From Engagement to Interconnectedness Preliminary findings from - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

HERANA

From Engagement to Interconnectedness

South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF) 4 April 2014 Preliminary findings from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Themes from Day 1

› Connectedness › Definitions of ‘community’ (doorstep, industry, etc.) › Engagement as core academic activity / third mission › Recording/tracking university engagement activities

» to share experiences across institutions » as an imperative for (DHET) funding

› This presentation

» touches on all of these issues by sharing the methodology and preliminary findings of a research project on university engagement activities » attempts to offer both theoretical insights and a practical solution

Relevance in the national context

Chairperson: Professor D Lortan Tel: (031) 3732720 Fax: (031) 3732724 Email: dlortan@dut.ac.za Secretary: Mrs D Hornby Tel: (046) 6037229 Fax: (046) 6038869 Email: d.hornby@ru.ac.za ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Prof D Lortan (Durban University of Technology, Chairperson) Mrs D Hornby (Rhodes University, Secretary) Prof N Mollel (University of Limpopo, Vice-Chairperson) Dr J Boughey (University of Zululand, Treasurer) Prof V Netshandama (University of Venda) Mrs B Bouwman (North-West University, Marketing) Ms E Meyer-Adams (University of Johannesburg) Ms J Munsamy (Central University of Technology)

19th February 2014 Professor Nico Cloete Director: CHET / Extraordinary Professor of Higher Education University of the Western Cape Cape Town Dear Professor Cloete The South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum (SAHECEF) cordially invites you to present at its fourth seminar entitled ‘White Paper for Post-School Education, The National Development Plan Vision 2030, and The Future of University Community Engagement’. The Seminar will be hosted by the University of the Western Cape, 3rd – 4th April 2014. SEMINAR 4: WHITE PAPER FOR POST-SCHOOL EDUCATION, THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN VISION 2030, AND THE FUTURE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Universities in the round have potentially a pivotal role to play in the social and economic development of their regions. They are a critical ‘asset’ of the region; even more so in less favoured regions where the private sector may be weak or relatively small, with low levels of research and development activity (Goddard, 2011: viii). Given budgetary and other resource constraints within higher education and the vastly different ways in which universities approach community engagement, it is likely that future funding of such initiatives in universities will be restricted (DHET, 2013: 39). Despite the challenges of national policy disconnect, institutionalisation, funding, and conceptual clarity, the past two decades has seen an increase in the rhetoric and praxis of Community Engagement (CE) as

“Given budgetary and other resource constraints within higher education and the vastly different ways in which universities approach community engagement, it is likely that future funding of such initiatives in universities will be restricted...” (DHET, 2013: 39).

WHITE PAPER FOR POST-SCHOOL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

“…funding will be restricted to programmes linked directly to the academic programme

• f universities, and form part of the

teaching and research function of these institutions.” (DHET, 2013: 39).

Background

› CHET HERANA I study

» Links between universities and economic development » 8 African universities (including NMMU) » small sample size (n≈6) » ‘projects’ selected by leadership » mixture of centres, programmes and projects » unstructured interviews

Weakening academic core Strengthening academic core Indirect articulation 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

MD 3, 10 IV 5, 10

Key:

Abbreviation Project/centre ACTS Automotive Components Technology Station IV InnoVenton: NMMU Institute for Chemical Technology and Downstream Chemicals Technology Station PBMR Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Project AP Agro-Processing Study for the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) MD Govan Mbeki Sasol Mathematics Development Programme CB IlingeLomama Cooperative Bakery Project PBMR 4, 10 ACTS 5, 11 CB 3, 9

Direct articulation

AP 2, 8

HERANA I FINDINGS

• 1. While there was evidence of

connectedness between the university and industry, this was generally confined to the level of units

• r centres rather than institutional-level

partnerships.

• 2. Projects/centres tended to score well
• n the articulation indicators – in other

words, they reflected national priorities (and to a lesser extent institutional

• bjectives), had more than one funding

source and, in some cases, plans for financial sustainability, and may have had a connection to an implementation agency.

• 3. A number of these projects/centres also

managed to keep a strong connection to the academic core of the university, whilst some were more disconnected from these core knowledge activities.

• 4. There were ‘exemplary’ development

projects/centres. The problem was scale: there were simply not enough, and some seemed overly dependent on exceptional individuals.

Institutional context

HERANA II: Research question and limitations

› Interconnectedness: How are academics negotiating the tension between engaging with those external to the academy and strengthening the core functions of the university? › The research project does not:

» assess the impact of engagement projects on communities » assess the quality of engagement projects or their outputs

HERANA II: The academic core and the third mission

› Some claim that the third mission of universities, i.e. providing services to the communities in which they are embedded, is a core function of universities. › It is both conceivable and possible for third mission activities to be carried out by organisations external to the university.

» Civil society, government agencies, corporate social responsibility initiatives as well as organisational structures created at the periphery of the university are all capable of delivering third mission-type services to communities.

› Not so in the case of knowledge creation and, in particular, knowledge legitimisation and credentialling. These are unique to the university.

HERANA II: Notes on methodology

› Two universities

» NMMU, Port Elizabeth » Makerere University, Kampala

› Larger sample sizes

» NMMU (n=80) » Makerere (n=30)

› Projects only (smallest unit of activity) › Projects selected across faculties › Structured questionnaires completed by leaders of engagement projects and follow-up meetings for clarification and input from participants › Indicators for articulation and for academic core developed; weighted scores for each. Each project plotted according their scores on these two dimensions

Indicators

Articulation indicators

A1 Alignment between project and university development

• bjectives (as expressed in the vision and mission statements)

A2 Initiation / agenda-setting A3 Links to external stakeholders and implementation agencies A4 Funding

Academic core indicators

C1 Application of existing knowledge versus creation

• f new knowledge

C2 Dissemination of research findings (multiple types) C3 Links with teaching and with curriculum development C4 Academic networks

Weighted scores

Articulation Indicators Q Score Max score A1 Alignment between project and university development objectives A1.1 A1.2 A1.3 For each project objective in alignment with university mission/vision = 0.25 1.00 A2 Initiation/agenda-setting A2.1 Self-initiated = 1 1.00 A2.2 Proposal more than one author = 0.5 0.50 A2.3 Project plan / TOR flexible = 1 1.00 A2.7 Advisory group and meets at least once p.a. = 0.5 0.50 A3 Links to external stakeholders (non- academic) and to implementation agencies A2.6 A3.1.2 For each link to an external stakeholder = 0.25 1.00 A3.2 A3.3 A3.4 Direct link to implementation agency = 2 OR Indirect link to implementation agency = 1 OR Self-implemented = 1 2.00 A4 Funding A4.1 For each source of funding = 0.25 1.00 A4.1 Long-term funding (more than 3 years) = 0.5 0.50 A4.1 Renewable funding (at least one source) = 0.5 0.50

Academic Core Indicators Q Score Max score C1 Generates new knowledge

• r product or data

C1.1 New knowledge or product = 1.25 OR New data = 0.5 1.25 A1.4 C1.2.5 Publicly available = 0.25 0.25 C2.1 C2.3.2 A1.4 Postgraduates linked to project = 0.5 0.50 C2 Dissemination C1.2.2 C1.2.3 C1.2.4 C1.2.6 C1.2.7 C1.2.8 C1.2.9 For each publication/presentation listed = 0.25 2.00 C3a Teaching/curriculum development C2.1 C2.2 Changes to courses/modules = 1 OR New courses/modules/programmes = 2 2.00 C3b Formal teaching/learning of students C2.3.1 C2.3.2 Students involved = 0.5 0.50 C2.4 Participation in project is course requirement = 1 1.00 C2.5 C2.6 C2.7 C2.8 Other roles for students in project = 0.25 per role 0.50 C4 Links to academic networks A3.1.1 Links to academics from other universities = 1 1.00

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

PSYSCI TECHBLEND MATHSUP MATHMXIT MATHISP WILLARD ENERGYIND TURTLES REFFARMS

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

Faculty of Science

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Innoventon

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

INULIN ALGENERGY PRESPLANT BIOLIQ EXCEL BOARDWLK BIOPLAST

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

DIPCHEM CHICKLIT

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Faculty of Science

• incl. InnoVenton

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

PSYSCI TECHBLEND MATHSUP MATHMXIT MATHISP WILLARD ENERGYIND TURTLES REFFARMS

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

INULIN ALGENERGY PRESPLANT BIOLIQ EXCEL BOARDWLK BIOPLAST DIPCHEM CHICKLIT

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Faculty of Arts

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

FATHERHOOD ROUTE67 BIRDST NGOSERV READCLUB UNAFRICA

9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Development Studies

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

PERSPECT THINASINAKO CMSLJBAY HELED

9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

CAPAMA

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & IT

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

TETRA LIVLAB ICTFET DRMATH

9 1 2 3 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

CHAIRHSD WELA RACE AIDC CONTI CHAIRVW SOLARV

4

SIEMTRN TWERLY CHAIRED VWMASTERS GMMASTERS FAMHLTH

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

RESTRESS UYILO LATEWLED FSWPIPE

9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

FSWTECHTRANS STRLIGHT WELDCOR TURBINE SOUTHSTAR SUPDEV 0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

EntSA

0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & IT

• incl. EntSA

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

TETRA LIVLAB ICTFET DRMATH

9 1 2 3 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

CHAIRHSD WELA RACE AIDC CONTI CHAIRVW SOLARV

4

SIEMTRN TWERLY CHAIRED VWMASTERS GMMASTERS FAMHLTH RESTRESS UYILO LATEWLED FSWPIPE FSWTECHTRANS STRLIGHT WELDCOR TURBINE SOUTHSTAR SUPDEV

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

HLTHTRAIN LCONMOD IZEOU LCONINST

9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

LCONTRAIN LCONENROL LCONLAB PASSPORT MOBHLTHIS MAXHLTH SOKHULA LCONTEACH MENTALILL 0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Faculty of Health Sciences

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

MASILANG INTSCHDEV DATADARK SCILIT

9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

FAMMATHS MANYANO CYBERHUNT CHESHIRE 0–1.99 2.00–2.99 3.00–3.99 4.00–4.99 5+

On-going Complete

Duration of engagement project

Faculty of Education

Science Science: Innoventon Arts Business and Economics Engineering, BE and IT Engineering: Entsa Health Education FACULTY

NMMU

Articulation Academic core Interconnected Disconnected

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 5 5

Initial observations

› Projects still score higher on articulation than on strengthening the academic core (cf. HERANA I findings). But many projects are still in the early phases, and therefore have the potential to score more highly on the academic core indicators as these projects mature › NMMU’s Africa development mission is not integrated into the university’s engagement project objectives › Engagement is mostly with regional stakeholders (particularly, government, industry and local communities). No engagement with other universities regionally or nationally › Based on the current snapshot, Arts and Engineering are doing best in managing the tension between engaging externally and strengthening the core

› Importation of research project management capacity. Does this reduce the likelihood of projects connecting more deeply with teaching and research output activities? › Possible lack of awareness in the project planning phase of the potential to link activities to the academic core?

Thank you.

Francois van Schalkwyk CHET Researcher francois@compressdsl.com