Higher Education and a Response to HIV/AIDS in Makerere University, Uganda

2013 ◽  
pp. 133-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tibelius Amutuhaire
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Makerere University ◽  
Hiv Aids

scholarly journals HIV/AIDS and higher education in Lesotho : a Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) analysis of three institutions’ responses

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Monaphathi Maraka ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Poor Response ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity Theory ◽  
World Health ◽  
Viral Load Suppression ◽  
Human Skills ◽  
Historical Activity ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity ◽  
Hiv Aids

The purpose of this study is to interpretively analyse the fight against HIV/AIDS, referred to as ‘response’, in three of Lesotho’s institutions of higher education (IHEs). These are the Lesotho College of Education (LCE), the National Health Training College (NHTC) and the National University of Lesotho (NUL). This study uses cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) to qualitatively interpret the response in a country with the second highest HIV prevalence globally. The study applies Vygotsky’s first generation of CHAT, Leontiev’s multifaceted second generation, and Engeström’s third generation, which features a minimum of two interacting activity systems. Its multimodal methodology draws from Mukeredzi’s (2009, p.56) critique of CHAT and its problem of not getting “in” deep into dimensions of an activity. Thus, this study incorporates closely matching theories, models and concepts around CHAT; mainly the World Health Organisation’s (2004b) health standards, Zeithaml and Bitner’s (2000) services marketing mix and Checkland and Holwell’s (1998) information systems. The findings reveal that conceptual tools - human skills and policies, do not mediate material processes such as planning, financing and reporting, resulting in a poor response. Gaps in human agency across critical elements of activity in the three IHEs result in conceptual, functional and material contradictions, and poor use of mediating artefacts adversely affects all interventions, including HIV testing and services (HTS), anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment and viral load suppression (VLS) envisaged in the UNAIDS (2014a and 2015) guidelines. This study teased out ‘expanded contradictions’ and tensions in the IHEs response, which invoked expansion, transformations, opportunities and new implications. Despite the IHEs leadership awareness of need for change, an historical embeddedness in unchanging cultures and functional contradictions due to poor agency (by subjects), lack of policies (rules), finance, (tools), hamper the response. The study found opportunities for IHEs against HIV/AIDS. Thisstudy recommends two new agency models. One is ‘knit-working’, which aims to improve responses by identifying key, specific, and rapidly doable ‘nitty-gritty’ inter-college activities. The second model aims to strengthen IHEs leadership agency through 3-Cs of commitment at top management, improved resources and capacity at middle management, in order to enable operational level services to evidence the concern over AIDS. This study will alleviate a dearth of literature in the nexus of Lesotho’s IHEs, HIV/AIDS and services.

scholarly journals Developing Capacity for Research and Teaching in Higher Education: A Case of Makerere University

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Byalusago Mugimu ◽  
Mary Gorretti Nakabugo ◽  
Eli Rwabishaya Katunguka
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Makerere University ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Teaching In Higher Education

HIV/AIDS in Dance Education: A Pilot Study in Higher Education

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doug Risner ◽  
Shara Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Dance Education ◽  
Hiv Aids

scholarly journals Making Sense of an Elusive Concept: Academics’ Perspectives of Quality in Higher Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lazarus Nabaho ◽  
Jessica Norah Aguti ◽  
Joseph Oonyu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Discipline ◽  
Fitness For Purpose ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Makerere University ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Perception Of Quality ◽  
Quality In Higher Education ◽  
Elusive Concept

Objective: Since the 1990s studies on how stakeholders in higher education perceive quality have burgeoned. Nevertheless, the majority of studies on perception of quality in higher education focus on students and employers. The few studies on academics’ perceptions of quality in higher education treat academics as a homogeneous group and, therefore, do not point out cross-disciplinary perspectives in perceptions of quality. This article explores how academics across six disciplines perceive quality in higher education. Method: The article is anchored in the interpretivist paradigm. Data was collected from 14 purposely selected academics at Makerere University in Uganda and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings show that academics perceive quality in higher education as transformation, fitness for purpose, and exceptional. The findings further demonstrate that a stakeholder group or an individual stakeholder can subscribe to a notion of quality in higher education but voice divergent views on its variants. Similarly, the academic discipline, the perceived purpose of higher education, and the problems within a higher education system have an influence on stakeholders’ conception of quality in higher education. Conclusions: From the findings it can be inferred that quality in higher education defies a single definition and that stakeholders’ perceptions of quality do not take place in a vacuum. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: The multidimensional nature of quality and the contestations around it necessitate a multidimensional approach to assuring and assessing it.

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