KARACHI:
The term PhD is an abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy. After completing a PhD, the degree holder is qualified to teach their chosen subject at a university level or work in a specialised position within their field. Often PhD degree holders are subjected to derogatory remarks for not being well-informed on all subject matters. This is because of an absence of general awareness of PhD degrees in Pakistan.
The study and training undertaken during a PhD course involve deep research to build knowledge and professionalism, exploring different facets including the know-how of prevailing norms, research methodology, and verbal as well as written communication to write research papers or applications for grants. Importantly, a PhD degree allows the holder to articulate a research problem and investigate them thoroughly, which also requires financial support at times. Although the PhD candidates are allocated mentors, the mentor only offers basic support on time management and handling stress. It is the candidate that conducts their research and draws a hypothesis. Once the degree is completed, PhD holders are approached by others who want to fill gaps in their chosen field under their mentorship and guidance.
It is important to clarify misconceptions about a PhD degree because Pakistan is already lagging in research in several fields. Therefore, students should be informed of what a PhD degree entails and encouraged to undertake it. With the ever-changing global environment and developments in technology, Pakistan must expand its pool of research to experiment and innovate on its own for future developments.
Dr Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2022.
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