scholarly journals In search of a merged identity: the case of multi-campus North-West University, South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frans Kamsteeg
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Cultural Development ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Traditionally White ◽  
North West ◽  
Joint Research Project ◽  
The University

South Africa’s post–apartheid governments have taken far–reaching policy measures to transform the system of higher education, do away with its strongly segregated character, and develop an efficient and internationally recognised system that provides equal chances for all ethnic groups. Since 2002 higher education has become the explicit target of a government policy, geared to cultural development and intervention, including the enforcement of a series of mergers between traditionally white and black universities and former technikons (currently universities of technology). This process has caused intense debate at the level of leadership and among policy makers in these institutions, but little is known of how this ideological battle over educational development has affected daily academic practice. This paper gives a first, somewhat tentative discussion on the current effects of the changes in higher education in South Africa, and in particular at one of the institutions affected: the newly merged North-West University (NWU). The article is based on documentary research and three personal visits to the university; in the process a joint research project was initiated between the VU University of Amsterdam (VUUA) and NWU. This paper attempts to shed some early light on how efficiency and social equity goals are met within NWU’s institutional merger, beginning from a cultural perspective that focuses on the construction of ‘merger narratives’. The paper also gives a voice to critical reactions, narratives of resistance that have emerged from the university shop floor.

scholarly journals What sparks academic engagement with society? A comparison of incentives appealing to motives

2021 ◽  
pp. 095042222199406
Author(s):  
Eva Sormani ◽  
Thomas Baaken ◽  
Peter van der Sijde
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
Career Advancement ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Third Mission ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Subject Design ◽  
Joint Research Project

The pressure on higher education institutions (HEIs) to realize third mission activities continues to grow, intensifying the search for incentives to motivate academics to engage with stakeholders outside their HEI. Previous studies have found limitations in intrinsically motivating academic engagement; therefore, this study investigates the extrinsic regulation of motivations via incentives. The authors identified a broad range of incentives for third mission activities, belonging to four motivation categories: pecuniary incentives, career advancement, appreciation and research support. Drawing on self-determination theory, incentives (nudges and rewards) are empirically compared in a between-subject design with a sample of 324 academics from the business and economics disciplines. The analysis showed that nudges affect business and economics academics’ intention to engage with society in a joint research project. Furthermore, these academics responded well to incentives concerned with the research support motivation category. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the relevance of marginal incentives—nudges—in implementing appropriate incentives in HEIs.

scholarly journals Early Presbyterian influences at the University of Pretoria

2008 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Twentieth Century ◽  
The State ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Institutional Level ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
The University

Presbyterianism, through two significant personalities, provided an important impetus to the formation and development of the early University of Pretoria. Their contribution has to be understood in terms of the contexts of their Scottish Presbyterian heritage, South Africa in the early years of the twentieth century and the state of higher education prevalent at that time. Together these contexts may be described as political, religious and educational. Prof AC Paterson made significant contributions both in teaching and administration at the institutional level. Prof E Macmillan made his contribution in the field of teaching, but never divorced from the very context where ministry has to be exercised.

International Collaborations as Research Infrastructure

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.K. Viswanathan ◽  
R. Parthasarathy ◽  
Madhusudan Bandi
Keyword(s):  
International Collaboration ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Cultural Exchange ◽  
State Universities ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Exchange Program ◽  
Joint Research Project ◽  
International Collaborations ◽  
The University

This chapter examined the availability of the facilities for international collaboration for research, with a focus on two prime organisations, the University Grant Commission (UGC) and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), which are engaged in promoting international collaboration. Beside this data also collected from various central and state universities. The study found that UGC has cultural exchange program with 48 countries, which include joint research project, exchanges of faculty, fellowship such as post-doctoral project-based exchange, and exchange of scholar programmes with several countries.

scholarly journals Embodying human rights in #FeesMustFall? Contributions from an indecent theology

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Grassow ◽  
Clint Le Bruyns
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Human Rights Abuses ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The University

This article focuses on the #FeesMustFall (FMF) movement and the question of a human rights culture. It provides evidence from the specific context of FMF at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, which exposes human rights abuses and violence to the dignity of protesting students. To advance a human rights culture within the higher education sector in the context of FMF, the article highlights the role of theology – ‘indecent theology’ (as espoused by Marcella Althaus-Reid) – in revealing the problem and promise of higher education institutions in the quest for a more liberating and responsible society. It is only through interrogating the narratives that sustain the current university structures – and continue to oppress the poor and the marginalised – that South Africa will be able to begin to construct a society that is respective of the rights of all.

scholarly journals An Analysis of the #FeesMustFall Agenda and Its Implications for the Survival of Education in South Africa: The NWU Mafikeng Campus Writing Centre Experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
UP Ejoke ◽  
PC Enwereji ◽  
JE Chukwuere
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Student Movements ◽  
University Environment ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
Growing Economy ◽  
The University

The #FeesMustFall-protests were symbolic of unguided social dynamics as stakeholders directly or in directly (indirectly) scramble for escape due to the financial implications that fees increment would engender. South African government is aware of the importance of education in any growing economy as this was demonstrated in the agenda of the post-1994 government in prioritising primary and secondary education, even though the quality of education remained decidedly poor. However, same cannot be said for tertiary Universities in South Africa, the low priority granted to higher education over the past two decades had always been a bone of contention. This paper therefore attempts to interrogate various explanations for fees must fall movement and how this impact on the writing centre at the North-West University, Mafikeng Campus. In contextualizing this problem, the paper employed key elements of Altbach’s empirical theory of student movements. Using Focus Group discussion and by means of Atlas-ti statistical package, the paper demonstrated the richness of data available for analysis and reflects on correlated methodological challenges when attempting to understand student movements and the dynamic relationship between the University environment as well as the country-wide movement, the territorial space and that of writing centre experience during and after the protest. The paper concludes by reflecting and suggesting on elements of a possible research agenda on balancing education and economy.

scholarly journals Putting it into Practice: Using Feminist Fractured Foundationalism in Researching Children in the Concentration Camps of the South African War

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Stanley ◽  
Sue Wise
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Writing Process ◽  
Concentration Camps ◽  
The South ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
South African War ◽  
Joint Research Project ◽  
Official Records

Feminist fractured foundationalism has been developed over a series of collaborative writings as a combined epistemology and methodology, although it has mainly been discussed in epistemological terms. It was operationalised as a methodology in a joint research project in South Africa concerned with investigating two important ways that the experiences of children in the South African War 1899-1902, in particular in the concentration camps established during its commando and ‘scorched earth’ phase, were represented contemporaneously: in the official records, and in photography. The details of the research and writing process involved are provided around discussion of the nine strategies that compose feminist fractured foundationalism and its strengths and limitations in methodological terms are reviewed.

Language learning using multimedia conferencing: the ReLaTe project

ReCALL ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
It Services ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Joint Research Project ◽  
University College London ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University ◽  
Multimedia Conferencing

The article provides a description of the ReLaTe (remote language teaching) project, to develop a working demonstrator using a multicast-based conferencing system (Mbone service), for distance foreign language tuition. It covers aspects of technical development for applications over SuperJANET and gives an overview of the trials and evaluation, including how students and teachers adjusted to the system; the advantages and drawbacks of the system; how the system affected learning and teaching in the context of acquisition and delivery of foreign languages. The ReLaTe project is a joint research project between the University of Exeter and University College London, involving the Foreign Language Centre and IT Services (Pallas) at Exeter and the Language Centre and the Department of Computer Science at UCL. The project began in September 1994, with funding from BT and JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) of the Higher Education Council of the UK. mis article covers the work of the project from September 1994 until December 1995.

scholarly journals Marker der Nachzeitigkeit im deutsch-italienischen Vergleich

2021 ◽  
Vol 111 (6) ◽  
pp. 11-43
Author(s):  
Vahram Atayan
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Statistical Evaluation ◽  
Translation Studies ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Comparative Linguistics ◽  
Joint Research Project ◽  
Text Types ◽  
Influencing Parameters ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The University

The goal of this contribution is the analysis of selected expressions of immediate posteriority in German and Italian from a comparative and translation-related perspective. In the present study, which was carried out as part of a joint research project (Nachzeitigkeit in Sprachvergleich und Übersetzung i. e. ‘Expression of Posteriority in Language Comparison and Translation’) at Heidelberg University and the University of Jena, these linguistic expressions are analysed using manual annotations of abstract semantic and pragmatic features on authentic instances using various statistical methods. Occurrences of the adverbs gleich, sofort, immediatamente or subito in the Europarl and OpenSubtitles corpora, in original or translated text material, serve as a source for the analysis. Typical use contexts of the four adverbs will be identified on a language-specific basis, possible influences of the text types/corpus sources on the use of the adverbs will be determined. Moreover, the use contexts of the adverbs will be analysed cross-linguistically as to correspondences and differences between the two languages, and typical translation options for the individual adverbs will be investigated as a result of various influencing parameters. At a general methodological level, the study intends to test rich semantic and pragmatic annotations and their statistical evaluation as approaches to comparative linguistics and translation studies as far as onomasiologically and functionally defined phenomena are concerned.

scholarly journals An investigation of students’ experience of service quality delivered by administrative staff at one site of a South African comprehensive university

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
South African ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
The University

Over the last decade the institutional framework within which most universities in South Africa operate has undergone major transformation forcing the higher education sector to become more competitive in its approach to attracting and retaining quality students. Against this background, service quality has been put forward as a critical determinant of competitiveness. Higher Education Institutions are increasingly placing greater emphasis on meeting students’ expectations and needs. As institutions of higher learning become more student orientated, student perceptions of higher educational facilities and services are becoming more essential. It is clear that there is a need to measure students’ experience of service quality in order to develop innovative academic structures, facilities and services to retain and attract new students. Therefore, this study used a mixed research approach and a nonprobability sampling technique to identify the sample size. The purpose of this study was to investigate the students’ experience of service quality delivered by administrative staff at one site of a South African Comprehensive University. Underpinned by the Gap Model of service delivery and an adapted SERVQUAL instrument, this study sought to determine perceptions and expectations of service quality across five dimensions, namely: tangibles; reliability; responsiveness; assurance; and empathy. Questionnaires were used as data collection instrument to collect data from two hundred and sixty (260) registered students; twelve (12) academic departments, residence and library administrative staff members. Questionnaires were used to gather data from administrative staff of academic department, library and residence; and registered students in one comprehensive university in South Africa. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was used to analyse the data. Statistical tools that include frequencies, mean scores and tabulations were utilized to present the data from findings. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was also utilized to further analyse the significance of the gaps. Various gaps between students’ perceptions and expectations indicating dissatisfaction with administrative services particularly among the students were identified. The findings from the study indicated that, a negative service quality gap exists at selected site of Comprehensive University in SA. The findings further suggested that issues such as service quality planning and monitoring, establishing recovery mechanisms for service failures, and student- driven service design and standards need to be high on the agenda at higher education institutions to ensure service quality. All five dimensions of SERVQUAL indicated a negative score or quality gap suggesting that the administrators of selected departments need to urgently close the gaps that exist at their institution; key recommendations were thus made to improve the gaps identified. Frequent interaction between the administrators and the students is recommended for the university as it provides important information on student expectations and perceptions. Continuous employee training to improve the existing skills is also recommended for comprehensive university employees as it can have a good impact on meeting the students’ expectations of the service quality dimensions. The study therefore, concluded that the university needed urgent intervention in terms of developing proper academic support structures, facilities and quality services that would satisfy the needs of students.

scholarly journals Inclusive, multi-partner co-creation for the teaching of special educational needs and disabilities in higher education

2021 ◽  
pp. 25-40
Author(s):  
Emma Wright ◽  
◽  
Rosi Smith ◽  
Melissa Vernon ◽  
Robyn Wall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Social Model Of Disability ◽  
The Social ◽  
Joint Research Project ◽  
Market Benefits

Co-creation of curriculum content is a growing priority across Higher Education and, while many projects stress the market benefits to institutions and students, this research instead focussed on promoting inclusion, social justice and anti-oppressive practice, with theoretical underpinnings in the social model of disability. This joint research project between staff and students at De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester, led to the co-creation of a Level 6 SEND module on the BA Education Studies programme. The co-designed research explores how the experiences of neurodivergent people, those with SEND, their families and practitioners, can inform teaching practices and module specifications at undergraduate level in Education Studies. Qualitative data, collected via questionnaires, focus groups and interviews with students, parents, practitioners and academics, revealed rich, diverse perspectives on the knowledge and understanding that future educators need, as well as the most inclusive methods for teaching and assessing that knowledge. The practice-based implications of the research included co-creation of a Level 6 SEND module which recognises value in ‘non-professional’ voices and embeds anti-oppressive practice in its design, delivery and assessment.

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