Reimagining doctoral supervision and mentorship in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda

Doctoral education is central to strengthening research capacity and advancing knowledge production in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, challenges in supervisory quality, mentorship systems, and institutional governance continue to constrain doctoral completion, productivity, and equity. Comparative empirical evidence on supervision and mentorship systems in African higher education remains limited. This study examines how governance arrangements, supervisory practices, and mentorship structures shape doctoral supervision ecosystems in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda. Using a mixed-methods design, it integrates survey data (n=154), interviews (n=27), and policy dialogues under the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF). Guided by the Doctoral Supervision Ecosystem Framework, the study explores institutional dynamics influencing supervision practices. Results reveal three patterns. Supervision in Ethiopia and Kenya is largely individualized and administratively assigned, with limited accountability and uneven engagement. Rwanda demonstrates a more coordinated model characterized by supervisory teams, structured monitoring, and institutional oversight. Mentorship remains predominantly informal across contexts, with limited integration into governance systems. Gender disparities constrain access for female doctoral candidates. By conceptualizing supervision as an institutional ecosystem rather than an individual supervisory relationship, the study extends doctoral education scholarship by demonstrating how governance structures, mentorship systems, and gendered institutional dynamics collectively shape doctoral outcomes in Sub-Saharan African universities.