PhD Opens Doors for Graduate’s Academic Growth

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Durban University of Technology’s Head of the Finance and Information Management Department (Midlands campus), Dr Paul Green, says pursing a PhD has been the most rewarding and challenging experience of his academic life.

His reflections of his PhD journey are bittersweet because while his doctoral studies taught him valuable skills such as thinking out of the box, critical thinking and analysis as well as igniting his passion for research, it also meant sacrificing family time.

Green says although he is relieved the challenging experience has come to an end, the value the qualification adds to his academic career is worth the sacrifices.

‘I am driven by challenges in life and as an academic I was driven to pursue a PhD. As an academic it is imperative to be involved in research as I believe research informs one’s teaching. Secondly, on a personal level my career path required me to pursue a PhD and lastly, universities today require you to possess a PhD in order to lecture. Doing a PhD places an enormous amount of pressure on you and your family life and I was blessed to have family and a church that supported me throughout,’ said Green.

The purpose of Green’s dissertation titled: “A Systems Approach to the Evaluation of an Academic Department as a Service Provider at a University of Technology”, was to provide a conceptual framework for gaining a better understanding of evaluation of an academic department as a service provider at a university of technology. 

‘From the day my proposal was approved I worked consistently on my research.  I found the time that I was away from my research was the same amount of time I needed before I could return to the place where I had stopped. I must also mention that this achievement would not have been realised but for the grace of God, my supervisor Dr Stan Hardman and staff of the Graduate School of Business and Leadership,’ he said.

Supervisor Dr Stan Hardman said it had been great to work with Green as he was really committed to his work and appreciated the critical significance of systems and complexity science as it related to institutional change.

-          Thandiwe Jumo