ABSTRACT

PhD is a study that involves research and it grooms postgraduate students to become future scholars (Faizah et al., 2011). The PhD holders are becoming experts in their own field by doing research and expanding the knowledge by getting their research published. Therefore, it becomes the country’s main concern to increase the number of PhD holders in Malaysia. However, the most important thing is to produce quality students who are able to meet the industry’s demand which in return are able to contribute to the economic growth and educational development of the country. The former of Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin stated that Malaysia is urgently in need of a critical mass of researchers and a pool of highly-skilled and productive people, particularly PhD holders in order for the country to be competitive. For the time being, 8000 PhD holders in Malaysia are insufficient to drive innovation and promote economic growth (The Star Online, 2008).