2ND CARTA VICE CHANCELLOR'S MEETING CARTA 2ND VICE CHANCELLORS MEETING REPORT | Page 20

© Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) & University of Nairobi (UoN)
3.
4.
5.
6.
Morocco (0.7)
Tunisia (0.65)
Mali (0.55)
In comparison – Israel (4)
The question that came up is ‘what should happen for Africa to do better than it has been doing?’
CARTA set to find out answers to this question through a study focusing on its partner universities by
speaking to the Vice Chancellors. The study was on the following questions:
a) What are the prospects for becoming research universities?
b) What are the challenges and opportunities?
Approach
Dr. Golooba was tasked to visit different VCs from seven African universities to conduct this study.
The structure of the study was in-depth one-on-one interviews/conversations with VCs and where
possible, university officials and donors. From a broad view, the study showed that the bulk of
funding for research in the seven universities was from outside including from bi-lateral and multi-
lateral donors, foundations, trusts, think tanks, and universities. As a result, the research conducted in
African Universities therefore, was not in line with priorities of African countries.
Challenges
On becoming research universities, the following challenges were highlighted from the study.
1.
-
External (political) environment and this included
- Underfunding by governments. Governments mainly fund salaries, wages and
operations. There is also little investment in research and infrastructure (labs, equipment,
and teaching space). Little on-going preoccupation with how government’s’
development/transformation agendas connect with research & quality of teaching at
universities is another challenge facing African universities.
- Uncontrolled expansion of higher education sector – characterized by more student
numbers (massification) and mushrooming of universities mainly due to political reasons.
Three effects of expansion & massification were evident;
 Division of the ever small resource envelope among many resource-poor
universities undermining on the triple mandate of universities that is, training,
research, and outreach;
 Growth in undergraduate numbers leaving little time for faculty to conduct
research;
 No commensurate expansion in physical facilities and even donors are unwilling to
fund.
Poor remuneration – academics and researchers have been forced to make ends meet through
moonlighting (having more than one job to supplement income) and consultancy work. The
consultancy culture has grown and this leads to absenteeism and this undermines the training
process.
2. Internal challenges (governance of universities)
-
Limited creativity (looking beyond government and donor funding) - Opportunities for
income generation via investment are not always fully explored by African Universities. The
potential of Alumni is also largely neglected as a potential source of resources (the University
CARTA’s 2 nd Vice Chancellor’s Meeting –Report of meeting proceedings – July 10-11, 2017
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