WHAT TOOK THEM SO LONG? A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ON DELAY IN COMPLETION OF PHD PROGRAMME

Abstract

Delays in doctoral completion remain a persistent challenge for higher education institutions worldwide, with significant implications for doctoral candidates, universities, and national research productivity. This systematic literature review critically examines the factors associated with prolonged PhD completion and the institutional intervention mechanisms designed to address these delays. Drawing on peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2000 and 2024, the review synthesises evidence from diverse international contexts, with particular relevance to the Global South. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, six eligible studies were analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings identified three overarching categories of intervention mechanisms: programme-level support strategies, contextual resource strategies, and instructional support strategies. Effective supervision, structured doctoral communities, peer support, and wellbeing initiatives emerged as key factors promoting doctoral persistence and timely completion. The review also highlights the interplay of academic, psychosocial, financial, and institutional challenges, including inadequate supervision, limited funding, excessive workload, and social isolation. Despite the limited and methodologically heterogeneous evidence base, the findings underscore the need for coordinated, context-specific, and holistic institutional support systems. This study contributes to doctoral education scholarship by providing an integrated framework to inform institutional policies and practices aimed at improving doctoral completion rates and strengthening research capacity