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Challenges and Opportunities for African Universities to Increase Knowledge Production

Challenges and Opportunities for African Universities to Increase Knowledge Production . Nico Cloete Addis Ababa September 2013. Africa Needs Strong Universities.

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Challenges and Opportunities for African Universities to Increase Knowledge Production

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  1. Challenges and Opportunities for African Universities to Increase Knowledge Production Nico Cloete Addis Ababa September 2013

  2. Africa Needs Strong Universities • The importance of knowledge and higher education for sustainable development is global, even though there are contextual and regional differences • The sustainable, long-term beneficial contribution of knowledge to development is indirect, not direct • It is knowledge generative capacity that underlies all sustainable development • Traditional role: Training professionals (national) - community service (development aid) • Knowledge production (outsourced) • OECD definition • Input - Masters, PhD enrolments, staff qualifications • Output - Masters and PhD graduations, publications (indicators of non-published research)

  3. Higher Education Research and Advocacy Network in Africa (HERANA) Network: about 50 participants, 12 countries, in 5th year Three successful (OECD) systems that link HE and development: Finland (Europe), South Korea (Asia), North Carolina (US) African countries and flagship universities (academic core) • Botswana – University of Botswana • Ghana – University of Ghana • Kenya – University of Nairobi • Mauritius – University of Mauritius • Mozambique – Eduardo Mondlane • South Africa – UCT • Tanzania – University of Dar es Salaam • Uganda – Makerere University

  4. Masters graduates 2001, 2007, 2011

  5. Doctoral graduates 2001, 2007, 2011

  6. Doctoral enrolments versus graduates

  7. Peer reviewed publications 2001, 2007, 2011

  8. Proportion of all scientific papers published in 2001 written by authors living there

  9. Senior academics at professor and associate professor level as % of total permanent academic staff 2009, 2011

  10. Case studies for strengthening research • Five case studies: UCT, UKZN, Fort Hare (UFH), NMMU, TUT • UFH – strong on history, poor on performance • Apartheid – political turmoil and relatively good funding • New SA – reduced funding, increased market competition • First University under administration -1998 • Vision: teaching and research excellence • New leadership in 2006, strategic plan • UFH wanted to avoid being classified a low-ranking SA teaching institution by CHET

  11. University of Fort Hare Research

  12. A differentiated public university system

  13. Strengthening research activities/functions Concentration of research –themes/groups Develop researchers – staff with doctorates, support junior academics Publication skills – methodology, writing Incentives and rewards – direct and indirect Intellectual property and commercialization – grant management Contribute to institutional policy Building research culture – developing to strengthening Development – Support - Incentives

  14. General observations Strong case for research management Strong indications of following international trend of mimetic normative isomorphism Expanding the professional class without proper assessment of institutional context Need to bring research into the research management – copying ‘best practice’ stories is not enough While promoting managerialism, confused methodology about measuring ‘’success’’ of the research office

  15. Critique of the managerial culture at the University of Botswana Academics recently conducted a survey amongst themselves and compiled a report which contained multiple criticisms of the university’s operations, including a top-heavy bureaucratic system and a growing deficit in academic staff numbers: • “the present structure has never been reviewed, instead it has grown bigger and bigger, which is why presently there are more than 25 directors, numerous deputy directors, assistant directors and managers. The governance structure is top-heavy and therefore contradicts the vision and mission of the University, and is not properly aligned to its core business.” (UB Academic Staff 2012: 1) At the University of Botswana, academics want the university to re-focus on its academic mission.

  16. NicoCloete ncloete@chet.org.za www.chet.org.za

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