Research Students in Higher Education Globally

Abstract

This policy paper has reviewed various aspects of higher education research, specifically the research student involved in it at the entry level, i.e. postgraduates, doctorate students, and early career researchers. The aim of this policy paper is to analyze, evaluate and put forward a summary and recommendations regarding a number of systematic problems and inequalities faced by research students across the world today, with the hope of providing clear solutions to these. This policy paper addresses the issues of research students in higher education by studying various important stages of the research process through which they pass, and proposes ideas to improve and enhance the processes - from hiring of a research student or researcher to their mental well-being - to name a few examples. This paper presents comprehensive recommendations and suggestions for the improvement of the same based on three key sites of researchers’ and research students’ journey to degree and post-degree skill development: the research student experience; the research student process; and the professional development of the research student journey.