Academics at three African universities on the perceived utilisation of their research

Abstract

This article contributes to emerging knowledge on the utilisation of university research in sub-Saharan Africa. A survey was conducted comprising 463 academics at three African universities: the University of Ibadan (Nigeria), the University of Nairobi (Kenya) and the University of Rwanda. The study investigated the agreement between two measures of research utilisation and highlighted the types of research interactions associated with instances of perceived research utilisation, whilst taking into account the different categories of intended beneficiaries. The first measure, a single question, required the respondents to indicate to what extent the stated intended beneficiaries had utilised the research as planned. The second measure operationalised a stage model of research utilisation. Responses at the "upper end" of both measures were labelled "true" research utilisation. A percentage reduction in utilisation was observed when cross-tabulating the two measures-from 48 per cent who believed that research utilisation occurred to some extent (upper end of first measure), to 35 per cent who held the same opinion and who obtained above-Boshoff, Esterhuyse, Wachira-Mbui, Owoaje, Nyandwi and Mutarindwa Perceived utilisation of research 20 average scores on the stage model of utilisation (upper end of second measure). For the subgroup at the upper end of both measures, the larger share of cases (54%) exemplified the instrumental utilisation of research. This subgroup was found to be involved in traditional academic research practices and participated in a number of outreach activities targeting non-academic audiences.

Historical perspectives on research on higher education, institutional research and research utilisation

“…4 Research uptake, use and impact 4 Research uptake, use and impact (Boshoff, 2014;Boshoff & De Jong, 2020;Boshoff & Esterhuyse, 2016;Boshoff et al, 2018) and the University of Nairobi, Kenya (Boshoff & Sefatsa, 2019;Ngwenya & Boshoff, 2018). At the Conceptualisation Workshop of the authors of this book, he presented a paper, 'Reflections on research uptake and utilisation (and impact)' (Boshoff, 2017).…”

“…Building on the fundamental work of the earlier thinkers such as Havelock (1969) and Weiss (1979), many scholars in the field tend to subscribe to three broader types of knowledge utilisation, namely, an instrumental, conceptual or symbolic use of research (e.g. Boshoff et al, 2018;Cherney & McGee, 2011;Estabrooks, 1999). These three types of knowledge utilisation are explained as follows:…”

A Critical Analysis of the Impact of Research in Education: A Systematic Review

“…In educational management, the impact of research is quite apparent. It is the phase of research utilisation where research-based knowledge moves into practice (Boshoff, Esterhuyse, Wachira-Mbui, Owoaje, Nyandwi, &Mutarindwa, 2018). It is from education management, where research knowledge progressively alters the thinking and perceptions of the knowledge users.…”

“…The exciting aspect of education management is that the disseminators of research knowledge are at the same time the knowledge users of research. As argued by Boshoff et al (2018), educational research allows teachers and school managers to have a broader understanding of educational concepts and theories. Through productive interaction during workshops, researchers academically interact with stakeholders (teachers and school managers) as they take them through on how to implement the policies.…”

Academic enrepreneurship and organisational support factors

“…These reasons include, "unfavourable ownership provisions of the IP Act and the university's IP policy, IP registration and commercialisation is not viewed as a primary goal of research, novelty is destroyed by publication, and supervisors and researchers are unable to identify the potential intellectual property rights arising from students' or their own research" (Jakovljevic 2018;Pouris 2007;Sibanda 2017). Moreover, it has been suggested that TTOs at HEIs in South Africa tend to concentrate more on the identification and protection of IP, and devote less attention on start-ups (Pouris 2007;2012), and subsequently low levels of academic entrepreneurship at HEIs are due to a weak set of institutional and organisational factors which inhibit the commercialisation and technology innovation process (Boshoff et al 2018;Chantson and Urban 2018).…”