Major Douglas becomes first serving regular GDF officer to earn PhD

Major Dr Sven Douglas

Major Dr Sven Douglas, a serving officer of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), has earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Management from Texila American University. He completed the degree through the Government of Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme.

Douglas is the first serving Regular Officer in the GDF to attain a PhD, marking a milestone in the force’s pursuit of academic and professional excellence.
His doctoral research, titled “An Investigation of Leadership Styles’ Influence on Employees in Guyana’s Public Sector – A Case Study,” examined the relationship between leadership approaches and employee performance and morale in public institutions, offering context-specific insights for organisational effectiveness and public sector management.

Douglas said the programme strengthened his analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills, providing a structured approach to addressing complex organisational challenges and highlighting the professional responsibility involved in applying advanced academic expertise in operational settings.

The GDF said the achievement underscores the positive impact of the GOAL programme on advancing Guyanese professionals and reflects the force’s commitment to supporting continuous learning and academic growth among its personnel.