The role of a research resource centre in the training of social science researchers

Abstract

At the University of Transkei teaching and research are considered to be two sides of the same coin. Research is thus regarded as a fundamental and indispensable activity. With the University facing the challenge of becoming competitive within the new structure of higher education in South Africa, a strategic plan for research in the Humanities and Social Sciences has resulted in a flexible blueprint for research development. The Research Resource Centre supports this initiative by facilitating research capacity development and research excellence within the University. This paper discusses the role of the Research Resource Centre in the provision of research training for social science researchers and provides details of the various workshops and seminars used to develop skills in the use of statistics and computer-based statistical packages.