Research Collaboration: Enhancing the Research Skills and Self-Confidence of Early Career Academics

Abstract

An academic’s career development chiefly depends on research and publication performance. For young academics, support and guidance are needed to help with the transition to new work culture and practices in the early phase of their career. This study intended to explore the benefits of research collaboration activities in relation to young academics’ knowledge, skills, and personal development. A total of 15 young academics from one research university with each having less than five years of work experience selected using purposive sampling. In-depth interviews were used to collect data. The data transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that research collaboration activities have substantial impact on young academics in updating their research knowledge and skills, and this subsequently caused them to be more confident with their ability to manage research independently. Collaboration activities also have remarkable impact on young academics’ generic skills development and psychological wellbeing, increase young academics’ self-confidence, to reduce isolation as well as overcome the problem of low performance. Based on the findings, it is suggested that collaborative working culture is promoted and enhanced by universities as a practical platform for young academics to continue upgrading their knowledge and skills.
 
 Keywords: Performance, Research Collaboration, University, Young Academics

Usability Testing: A Bibliometric Analysis Based on WoS Data

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A Critique of Supervisory Practices of Doctoral Student Research in Emerging Higher Education Context, Botswana

“…These ascertain eligibility to register either for a horizontal or vertical progression programme. The ability of students to develop initial proposals, of whatever quality, assist to judge the readiness of the student to pursue a study [11]. It shows the degree of understanding with regard to intensity and breadth of knowledge and theories in the field.…”

The role of knowledge management in driving academic advancement: empirical examination from the lens of the social cognitive theory

“…In the present study context, this could mean that the more researchers perform KM, the more likely they enhance their comprehensive competencies and thus help them boost the efficiency and effectiveness of research activities (Wahid et al , 2021; Liu et al , 2020; Oliveira et al , 2003). Moreover, SCT can explain why AA is necessary to improve the research productivity of researchers in the academic community in a way that encourages network development among academics; accordingly, experienced researchers help the less experienced ones (Mydin et al , 2021). In this sense, the researchers’ cognitive perception of socioenvironmental concerns, as well as their belief in their contribution of advanced scientific and technological knowledge through continuous publication (quality and quantity), compel them to form and develop AA to improve research activity efficiency, ultimately leading to an increase in the quantity and quality of international publications (Long et al , 2009).…”

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“…In this framework, AA emphasizes the connection between academics, researchers and academic communities all over the world to share knowledge, experience, research methodology and other relevant areas, thereby enhancing the capabilities and dynamism of stakeholders, promoting research productivity. According to Mydin et al , affiliating with experienced researchers is an efficient way of enhancing the research capacity of other researchers who are less experienced (Mydin et al , 2021). There is a considerable disparity in the amount of work published by researchers; specifically, a few researchers produce most of the publications, whereas the remaining one only publish a few or none at all (Teodorescu, 2000).…”