Transcript A South African Big Picture for Teaching and Learning The

Nico Cloete and Peter Maassen
Stockholm
10 December 2013
Structure of Presentation
1. Review of Development Aid (2007): Sweden
2. Argument for research universities
3. State of knowledge production in 8 (flagship)
research universities
4. Possible responses
Crossing the Divide?
The Governance of Development Cooperation
in the area of Higher Education and Research
Nico Cloete/Peter Maassen
NIFU STEP Seminar
Oslo, 29 March, 2006
1. Rationale
Why growing interest in role of HE/University
in development cooperation?
G8 summit in Gleneagles; World Bank; ‘Experts (Sachs):
HE/University and Knowledge Economy
University central institution in national development
Sweden
Overall: One of few bilateral donors that support
the development of local research capacity
a/b. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) responsible for
development policy; Swedish public budget for
development aid (Sek 12.4 billion/2004) is channelled
mainly (63%) through the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Sida has
separate Department for Research Cooperation
(SAREC).
Sweden
e. Funding:
Sweden is one of the largest bilateral donors in the
area of higher education and research development
cooperation. Sida ranked second in the world with
regard to institutionally-focused funding, i.e. projects
involving directly (local) HEIs. In 2003 Sida’s total
budget for thematic research Sek 464 million
(>US$65 million)
Sweden
f.
Nature of development and cooperation policy:
Sweden’s focus on local capacity building is rather
unique.
Sweden’s new development strategy emphasizes the
contribution to poor peoples’ own efforts to improve
their quality of life.
Higher education and research are seen as important
tools for creating these opportunities.
Africa Needs Strong Universities
1. The importance of knowledge and higher education
for sustainable development is global, even though
there are contextual and regional differences
2. The sustainable, long-term beneficial contribution of
knowledge to development is indirect, not direct
3. It is the knowledge re-generative capacity of
universities that underlies sustainable development
4. Traditional role: Training professionals (National) community service (Development Aid)
5. Africa needs to shift to increased participation (from
low base of under 10% ) and increased knowledge
production
6. This will require Differentiation
Africa Needs Research Universities (1)
Altbach: The role of research universities in developing
countries. Studies in Higher Education, 2013.
1. Research universities in low- and middle-income
countries have crucial roles to play in developing
differentiated and effective academic systems, and in
making it possible for their countries to join the
global knowledge society and compete in
sophisticated knowledge economies
2. A research university is not an ivory tower and is
relevant to the wider community; much of its
research is carried out in collaboration, with funding
and sponsorship from non-university sources.
Africa Needs Research Universities (2)
Altbach (2013)
3. Research universities are committed to the creation
and dissemination of knowledge, in a range of
disciplines and fields, and featuring the appropriate
laboratories, libraries, and other infrastructures that
permit teaching and research at the highest possible
level
4. Understanding the characteristics of the research
university and building the infrastructures and the
intellectual environment needed for successful
research universities is a top priority
• Network about 50 participants 12 countries in 5th year
• Three successful (OECD) systems that link higher education and
development:
◦ Finland (Europe), South Korea (Asia), North Carolina (US)
• Africa
◦ 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
11
Figure 1: High-level inputs
Figure 2: Ratios of high-level knowledge outputs to academic staff with doctorates
Figure 3: Ratios of high-level knowledge outputs to professors and associate professors
Figure 4: Undergraduates as % of total enrolments 2011
15
Figure 5: Ratios of masters to doctorate enrolments 2011
16
Figure 6: Doctoral enrolments at 8 sub-Saharan African universities
2001, 2007, 2011
Figure 7: Doctoral graduates at 8 sub-Saharan African universities
2001, 2007, 2011
Figure 8: Percentage of academic staff with PhDs 2011
Figure 9: Peer reviewed publications 2001, 2007, 2011
1517
1017
700
382
233
72
Cape Town Makerere
198
143105
Nairobi
170
108
106
69
77 61
Ghana
2001
Botswana
2007
49 60 90
23 36 63
15 23 46
Dar es
Salaam
Mauritius
Eduardo
Mondlane
2011
20
Implications (1)
1. Learn from how Nordic and other OECD strengthen the
research and innovation of their own universities
2. Reconsider having a different policy approach/model
for African universities than for own own
3. Knowledge is a core public good and African
universities need to be integrated into global networks
4. Positioning them in development cooperation
programmes keeps them isolated from global
knowledge networks
5. There is an overemphasis on individual scholarships
and projects, and not enough on system and
institutional strengthening
Implications (2)
1. In Africa already differentiation
2. But the flagship universities is not strong enough to
participate in global networks
3. Altbach and Balan(2007) World Class World Wide
(2007). Africa not included in their review because
“we believe Africa’s academic challenges are
sufficiently different from Latin America and Asia that
comparison would not be appropriate” – meaning that
they cant talk about world class in Africa
Implications (3)
1. Institutions got to develop a vision of what it means to
be a research university in their national context
2. Competition based on capacity and performance
3. But the flagship universities is not strong enough to
participate in global networks
4. Don’t strengthen institutional conditions for research
without strengthening national research conditions
Implications (4)
1. Condition for effective investment in the knowledge
institution is research informed knowledge on the
knowledge institution
2. Greater emphasis on institutional reforms being
research (evidence) informed rather than by
inspirational Goal and Vision statements
3. Stimulate knowledge production – doctorates and
research output plus connecting research to national
development agendas
4. Research funding and support must be based on
competition and performance, not political correctness
Strengthening research activities/functions
Horizon 20/20
Three pillars – excellence, grand challenges, and
strengthening innovation
Rethink rationale and methodology for investment
1. Concentration of research –themes/groups
2. Develop researchers – staff with doctorates, support
junior academics
3. Publication skills – methodology, writing
4. Incentives and rewards – direct and indirect
General observations
1. Strong case for research management
2. Strong indications of following international trend of
mimetic normative isomorphism
3. Expanding the professional class without proper
assessment of institutional context
4. Need to bring research into the research management
– copying ‘best practice’ stories is not enough
5. While promoting managerialism, confused
methodology about measuring ‘success’ of the
research office
Nico Cloete
[email protected]
www.chet.org.za
Data: Ian Bunting & Charles Sheppard
Graphs: François van Schalkwyk