Twenty-fifth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

This research springs from an initial investigation of the first international higher-research forum in 2015 between two education faculties at Monash University in Australia and the University of Hong Kong. Unlike the prior published study from this project which focused on an older local and international student cohort (aged 35-60, Fung, Siu & Southcott, 2017), this pilot study explored a younger cohort of doctoral students (aged 25-45). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to explore participants’ self-reported experiences concerning the motivations and challenges of mature-aged doctoral students. The findings have significant implications for global doctoral program development, funding and admission policies, scope and quality of educational offerings, international exchange forum organizations, academic enhancement and cross-border research collaboration. It is recommended that mature students require greater emotional support in addition to financial sponsorships in terms of scholarships and stipends. Offering postgraduate research students part-time positions at their home institutions could foster their capacity building and enable early socialisation and successful transition into academia.