From Student to Scholar: A Case Study of Research Socialisation Processes for Research in Pakistan's Research-Intensive Universities

Abstract

This study examines the research socialisation experiences of doctoral students in two purposively sampled Pakistani research-intensive universities, with a focus on how these experiences shape their professional identity development. Grounded in Weidman's socialisation theory, the study applies its four-stage framework—anticipatory, formal, informal and personal—to analyse the socialisation process. While research socialisation has been widely studied in Western academic contexts, there remains a limited understanding of how doctoral students in Pakistan engage with this process. Using a narrative qualitative inquiry, we conducted in-depth interviews with 14 full-time doctoral students from two public research-intensive universities. The findings reveal specific challenges in the formal stage of socialisation including communication gaps, limited research engagement and ambiguity in expectations. These insights offer implications for higher education institutions and policymakers in Pakistan, particularly regarding the development of structured support mechanisms, enhanced supervisory guidance and expanded opportunities for scholarly interaction.