Mapping the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) to the C.O.S.T.A. Postgraduate Research Supervision and Coaching Model: A Value Proposition for New Researchers in South Africa

Abstract

The Department of Higher Education and Training's (the Department) New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) is a prestigious program that involves the recruitment of highly capable scholars as new academics. These academics are recruited based on carefully designed and balanced equity considerations, as well as the most critical disciplinary areas in the higher education system. The nGAP is currently the largest program within the Staffing South Africa's Universities Framework (SSAUF), a component of the University Capacity Development Programme that focuses on university staff development (UCDP). The C.O.S.T.A. Postgraduate Research Supervision and Coaching Model is a tool that has been developed to capacitate both researchers and supervisors with a specific intent to lighten the journey of research for postgraduate students in South Africa. For students who have never been exposed to research methods, postgraduate research is a huge obstacle. Students' lack of exposure to research language was one of the challenges revealed in a recent study of postgraduate supervision. Whereas difficulties students face with methods within the positivist and realist philosophical dimensions are not insurmountable, a variety of approaches, including rigor determination in qualitative research results in complexities, which present a plethora of challenges to novice researchers. This document introduces the C.O.S.T.A. model as a tool for academics and students, with a systematic guide to understanding foundational concepts and the language of research, as well as making informed decisions about research methods and design strategy options available to the prospective researcher. Furthermore, the tool is also powerful instrument for monitoring and measuring development and performance of researchers. With five nodes that fundamentally inform application (Concepts, Objective, Situation, Tact and Assessment), the C.O.S.T.A provides a framework and a standard against which researchers should benchmark their development.