Nepal boasts a growing number of PhD graduates, contributing valuable research across diverse fields. Yet, a disconcerting trend persists: many of these theses remain confined to university libraries, gathering dust instead of reaching a wider audience. Why does this crucial body of knowledge, representing years of rigorous academic work, often fail to translate into published research?
Several factors contribute to this “silent shelves” phenomenon:
1. Lack of Institutional Support and Incentives:
- Limited Publishing Infrastructure: Many Nepali universities lack dedicated publishing units or robust platforms for disseminating research. This creates a bottleneck for PhD graduates seeking to publish their work.
- Weak Incentive Structure: The academic reward system in Nepal often prioritizes teaching over research publications. This can disincentivize PhD holders from pursuing publication, especially when faced with the challenges of navigating the publishing process.
- Funding Constraints: Publishing research, particularly in reputable international journals, often requires financial resources for article processing charges, translation services, and other related expenses. Limited research funding can hinder these efforts.
2. Cultural and Linguistic Barriers:
- Language Disparity: Much of the cutting-edge research in academia is published in English. Many Nepali PhD theses are written in Nepali, creating a language barrier for international dissemination.
- Cultural Context: Some researchers may feel their findings are too context-specific to Nepal, limiting their perceived relevance to a global audience. This can lead to a reluctance to pursue publication in international journals.
- Fear of Criticism: Some researchers may feel a fear of peer review, and criticism of their work, especially if they are not familiar with the international publishing process.
3. Capacity Building and Training Deficiencies:
- Insufficient Publication Skills: Many PhD programs in Nepal may not adequately equip students with the skills necessary for effective academic writing and publication, including knowledge of journal selection, manuscript preparation, and the peer-review process.
- Limited Access to Resources: Access to online databases, research software, and other essential resources for academic publishing may be limited, particularly in institutions outside major urban centers.
- Mentorship Gaps: The lack of experienced mentors who can guide PhD graduates through the publication process can leave many feeling lost and unsupported.
4. Bureaucratic Hurdles and Administrative Delays:
- Complex Approval Processes: Lengthy and complex administrative procedures for obtaining research clearance and publishing permissions can discourage researchers from pursuing publication.
- Lack of Transparency: Opaque processes and a lack of clear guidelines regarding publication requirements can create confusion and frustration.
The Consequences of Inaction:
The failure to publish PhD theses represents a significant loss of potential knowledge and innovation. It hinders the advancement of research in Nepal, limits the country’s contribution to global scholarship, and deprives policymakers and practitioners of valuable insights.
Moving Forward:
To address this issue, a concerted effort is needed from universities, policymakers, and researchers themselves. This includes:
- Strengthening institutional support for research publication.
- Providing training and capacity building for PhD students and graduates.
- Promoting collaboration with international researchers and institutions.
- Simplifying administrative processes and increasing transparency.
- Creating incentives for publishing research in high-impact journals.
- Encouraging translation of Nepali based research into english.
By acknowledging the challenges and implementing targeted solutions, Nepal can unlock the potential of its PhD research and ensure that its valuable contributions reach a wider audience.
