Factors Influencing Doctoral Completion in South African Institutions (1994–2024): A Bibliometric Analysis

Aim/Purpose: The study aims to identify the factors influencing doctoral completion rates in South Africa by analyzing publication trends and emerging themes. Insights from this analysis are intended to inform institutional strategies and national policies to enhance doctoral success and address systemic challenges in the higher education system. Background: Doctoral education plays a pivotal role in advancing research capacity, innovation, and socioeconomic development in South Africa. However, despite increased enrolments post-1994, doctoral completion rates remain suboptimal owing to systemic, institutional, and personal challenges rooted in historical inequities. Methodology: This study employed bibliometric analysis, using data from the Scopus database, to evaluate research trends, key contributors, and thematic developments related to doctoral completion in South African universities between 1994 and 2024. Tools like Bibliometrix and VOSviewer were used to map and visualize the intellectual landscape, including citation networks and thematic clusters. Contribution: The bibliometric analysis advances discourse on doctoral completion rates in South Africa by using a unique, data-driven perspective that complements existing qualitative and quantitative research, thereby explicitly identifying gaps and priority areas for future research and policy intervention. Findings: Findings highlight supervision quality, financial support, institutional structures, and mental health as crucial determinants. Through thematic mapping, the study reveals ‘doctoral support’ and ‘mental health’ as evolving themes, with a notable increase in publications from 2017, reflecting growing scholarly and policy attention. Recommendations for Practitioners: Those working in higher education settings should prioritize the creation of comprehensive support structures, such as supervisor training programs and accessible mental health resources, to address the academic and emotional hurdles faced by doctoral candidates. Universities should draw insights from current bibliometric findings to craft targeted measures aimed at improving supervision practices, expanding equitable funding opportunities, and fostering resilience among students. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers are encouraged to critically investigate the complex relationship between mental health and doctoral studies, particularly focusing on how tailored interventions can help reduce stress and foster student well-being. Impact on Society: Boosting doctoral completion rates has the potential to enhance South Africa’s research capabilities, drive innovation, address skills shortages, and contribute to national economic growth. This analysis offers insights for enhancing doctoral completion in South Africa and promoting institutional strategies and policies that can foster an equitable and supportive doctoral education system. Future Research: Future research should address underexplored areas such as intersectionality, cultural and linguistic diversity, and the integration of emerging ICT tools in supervision.