The Office of Doctoral Programmes (ODP) at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has organised a one-day training workshop to empower its faculty members.
The workshop, titled ‘Effective PhD Supervision,’ addressed the critical issues faced by doctoral supervisors, considering recent changes in PhD qualifications and the challenges of remote supervision.
It also aimed at providing guidelines for the thesis and dissertation process while fostering collaborative relationships between PhD candidates and their supervisors, with the ultimate goal of producing high-quality research.
The online workshop, held on Thursday, September 14, was attended by over 50 UPSA faculty members, mostly current and prospective PhD dissertation supervisors, underscoring the significance of the topic and the commitment of the academic community to advancing the quality of doctoral education at UPSA.
Facilitator for the workshop, Prof Nana Owusu-Frimpong, took the participants through various aspects of effective PhD supervision and quality dissertation production.
Other key topics addressed by Prof Owusu-Frimpong included defining the essence of a PhD, delineating the roles of the Director/Supervisory Team, cultivating and managing relationships with students, conflict prevention, and feedback mechanisms.
The rest of the areas are academic writing support, navigating the intricacies of determining methodology, and establishing the characteristics of a well-rounded PhD.
Director of the Office of Doctoral Programmes, Professor Raymond Dziwornu, mentioned that the training is a strategic initiative by the ODP to enhance the capacity of faculty members at UPSA in order to provide superior services to doctoral students.
He affirmed the ODP’s unwavering commitment to organising further capacity-building workshops and ensuring the continuous delivery of high-quality doctoral programmes in Ghana.
“The workshop,” Prof Dziwornu said, “stands as a testament to UPSA’s dedication to staying at the forefront of educational excellence, providing its faculty with the tools and knowledge needed to address the contemporary challenges of doctoral supervision.”
Professor Dziwornu expressed gratitude to the facilitator for his insightful facilitation and commended the participants for their active engagement, which he said would equip them with tips for navigating challenges that may confront them in the line of their duties.
