Iranian Higher Education
Volume 18, Issue 3 (2026)
ihej 2026, 18(3): 100-117 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
baradarankashani Z, Mirzaei H, kermani M, mousemi A. Erosion of Human Capital and Disruption in Scientific Reproduction Cycle: A Qualitative Account of Graduate Students Exceeding the Standard Duration of Study at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. , ihej. 2026; 18 (3) :100-117
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2238-en.html
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2238-en.html
1- Ph.D. in Economic Sociology and Development, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran , zbaradaran@ferdowsi.um.ac.ir
2- Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3- ferdowsi university of mashhad
2- Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3- ferdowsi university of mashhad
Abstract: (16 Views)
Objective: Extended study duration among graduate students is a major challenge in higher education, with consequences that extend beyond delayed graduation and may lead to human capital erosion and disruption of the academic reproduction cycle. This study aimed to provide a qualitative explanation of the causes of extended study duration among graduate students and its implications for human capital and academic reproduction at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
Method: This study employed thematic analysis based on Attride-Stirling’s Thematic Networks Approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with faculty members using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. In addition, a focus group session with graduate students experiencing extended study duration was conducted to complement and enrich the findings.
Findings: The findings showed that extended study duration can be explained through five overarching themes: conflict between academic identity and livelihood and family demands; structural and bureaucratic barriers; faculty–student interactions and ineffective academic supervision styles; human capital erosion and disruption in academic reproduction cycle; and diverse patterns of prolonged study. Reduced motivation and research identity, declining academic productivity, weakened academic interactions, increased economic and psychological pressures, and reduced capacity for knowledge production and reproduction were among the most important identified consequences.
Conclusion: Extended study duration is not merely an educational or individual issue but a structural and multidimensional phenomenon associated with human capital erosion and disruption in academic reproduction within the university. Therefore, reforming academic supervision policies, developing student support systems, and reducing structural barriers can contribute to preserving human capital and improving the efficiency of the higher education system
Method: This study employed thematic analysis based on Attride-Stirling’s Thematic Networks Approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with faculty members using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. In addition, a focus group session with graduate students experiencing extended study duration was conducted to complement and enrich the findings.
Findings: The findings showed that extended study duration can be explained through five overarching themes: conflict between academic identity and livelihood and family demands; structural and bureaucratic barriers; faculty–student interactions and ineffective academic supervision styles; human capital erosion and disruption in academic reproduction cycle; and diverse patterns of prolonged study. Reduced motivation and research identity, declining academic productivity, weakened academic interactions, increased economic and psychological pressures, and reduced capacity for knowledge production and reproduction were among the most important identified consequences.
Conclusion: Extended study duration is not merely an educational or individual issue but a structural and multidimensional phenomenon associated with human capital erosion and disruption in academic reproduction within the university. Therefore, reforming academic supervision policies, developing student support systems, and reducing structural barriers can contribute to preserving human capital and improving the efficiency of the higher education system
Keywords: extended time-to-degree, human capital, scientific reproduction, thematic analysis, postgraduate students, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Type of article: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/08/17 | Accepted: 2026/11/1 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/11/2
Received: 2026/08/17 | Accepted: 2026/11/1 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/11/2
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |