Growing the next generation of researchers

Overview & Synopsis

This book arises out of 12 years' experience with the University of Cape Town's Emerging Researcher Programme, through which upwards of the 650 early-career academics have passed. It identifies and promotes awareness of contemporary challenges in the local and global higher education context; explains the intrinsic nature of academia worldwide; and provides strategies for individual growth that result in sustained, high-quality research output. It also addresses institutional leadership whose responsibility it is to create an environment conducive to the flourishing of research and researchers. Unlike texts from the Global North, this book seeks to reflect a southern perspective, relevant to academics within and beyond the borders of South Africa. At the same time, it recognises that the experience of being an academic differs between countries, institutions and even within a single institution. This book is divided into four parts: Part 1: Welcome to academia focuses on the nature of the academic environment, on research as a core academic function, and on the fast-changing global and local research context. Part 2: Developing a research profile: The art and craft of research introduces readers to the range of opportunities, tools and targets for personal research growth. Part 3: Getting research into the public sphere discusses the dissemination and impact of research, mainly but not exclusively through publishing, and on the various strategies for and measures of research impact. Part 4: Writing a thesis and supervising its production looks at the production of Master's and PhD theses from the students and supervisor’s perspective.