Humanising Postgraduate Supervision in Higher Education: A Panacea to Student Success
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v12i2.1414Keywords:
Higher Education Institution, Humanisation, Postgraduate Supervision, Student SuccessAbstract
Student throughput has been a crucial issue in higher education, with postgraduate dropout rates and longer study periods creating substantial global challenges. In South Africa, high dropout rates highlight the need to transition from transactional supervision to supportive practices. This paper aims to evaluate the theoretical concept of humanising postgraduate supervision and propose a humanised supervision model to enhance student success, inform institutional practices, strengthen academic cultures, and support the primary objective of higher education. The research employed an interpretivist paradigm within a qualitative, conceptual framework. The data included a literature review, institutional records and the researcher’s personal observations and experiences. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data to identify the key themes and conclusions. The study proposes the Humanised Supervision Model (HSM). It shows that continued student success requires the integration of relational competency, personal development of students, and reliable institutional support. The study demonstrates that productive postgraduate supervision and student success require a comprehensive interconnected strategy, not isolated interventions. This research presents a conceptual model for humanised postgraduate supervision in Higher education institutions. It offers insights on how supervision can successfully support students inclusively, recognising their individual needs and potential beyond their academic contributions.
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