A research-inducing environment at a University of Technology in South Africa: Challenges and future prospects

Mtshali, Mduduzi Nkosinathi Gladwin; Sooryamoorthy, R.

doi:10.1016/j.futures.2018.06.017

Cited by 14 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The Technikon curriculum was experiential and vocational in nature, with study programmes aimed to generate graduates who can quickly use their talents in the actual world of work (Maserumule, 2005). It is hoped that the transition to UoTs will promote applied research with a focus on social good and social progress, as well as the development, diffusion, and commercialization of technologies relevant to the national imperative (Mtshali & Sooryamoorthy, 2019). In conclusion, Ebewo & Sirayi (2018) believe that South Africa's higher education system has developed beyond its fragmented, blinkered, elite, and irregular apartheid heritage in recent years.…”

Section: History Of Universities Of Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of branding in the choice of a university of technology

Matli

Tlapana

Hawkins-Mofokeng

2021

IJRBS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Brand choice has historically played an important role in a wide range of industries, particularly in the private sector, where billions of Rands are invested to entice potential customers. Taking this into consideration, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of brand awareness and brand image on first-year student selection of a University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to establish and identify the brand preference and image attributes that entice first-year students’ selection of a University of Technology (UoT). The study also examined the biographic variables of those students. To accomplish these objectives, an exploratory study using a quantitative research approach was conducted, in which questionnaires were administered to 500 first-year students at the selected Universities of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. The study revealed that topics such as investments in brand awareness and brand image, safety and security, the caliber of staff, delays in academic programmes, student-lecturer relationships, and service delivery were identified as factors that influenced the participants' selection and willingness to recommend their institutions to potential students. Thus, the study recommends that UoTs should pay more attention to branding strategies as an agendum to ensuring institutional profitability and viability, relationship management, and human resource. Finally, the findings of this study are limited to KwaZulu-Natal and should not be extrapolated outside this region.

show abstract

Section: History Of Universities Of Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of branding in the choice of a university of technology

Matli

Tlapana

Hawkins-Mofokeng

2021

IJRBS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Despite the efforts to transform the higher education sector, after 1994, there are signs of increased distress in the sector (Mtshali & Sooryamoorthy, 2019). Outside of the South African challenges in the sector, this comes as a result of factors such as the competitive nature of the higher education sector globally, this places a load on the South African higher education system that is already challenged.…”

Section: Scottmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successes and Challenges in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

Ayandibu¹,

Vezi-Magigaba²

2022

MyRES

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Higher education globally has been affected with Covid-19 pandemic which majorly affected the academic year in 2020. Although some institutions still delivered their lectures online in 2021 and 2022. This paper dealt with successes and challenges of higher education teaching and learning before Covid-19, during Covid-19 and the way forward after the pandemic. This paper is a desktop review paper that has put into consideration the authors experiences before, during and after the pandemic. The paper also looked at the global objective while it put into consideration the Sustainable Development Goa (SDG)l 4 which dealt with the education sector. The next thing that was dealt with in this paper is the massification which helped to address the South African challenges and how they were tackled. The role of technology was also written about and the challenges were dealt with. The latter part of this paper also looked at cheating during online assessments and also recommending that all contact lectures must be recorded so that students can have access to the lecture clip at any point in time. This can enhance their performance and increase the success of teaching and learning / pass rate. These are some of the future recommendation that can be considered. This paper also provided some recommendation that can be utilized in future so that both lectures and students are well equipped and prepared for the unknown.

show abstract

“…The research ethos was poor, driven especially by the single-minded focus to produce skilled and market-ready technicians. The problem to convert academics into active researchers has persisted (CHE, 2010; Lobel, 2017; Mtshali and Sooryamoorthy, 2018).…”

Section: The Research Environment In South Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling research productivity of university researchers using research incentives to crowd-in motivation

Masinde

Coetzee

2021

IJPPM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeThe overall aim of this research is to propose a research incentive framework for academic staff members at the South African universities of technology (UoTs).Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory case study methodology was applied, while a questionnaire was used to (1) identify the factors that stimulated staff members' research activities; (2) assess what was considered an appropriate way of measuring research productivity and (3) identify appropriate research awards, recognition and rewards. Working from the self-determination theory (SDT), the results of the data analysis were used to develop a framework for ensuring crowding-in of research incentives into intrinsic motivation. This framework is anchored on the three main components (competence, autonomy and social relatedness) of the cognitive evaluation theory (CET) that provides guidelines for the design of a research incentive system.FindingsIntrinsically motivated researchers tend to conduct research for their inherent satisfaction because it meets their basic individual psychological need for competence. Existing research incentives and productivity systems fail to provide intrinsic motivation for researchers. Recommendation for a framework for designing research incentive systems is centred on the researchers themselves. This approach contributes to a research environment that provides space for autonomy, creativity, flexibility and innovation and consequently a successful research output that is hinged on the ability to keep researchers intrinsically motivated.Originality/valueA conceptual framework is proposed specifically for technically focused UoT suggesting that crowding-in the motivation of researcher incentives results in improved intrinsic-based motivation. The autonomy of researchers in particular is regarded as the most important driver of such motivation, with the availability of resources, collegiality and research skills and development ranking as the most important aspects specifically driving intrinsic motivation. The framework not only provides a tool for institutions of higher education focused on developing the technical skills, but also offers management at any type of university challenged with low research outputs and a poor research ethos with an alternative method to improve both the quantity and quality of research outputs.

show abstract

A research-inducing environment at a University of Technology in South Africa: Challenges and future prospects

Cited by 14 publications

References 36 publications

The role of branding in the choice of a university of technology

The role of branding in the choice of a university of technology

Successes and Challenges in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

Modelling research productivity of university researchers using research incentives to crowd-in motivation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About