Whose PhD is it? A Case of Supervision in Higher Education in South Africa

“Whose PhD is it?” This question arises from more than two fronts: the contribution each makes, the intellectual property rights, and the moral ownership of the product. There is a dearth of such literature, the available one concentrates mainly on the administration and intellectual property rights, disregarding the gruesome activities that take place from the start to the completion of the degree itself. The purpose of this study is to answer that question using research. The study uses the qualitative self-study approach, and a case study was conducted from two purposively selected universities in South Africa, drawing data from five academics who lecture in these institutions. This study sought to unpack this question through a self-study methodology. Data generated from the discussions were communicated through WhatsApp, emails, and telephones and then thematically analyzed. The evidence indicates that the supervision style determines whose PhD it is. The authoritative, Eurocentric style of supervision disengages the student from ownership of the PhD, through a shared partnership between the supervisor and the student, the PhD journey becomes a ‘collective project’ and a student’s work. The study contributes to the administration, management, and retention of PhD candidates in universities by advocating for using the Ubuntu Style of Supervision that safeguards and promotes respect, love, care, freedom, social justice, and participation. Over and above this, the research contributes to the literature on PhD student supervision in terms of ethics, accountability, policy adherence, and planning purposes. Keywords: PhD; Doctoral Candidate; Supervision; Higher Education, Ubuntu Style of Supervision