It seems the discussion has been shifted from quality of PhD education to university ranking.

I am a UM postgrad, non-science. couple of things:
1. To get a bachelor degree in local U is very tough - politically and academically. But at least at this period of time where Malaysia is go banana over postgrad, to enter a postgrad study (master/PhD) in any of the MOHE's U, it very easy. In fact, Scheme like Mybrain15 is paying you to study. My point is, there is not a better time then now to get into postgrad. I applied to both UPM & UM and both were successful to the extend that that I still not sure if my research proposal played any parts in the admission process.

2. Master and PhD, if you well, considered them as a 'branded product'. they are not the 'necessary product ' (bachelor degree). That means, 'brand' is important, which is ranking. So for people like me, for whatever reasons/constrains, once I decided to enrolled into local U, I am pretty much ignore the Uni ranking. Sad but this is the fact. So don't cry over the ranking! Lived with it.

3. I did my degree in Malaysia and master in the US. In my faculty, I do see there is a dominant way (philosophy, epistemology, methodology) of doing research which in my opinion, could be restricting. On the other hand, I see majority of the students rely too much on the supervisors - for guidance and research topic. But what was very obvious was majority of the students have a tendency to treat research very mechanically i.e. "I have identified a gap and no body has research this before" or "no body has combines X & Y together and therefore I am doing it". Please do know mistaken me that I am immune or are 'superior' in anyway in such thinking. It is just that I am aware of the danger of approaching research declaring that 'nobody has done it'. This overly simplify way of approaching research and the quality of the research outcome does little to help shore up the U ranking, or launch one's post-postgrad career prospect. And talk about student quality in the context of mentality, I tried but finally conformed to the 'fixed seating' arrangement despite once can sit any way you want in the lecture hall. You see, one you have take a particular seat and so do the others, the seat magically 'transformed' to be identified with you and if you change your seat, you are disturbing the balance of the universe. Common, this is postgrad, not primary, why are we still being so rigid? What does this says about our ability to 'contribute to something new?'

Back to the quality and ranking. I guess the most sensible thing one can consider taking are:
1) Write to the key researchers in your field - write properly and you likely to get a reply in due time. That way they will get to know you, your topic, and who knows, could be the paper reviewer too!
2) Apply some reflexivity in research thinking
3) Educate your supervisor about your worldview, subject matters, etc

All the best to all

This post has been edited by Nkelabu: Oct 14 2013, 12:51 AM