News and photos Saharah Saad
KUALA LUMPUR, 14 July 2026: The Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business (OYAGSB), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), has reaffirmed its commitment to postgraduate excellence through the organisation of “OYAGSB: From Delay to Progress – Reignite Your PhD & DBA Journey,” a strategic intervention programme designed to support inactive and deferred doctoral candidates in resuming their studies and successfully completing their research.
Conducted virtually via Cisco Webex, the programme brought together candidates pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Management (D.Mgmt) and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) whose academic journeys had been disrupted by professional, personal or other commitments.
Guided by the theme “Reconnect • Reflect • Restart,” the initiative provided participants with practical guidance, targeted academic support, and renewed motivation to help them regain momentum and confidently navigate the remainder of their doctoral studies.
The programme was led by Deputy Dean (Research, Innovation and Corporate Relations), Associate Professor Dr Bahtiar Mohamad, together with Associate Professor Dr Rima Melini Md Tamin, Director of the DBA Programme, and Associate Professor Dr Rohail Hassan, Director of the PhD and D. Mgmt Programme.
Participants were comprehensively briefed on the critical stages of the doctoral research process, including proposal development, research ethics approval, data collection, thesis writing, publication requirements, and the viva voce examination.
Academic regulations relating to candidature timelines, proposal defence, deferment, extensions, and supervisory arrangements were also explained to provide candidates with a clearer understanding of programme requirements and to enable them to manage their research progress more effectively.
Acknowledging the multifaceted challenges faced by many doctoral candidates in balancing research with professional responsibilities, family commitments, and other personal obligations, the facilitators encouraged participants to maintain regular engagement with their supervisors, seek timely academic support whenever necessary, and adopt realistic and well-structured research plans to ensure sustained progress.
Recognising scholarly publication as an integral component of doctoral completion, participants were also encouraged to commence academic writing at an early stage of their candidature and pursue publication under the guidance of their supervisors.
In support of this objective, OYAGSB highlighted a comprehensive range of academic development initiatives, including workshops on research methodology, proposal writing, academic writing, publication strategies and data analysis. Participants were also introduced to the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence tools as a means of enhancing research productivity and scholarly output.
To ensure greater relevance and engagement, separate sessions were conducted for DBA candidates in the morning and PhD and D.Mgmt candidates in the afternoon. This arrangement enabled discussions to focus on programme-specific academic requirements while providing opportunities for participants to receive personalised advice and guidance from the School’s academic leadership.
The programme reflects OYAGSB’s unwavering commitment to strengthening postgraduate education through timely academic intervention, structured student support and sustained engagement with its doctoral candidates.
By reconnecting students with the University’s academic ecosystem and support mechanisms, the School aims to improve research progression, enhance doctoral completion rates, and cultivate resilient scholars capable of making meaningful contributions to academia, industry and society.
