from engagement to interconnectedness
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HERANA
From Engagement to Interconnectedness
NMMU, 4 March 2014
Preliminary findings from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Background
› CHET HERANA I study » Links between universities and economic development
» 8 African universities (including NMMU)
» small sample size (n≈6) » ‘projects’ selected by leadership » mixture of centres, programmes and projects
» unstructured interviews
Weakening academic
core
Strengthening academic core
Indirect articulation
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
MD 3, 10 IV 5, 10
Key:Abbreviation Project/centre
ACTS Automotive Components Technology Station
IV InnoVenton: NMMU Institute for Chemical Technology and Downstream Chemicals Technology Station
PBMR Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Project
AP Agro-Processing Study for the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ)
MD Govan Mbeki Sasol Mathematics Development Programme
CB IlingeLomama Cooperative Bakery Project
PBMR 4, 10
ACTS 5, 11
CB 3, 9
Direct articulation
AP 2, 8
HERANA I FINdINgs
1. While there was evidence of connectedness between the university and industry, this was generally confined to the level of units or centres rather than institutional-level partnerships.
2. Projects/centres tended to score well on the articulation indicators – in other words, they reflected national priorities (and to a lesser extent institutional objectives), had more than one funding source and, in some cases, plans for financial sustainability, and may have had a connection to an implementation agency.
3. A number of these projects/centres also managed to keep a strong connection to the academic core of the university, whilst some were more disconnected from these core knowledge activities.
4. There were ‘exemplary’ development projects/centres. The problem was scale: there were simply not enough, and some seemed overly dependent on exceptional individuals.
National context
Chairperson: Professor D Lortan Tel: (031) 3732720 Fax: (031) 3732724 Email: dlortan@dut.ac.za
Secretary: Mrs D Hornby Tel: (046) 6037229 Fax: (046) 6038869 Email: d.hornby@ru.ac.za
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Prof D Lortan (Durban University of Technology, Chairperson) Mrs D Hornby (Rhodes University, Secretary) Prof N Mollel (University of Limpopo, Vice-Chairperson) Dr J Boughey (University of Zululand, Treasurer)
Prof V Netshandama (University of Venda) Mrs B Bouwman (North-West University, Marketing) Ms E Meyer-Adams (University of Johannesburg) Ms J Munsamy (Central University of Technology)
19th February 2014 Professor Nico Cloete Director: CHET / Extraordinary Professor of Higher Education University of the Western Cape Cape Town Dear Professor Cloete The South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF) cordially invites you to present at its fourth seminar entitled ‘White Paper for Post-School Education, The National Development Plan Vision 2030, and The Future of University Community Engagement’. The Seminar will be hosted by the University of the Western Cape, 3rd – 4th April 2014.
SEMINAR 4: WHITE PAPER FOR POST-SCHOOL EDUCATION, THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN VISION
2030, AND THE FUTURE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Universities in the round have potentially a pivotal role to play in the social and economic development of their regions. They are a critical ‘asset’ of the region; even more so in less favoured regions where the private sector may be weak or relatively small, with low levels of research and development activity (Goddard, 2011: viii).
Given budgetary and other resource constraints within higher education and the vastly different ways in which universities approach community engagement, it is likely that future funding of such initiatives in universities will be restricted (DHET, 2013: 39).
Despite the challenges of national policy disconnect, institutionalisation, funding, and conceptual clarity, the past two decades has seen an increase in the rhetoric and praxis of Community Engagement (CE) as
“Given budgetary and other resource constraints within higher education and the vastly different ways in which universities approach community engagement, it is likely that future funding of such initiatives in universities will be restricted...” (DHET, 2013: 39).
WHITE PAPER FOR POST-SCHOOL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
“…funding will be restricted to programmes linked directly to the academic programme of universities, and form part of the teaching and research function of these institutions.” (DHET, 2013: 39).
Institutional context
HERANA II: Research question and limitations
› Interconnectedness: How are academics negotiating the tension between engaging with those external to the academy and strengthening the core functions of the university?
› The research project does not: » assess the impact of engagement projects on communities » assess the quality of engagement projects or their outputs
HERANA II: Notes on methodology
› Two universities » NMMU, Port Elizabeth » Makerere University, Kampala
› Larger sample sizes » NMMU (n=80) » Makerere (n=30)
› Projects only (smallest unit of activity) › Projects selected across faculties › Structured questionnaires completed by leaders of engagement projects and follow-up meetings for clarification and input from participants
› Indicators for articulation and for academic core developed; weighted scores for each. Each project plotted according their scores on these two dimensions
HERANA II: The academic core and the third mission
› Some claim that the third mission of universities, i.e. providing services to the communities in which they are embedded, is a core function of universities.
› It is both conceivable and possible for third mission activities to be carried out by organisations external to the university.
» Civil society, government agencies, corporate social responsibility initiatives as well as organisational structures created at the periphery of the university are all capable of delivering third mission-type services to communities.
› Not so in the case of knowledge creation and, in particular, knowledge legitimisation and credentialling. These are unique to the university.
Indicators
Articulation indicatorsA1 Alignment between project and university development
objectivesA2 Initiation / agenda-settingA3 Links to external stakeholders and implementation agenciesA4 Funding
Academic core indicatorsC1 Application of existing knowledge versus creation
of new knowledgeC2 Dissemination of research findingsC3 Links with teaching and with curriculum developmentC4 Academic networks
Weighted scores
Articulation Indicators Q Score Max score
A1 Alignment between project and university development objectives
A1.1A1.2A1.3
For each project objective in alignment with university mission/vision = 0.25
1.00
A2 Initiation/agenda-setting A2.1 Self-initiated = 1 1.00
A2.2 Proposal more than one author = 0.5 0.50
A2.3 Project plan / TOR flexible = 1 1.00
A2.7 Advisory group and meets at least once p.a. = 0.5 0.50
A3 Links to external stakeholders (non-academic) and to implementation agencies
A2.6A3.1.2
For each link to an external stakeholder = 0.25 1.00
A3.2A3.3A3.4
Direct link to implementation agency = 2 OR Indirect link to implementation agency = 1 OR Self-implemented = 1
2.00
A4 Funding A4.1 For each source of funding = 0.25 1.00
A4.1 Long-term funding (more than 3 years) = 0.5 0.50
A4.1 Renewable funding (at least one source) = 0.5 0.50
Academic Core Indicators Q Score Max score
C1 Generates new knowledge or product or data
C1.1 New knowledge or product = 1.25 OR New data = 0.5
1.25
A1.4C1.2.5
Publicly available = 0.25 0.25
C2.1C2.3.2A1.4
Postgraduates linked to project = 0.5 0.50
C2 Dissemination C1.2.2C1.2.3C1.2.4C1.2.6C1.2.7C1.2.8C1.2.9
For each publication/presentation listed = 0.25 2.00
C3a Teaching/curriculum development C2.1C2.2
Changes to courses/modules = 1 OR New courses/modules/programmes = 2
2.00
C3b Formal teaching/learning of students C2.3.1C2.3.2
Students involved = 0.5 0.50
C2.4 Participation in project is course requirement = 1 1.00
C2.5C2.6C2.7C2.8
Other roles for students in project = 0.25 per role 0.50
C4 Links to academic networks A3.1.1 Links to academics from other universities = 1 1.00
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
PSYSCI
TECHBLEND
MATHSUP
MATHMXITMATHISP
WILLARDENERGYIND
TURTLES
REFFARMS
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
0 0
55
Faculty of Science
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Innoventon
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
INULIN
ALGENERGY
PRESPLANT
BIOLIQ
EXCEL
BOARDWLK
BIOPLAST
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
0 0
55
DIPCHEM
CHICKLIT
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Faculty of Science incl. InnoVenton
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
PSYSCI
TECHBLEND
MATHSUP
MATHMXIT
MATHISP
WILLARD
ENERGYIND
TURTLES
REFFARMS
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
0 0
55
INULIN
ALGENERGY
PRESPLANT
BIOLIQ
EXCEL
BOARDWLK
BIOPLAST
DIPCHEM
CHICKLIT
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Faculty of Arts
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
FATHERHOODROUTE67
BIRDST
NGOSERV
READCLUB
UNAFRICA
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Development Studies
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
PERSPECT
THINASINAKO
CMSLJBAY
HELED
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0CAPAMA
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & IT
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
TETRA
LIVLAB
ICTFET
DRMATH
9
1
2
3
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0
CHAIRHSD
WELA
RACE
AIDCCONTI
CHAIRVW
SOLARV
4
SIEMTRN
TWERLY
CHAIRED
VWMASTERS
GMMASTERS
FAMHLTH
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
RESTRESS
UYILO
LATEWLED
FSWPIPE
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0
FSWTECHTRANS
STRLIGHT
WELDCOR
TURBINE
SOUTHSTAR
SUPDEV
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
EntSA
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & ITincl. EntSA
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
TETRA
LIVLAB
ICTFET
DRMATH
9
1
2
3
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0
CHAIRHSD
WELA
RACE
AIDCCONTI
CHAIRVW
SOLARV
4
SIEMTRN
TWERLY
CHAIRED
VWMASTERS
GMMASTERS
FAMHLTH
RESTRESS
UYILO
LATEWLED
FSWPIPE
FSWTECHTRANS
STRLIGHT
WELDCOR
TURBINE
SOUTHSTAR
SUPDEV
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
HLTHTRAIN
LCONMOD
IZEOU
LCONINST
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0
LCONTRAIN
LCONENROL
LCONLAB
PASSPORT
MOBHLTHIS
MAXHLTH
SOKHULA
LCONTEACH
MENTALILL
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Faculty of Health Sciences
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
MASILANG
INTSCHDEV
DATADARK
SCILIT
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
55
0 0
FAMMATHS
MANYANO
CYBERHUNT
CHESHIRE
0–1.99
2.00–2.99
3.00–3.99
4.00–4.99
5+
On-going Complete
Duration of engagement project
Faculty of Education
Science
Science: Innoventon
Arts
Business and Economics
Engineering, BE and IT
Engineering: Entsa
Health
Education
FACULTY
NMMU
ArticulationAcademic core
Interconnected
Disconnected
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
0 0
55
Initial observations
› Projects still score higher on articulation than on strengthening the academic core (cf. HERANA I findings). But many projects still in the early phases, and therefore have the potential to score more highly on the academic core indicators as these projects mature
› NMMU’s Africa development mission is not integrated into the university’s engagement project objectives
› Engagement is mostly with regional stakeholders (particularly, government, industry and communities). No engagement with other universities regionally or nationally
› Based on the current snapshot, Arts and Engineering are doing best in managing the tension between engaging externally and strengthening the core
› Importation of research project management capacity. Does this reduce the likelihood of projects connecting more deeply with teaching and research output activities?
› Possible lack of awareness in the project planning phase of the potential to link activities to the academic core?
Thank you.
Francois van Schalkwyk CHET Researcher
francois@compressdsl.com
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