Chemical Technology November 2015

COMMENT

An assessment of eight African universities

by Fred M Hayward, Senior Higher Education Advisor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

A recently published book, edited by Nico Cloete, Peter Maassen and Tracy Bailey, entitled ‘An assessment of eight frican universities: Contradictory functions, knowledge production and pacts’ was built around a research project of the Higher Educa- tion Research and Advocacy Network in Africa (HERANA) and includes data from eight uni- versities, being the Universities of Botswana, Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, EduardoMondlane, Ghana, Makerere, Mauritius and Nairobi. This book is an attempt to provide a data- driven analysis using performance indicators of the eight institutions selected as comparable ‘flagship’ institutions, with the aim of assess- ing their success as knowledge-producing and research-intensive institutions in the age of the knowledge economy. The authors assess the eight institutions based on a set of eight measurable goals and targets: enrolments in science and technology, strong master’s and doctoral enrolments but with a majority of undergraduates, a high pro- portion of permanent academic staff in senior ranks, well-qualified senior staff, low student to academics ratios, high outputs of graduates in SET fields, high outputs of master’s and doctoral degrees, and high levels of new knowledge pro- duction. Only the University of Cape Townmeets all the targets; the Universities of Mauritius, Dar es Salaam and Makerere come close. At the same time the authors explore the contradictory functions and pressures on these institutions – on the one hand, the pressure to produce knowledge useful to national develop- ment, and on the other hand, the contradictory pressures of, to name just a few, public service, outside jobs, growing enrolments, pressure on teaching loads, lack of research funding and the growth of fee-paying students. The chapter on research universities makes the case for the importance of research univer- sities – but shows that, in the main, these are not strengthening their knowledge-generating capacity and are failing to make a substantive contribution to new knowledge generation.

Nonetheless, pointing out that the universities are virtually the only producers of knowledge in Africa and, since higher education institu- tions remain the best, and usually, the only, institutions capable of knowledge production in Africa, the authors underline the importance of efforts to revitalise higher education, especially research and knowledge production functions. The excellent chapter, ‘Academic incentives for knowledge production’, is particularly poi- gnant, contrasting as it does, the incentives in South Africa for publications, with the situations inMozambique, Kenya and, to some extent, the rest of Africa. It describes the commercialisa- tion of the university and the ways in which a combination of low salaries, lack of support, and donor foci have "undermined the possibility of establishing a research culture". The authors note that other than in South Africa there is little by way of financial incentive for research – that the major incentive is the drive for knowledge production. The findings emphasise the lack of connec- tion between research institutions in Africa, stronger connections often being with research partners abroad. This is not surprising given the disparities of research support, but it is disheart- ening, given the years of efforts to promote re- search linkages between African institutions by foundations, theWorld Bank and other funders. In conclusion, the authors stress the need for research-intensive universities – at least one in each country – pointing out that only three universities focus their plans on economic devel- opment – Makerere, Botswana and Mauritius. They also emphasise the critical importance of differentiation, for focused work and to limit costs, as well as for system level recognition of the need to develop research generally. This comment is based on a book review by Dr Hayward which appeared in the South African Journal of Science, Volume 111, Number 9/10, September/October 2015. The full review may be accessed at http://dx.doi. org/10.17159/ sajs.2015/a0120

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Chemical Technology • November 2015