan’s position is better than other developing countries. As per SJR, the ranking of Pakistan is 45 among other countries. However, the question arises that India stands on seven, though both countries got independence on the same day.

It shows that since 1947 we needed help addressing educational standards to compete with our neighbouring countries. Secondly, according to the report of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC), we have a total of 247 recognized universities which offer degree programmes, of which 147 universities are public, whereas 100 universities are private. It means these universities have been turned into factories to produce MPhil and PhD degree holders with poor research. These scholars need to contribute to improving the quality of education and research to face social challenges.

According to the Times Higher Education Report, only 55 universities in Pakistan are listed in the world ranking university list. Among them, only three universities are listed between 400-600 ranking. Quaid-i-Azam University, despite a disastrous culture, held the first position because the ongoing situation, like the ethnic conflict between Baloch and Pathan, would make its ranking decline if the situation were not controlled. All the remaining universities were ranked between 600-1800, which is not a good omen for the education sector of Pakistan when we compare Pakistan with India in ranking sectors. There are 101 universities in India ranked between 200 to 1700 on the world list. The government should strictly deal with the violence in public sector universities like Peshawar University, Punjab University, Quaid-i-Azam University, and so on, to avoid further decline in educational sectors; otherwise, such violence will further damage the education system in Pakistan.

The educational sector relies on legal and standard research; however, PhD Degree holders in Pakistan only produce quality research for degree requirements. There are vast platforms that offer many projects; however, researchers are based on government jobs instead of finding other projects offered by worldwide institutions. The Higher Education Commission still needs to devise parameters for PhD degree holders. Unfortunately, sixty-year terms and re-appointment after successful tenures in teaching faculty cause unemployment in education sectors.

However, most of the older community still needs to give the young generations chances and be more varied in the current research standards. Those older people even do not know how to open a computer and take a print of their files. The Higher Education Commission should stop them from further tenure after reaching 60 years of age.

Other reasons for poor research in Pakistan include the need for more originality and because many scholars are reproducing the same work from existing studies without contributing to new research fields. Limited scope is another reason for poor quality research addressing important questions and issues in their respective fields. Another failure of quality research includes the inadequate research methodology, making it difficult for other researchers to reproduce the study’s findings.

Lack of rigour fails to establish research standards like ethical considerations and data privacy. Above all, the lack of collaboration among researchers is another bottleneck that hinders Pakistan’s research projects. Most seniors fully cooperate in encouraging their young colleagues to be recognized in their research field. All stakeholders like HEC, government, and institutions require concerted efforts to provide adequate resources and support the young generation.

Pakistan’s research standard requires a multifaceted approach to make it more prominent in the world ranking; only some worthy steps are the establishment of research-oriented institutions because, with these institutions, our country can grow in the right direction. There are heavy cuts in the budget for research and development programmes. The government and higher education institutions should grant a handsome amount for research activities.

There is a lack of interdisciplinary research activities; most of the world’s organizations are moving towards interdisciplinary research; but in Pakistan, only a few organizations are conducting research on multidisciplinary subjects; the institutions should encourage multidisciplinary research to promote collaboration among multiple disciplines.

The country faces unethical research practices; the stakeholders and research organizations should encourage ethical research practices to enhance their value. There needs to be more mentorship and counselling between students and faculty members. The institutions should encourage mentoring and counselling policies to meet the new challenges of the research realm. Enhancement of research collaboration is yet another issue; in this regard, the collaboration from people-to-people and organization-to-organization should be established to contribute to the research arena. The country may emerge from hectic situations if we follow international norms in our research activities.

Causes and consequences of urbanization in pakistan, pakistan’s debt dilemma: navigating turbulent waters, three sukkur hostages safely return from katcha area, malala asks pm shehbaz to spend more on education, in phone call, pm extends eid greetings to emir of qatar.

Create profile

Like courses

Apply direct

Create your IDP profile

To continue your research, create your profile with IDP. Your profile allows you to:

Apply direct to courses and receive a response within the same day
Shortlist and save courses
Get the AI course recomendations
Access our cost of living calculator

Match with universities

Now create a profile

Create a profile and start liking courses. We’ll show you recommendations that match what you’re looking for.

Your password must include

One upper case letter
One lower case letter
One special character
At least 8 characters

IDP Pakistan
Study Abroad - Programs, Cost & Requirements | IDP Pakistan
PhD: Fees, Requirements And how to apply

PhD: Fees, Requirements & How to apply

Learn all about the highest academic degree, phd.

Find out about the possibility of obtaining a Doctorate at a top university abroad with the help of IDP. The PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest postgraduate academic degree conferred by higher education institutions such as universities. Pursuing a PhD can result in significantly improved career prospects.

Students or professionals interested in leadership, academia, research, entrepreneurship, and much more sectors can depend on PhD as an advantageous qualification towards their ambitions. Regardless of your field, a student is required to have a bachelor’s or a master’s degree to obtain a PhD. A doctoral student who successfully completes the PhD program is automatically awarded with the academic title of “Doctor”.

Duration of PhD degrees

The period of time needed to obtain your doctorate degree depends on the field you study and it differs from a university to another as well as the education system of the country you’ll study at. Different PhD programs take various durations as follows for example:

PhD of Political Science: between 3 – 8 years.
PhD of Economics: between 5 – 7 years.
PhD of Medicine: between 3 – 8 years.
PhD of Computer Science: between 4 – 5 years.
PhD of Music: between 4 – 7 years.
PhD of Engineering: between 3 – 8 years.

PhD requirements

PhD admission requirements vary based on the university and the field of study. But generally, to apply for a PhD program at a leading university either in Australia, USA, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, or Ireland you’ll generally need the following requirements:

Application form
Accredited master’s degree in a related field with strong grades and proven research ability and potential
Transcripts for your university degree or courses
Statement of Purpose
GMAT or GRE scores
Recommendation letters
English language test, such as IELTS or TOEFL
Application fee

PhD in Australia

A PhD in Australia trains students to excel in their area of research, teaching and administration. The doctoral degree includes a review of the relevant literature, an original research project and a well-ordered thesis.

For students who wish to pursue a PhD in Australia, every year there are research scholarships such as the international postgraduate research scholarships (IPRS), university scholarships, alumni scholarships and governmental scholarships. Choose your PhD university wisely. There are several Australian university groups such as the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) which includes 7 research-based universities.

PhD in USA is a series of 3 phases of course work. Depending upon the study field, to complete PhD in USA , it takes 4 to 8 years of study after the Bachelor's Degree; and a year or two less for those who complete PhD after master’s degree .

As a PhD student at a US university, the F-1 student visa permits you to work on-campus for up to 20 hours a week during term-time and full-time during the holidays. Moreover, your Curricular Practical Training (CPT) includes work placements and opportunities that are a compulsory part of your PhD program.

PhD in the UK

PhD in the UK provides professional, self-motivated researchers with the freedom to explore their chosen subject. Pursuing your PhD involves 3 years of research supported by subject-specific and generic skills training. There are no formal written examinations; students produce an externally examined written thesis and are to be present for an oral examination.

To be successful in PhD in the UK, you need to have a strong interest in the subject and are required to demonstrate intellectual independence, time-management skills and self-discipline.

PhD in New Zealand

Universities in New Zealand offer education for PhD in a diverse array of subjects . PhD in New Zealand is a 3 to 4-year full-time course during which a student has to prepare a substantial thesis under supervision. Upon completion of the course, a student is tested on the basis of oral examination of the thesis, after which PhD degree is awarded.

PhD in Canada

PhD programs in the universities of Canada are mostly research thesis-based, and last for 4 to 6 years. Generally, Canadian doctorate programs have more in common with the UK than the neighbouring USA. Unlike the American programs which begin with 1 or 2 years of taught classes and examinations before defining a thesis topic, the Canadian PhD program is often more research focused.

PhD in Ireland

A standard full-time PhD in Ireland is usually completed in 3 to 4 years. For more structured programs this is normally 4 years. The Irish academic year is similar to that of the UK and universities are free to set their own teaching and examination dates.

Students earning a PhD in Ireland experience coursework, seminars, and substantial research in a specialised area of study which results in a doctoral thesis.

Seeking to study abroad? Speak with IDP Education counsellor today to find the latest information about admission requirements for your program and secure your place at your dream global university in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand & Ireland!

Study Abroad Destinations

Best study abroad countries. We partner with over 700 quality institutions around the world.

Beyond the rankings: what really matters in a university?

Choosing a university can be a hard task and most international students rely on university rankings such as the QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education

University Rankings

University rankings are a great way to compare key performance indicators across different universities or schools.

Search for courses
Find a university
Find a scholarship

Please select a level of study

Enter subject, choose from the list or hit search

Start typing, choose from the list or hit search

Enter subject, choose from the list or or hit search

Please type and select an institution

Type 3 characters of a university name and select from the list

Enter a university or school name and select from the list

Got any ideal countries in mind?

No Event Found.

Let’s get started

Your profile page will have the liked courses.

has been saved to your shortlist

View your shortlist or close this box to continue researching.

Courses for you

Punjab University to raise number of PhD degree-holders

Punjab University (PU) is focussing on increasing the number of PhD degree holders, as Pakistan produces 100 PhD per year against 5000 in India. The vice-chancellor Arshad Mahmood stated this while presiding over a meeting held here on Wednesday, to review the PhD programmes. Arshad maintained that during the last 50 years from 1948 to 1998, the Punjab University produced only 740 PhD on the average of 15 per year and in science subjects, only 244 on the average of 5 per year. To make up this loss, the University has launched a regular Ph.D. programme of 24 credit hours course work in 32 disciplines in 2001 and now over 1000 PhD candidates are registered with the university, he added. He further said that the number of candidates have been increasing gradually in recent years. PhD degrees were awarded to 37 people during 2001, 49 in 2002 while 60 degrees were awarded during the year 2003 in different disciplines. Presently, out of total 536 teachers teaching in the university, 41 percent are M Phil and PhD degree holders, he maintained. In order to encourage more enrolments, the duration of Ph.D. programme has been reduced from 7 to 5 years and now Rs 100,000 would be granted to the supervisors and candidates respectively, he said. Describing other incentives, he said that previously 25 percent pay of outstation officers, doing PhD was to be deducted, but the Governor has notified full pay for outstation Ph.D. candidates, he added. Viewing the overall development in the university, Arshad said that Environmental Law in Law College, Operational Research in Statistics Department, Self Finance Scheme in 32 disciplines, Quality Management Programme in Chemical Engineering and Technology, Archaeology in History Department, Pak Studies in History Department, Geographical Information System (GIS) in Geography Department have been launched. Copyright Business Recorder, 2004 No content from Business Recorder shall be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication, or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Business Recorder shall not be responsible or held liable for any error of fact, opinion or recommendation and also for any loss, financial or otherwise, resulting from business or trade or speculation conducted, or investments made, on the basis of the information posted here. Nor shall Business Recorder be held liable for any actions taken in consequence.')" onMouseOut="popop(event,'tip1')" style="cursor:pointer"> Copyright Business Recorder, 2004

Comments are closed.

Pakistan repays $1bn international bond: central bank

9 passengers killed in noshki: pm shehbaz condemns incident in balochistan, jul-mar period: govt borrowing soars to record high of rs4.8trn, gold price per tola decreases rs1,100 in pakistan, fy24 real gdp projected to grow by 1.9pc, pm apprised of upcoming imf-world bank meetings, imf chief flags issues that country needs to address, ‘alarming situation’: jan it exports slump 12.4pc to $265m mom, jul-apr: psx posts fipi net inflow of over $82.9m, adversarial elements: coas urges stakeholders to remain vigilant, submersible motors import: new customs’ values fixed, read more stories.