1. Cape Sun
22 Janaury2013

2. HERANA
Higher Education Research & Advocacy Network in Africa
RESEARCH ADVOCACY
Higher Education and Development The HERANA Gateway
Investigating the complex relationships An internet portal to research on higher
between higher education and economic education in Africa
development, and student democratic
attitudes in Africa
The Research-Policy Nexus University World News (Africa)
Investigating the relationship between Current news and in-depth investigations
research evidence and policy-making in into higher education in Africa
selected public policy sectors in South
Africa
Nordic Masters in Africa (NOMA)
Collaborative research training by the
Universities of Oslo, Makerere, Western
Cape and CHET
FUNDERS
Carnegie, Ford, Rockefeller, Kresge, DFID, Norad
2

3. Project team
• Higher Education Studies – Peter Maassen (Oslo), Nico Cloete
(CHET & UWC)
• Development Economist – Pundy Pillay (UWC)
• Sociology of Knowledge – Jo Muller (UCT), Johann Mouton (US)
• Data analysis - Ian Bunting (DoE), Charles Sheppard (NMMU)
• Researchers – Tracey Bailey (CHET), Gerald Ouma (Kenya & UWC),
Rumolo Phinero (Oslo), Patricia Langa (Mozambique & UCT),
Samuel Fongwa (Cameroon)
• Higher Education Research and Advocacy Network (HERANA)
• Funded by: Ford foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Rockefeller,
Kresge Foundation
• NORAD funds masters in HES (Oslo, Makerere, UWC)

4. • Three successful (OECD) systems investigated:
◦ Finland (Europe), South Korea (Asia), North Carolina (US)
• Africa
◦ Botswana – University of Botswana
◦ Ghana – University of Ghana
◦ Kenya – University of Nairobi
◦ Mauritius – University of Mauritius
◦ Mozambique – Eduardo Mondlane
◦ South Africa – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
◦ Tanzania – University of Dar es Salaam
◦ Uganda – Makerere University
4

5. The overall research questions
• What are the key elements characterising the regional contexts within
which the regional universities operate?
• What is the nature and level of the relationship between the universities and
their surrounding environment(s)?
• How are the immediate needs of the region reflected in the missions and
core activities of the universities?
• What types of formal and/or informal institutional arrangements regarding
regional development initiatives have been created over time?
• What key factors (internal/external) have acted as enablers and/or
constraints to reaching the proposed developmental objectives?
• How were regional development initiatives related to the primary activities
of the universities – teaching, research and service – institutionalised? What
role was played in this by individual institutional actors?
• How can institutional (university) behaviour (e.g. active, passive), in light of
regional development needs and initiatives, be characterised and
understood?
5

6. Higher education’s role in and contribution to development is dependent on
three inter-related factors:
1. The nature of the pact between the university leadership, political
authorities, and society at large
2. The nature, strength and continuity of the academic core
3. The nature and management of the coordination/ connectedness
between the university and external projects
6

7. Analytical propositions (1)
• Proposition 1: The stronger the pact between
universities, university leadership, national authorities and
society at large, the better the universities will be able to
make a significant, sustained contribution to development.
• Assumption 1: The development and maintenance of the pact
relies on effective governance, effective leadership, and co-
ordination between the key actors, amongst the national
authorities, and an understanding about the role of the
university in development.

8. Analytical propositions (2)
• Proposition 2: The weaker the institutionalisation of
externally-funded projects, the weaker the contribution to
strengthening the academic core of the university.
• Assumption 2a: With weakly institutionalised externally-
funded projects the institution has a limited capacity to make a
sustainable impact on development.
• Assumption 2b: Universities make a more significant and
sustained contribution to development when their
development-related activities contribute to strengthening the
academic core of the institution.

9. Analytical propositions (3)
• Proposition 3: All universities are loosely coupled
organisations, implying that academic activities are
driven internally.
• Assumption 3: Under ideal circumstances loose
coupling is a strength of the university, but in cases
of a weak pact and a small and weakly
institutionalised academic core, loose coupling
tends to fragmentation.

10. Narrative, intent and structures for the Role of HE in development
Visions and plans (i.e. Tanzania Development Vision (2025)
Policies – development, science and technology, higher education
Methods and structures for co-ordination

11. Government
Government departments: Education; Science and Technology;
Treasury; Industrial Development; Research Councils
Notions and policies
Coordination mechanisms
Pact,
Academic Core,
External
Coordination,
Connectedness University
Groupings
Funders Leadership/
planning
Business
Faculties
Community
Academics
11

12. Mauritius and Uganda: National visions, policies and structures (1)
Indicators 3 2 1
1. The concept of a knowledge Strong Weak Absent
economy features in the Appears in a number of Only mentioned in science Not mentioned at all
national development plan policies and technology policy
2. A role for higher education in Prevalent Weak Absent
development in national policies Clearly mentioned in Only mentioned in higher
and plans development policies education policy / plan
3. Economic development and Systematic Sporadic Weak
higher education planning are Formal structures Clusters / forums Occasional meetings
linked
Headed by senior minister
4. Link between universities and Specific co-ordination Some formal structures but No structures, and political
national authorities structures or agencies no meaningful co-ordination rather than professional
networks
5. Co-ordination and consensus Higher education Intermittent interaction Higher education issues
building of government agencies mainstreamed across with ineffective forums limited mainly to one
involved in higher education government departments ministry or directorate
Key:
None Mauritius Uganda Mauritius and Uganda
12

13. Institutional clusters according to Input and Output Indicators
2.00
INPUT OUTPUT
1.50
1.00
0.50
Cluster Means
0.00
-0.50
-1.00
-1.50
Inverse Res Inc M grad D grad Articles
% SET % PG % Staff
Stud: per per per per
enrol enrol PhD
Staff FTE Acad Acad Acad Acad
UDSM 0.15 -0.09 0.89 0.52 -0.58 -1.28 -0.68 -0.74
Makerere & NMMU -0.75 -0.67 -0.74 -0.83 -0.45 0.08 -0.37 -0.36
UCT 1.35 1.43 0.59 1.14 1.48 1.11 1.42 1.47

14. 1516
No. of publications % SET Makerere Ghana Dar es Salaam
381
338
232 169
122 129
381
169 198 90 91 89
89 107
45 62
Eduardo…
2008
2009
2010
UCT
Ghana
Nairobi
Botswana
Dar es Salaam
Makerere
Mauritius
14

15. Direct
articulation/
connectedness
12
11
GC 1 , 10 10
9 BTI 3 , 9
8
7 SAS 4 , 7
Weakening
Strengthening
academic 6
academic
core 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 core
5
BDSI 2 , 5
4
3
2
1
0
Indirect articulation/
connectedness
15