Globalization, democratization and knowledge production

This section shows that some of the participants at UPE perceive their roles as researchers and librarians and their future visions as being closely linked to their research or work interests. Researchers were committed to their research and its role in contributing to a transforming society.

4.9 CONCLUSION

The University of Port Elizabeth does not have a strong research tradition because it was established in the 1950s and 1960s as part of the apartheid government’s plan to provide opportunities for ‘working class’ Afrikaners whose progress at the time lagged behind that of their English speaking counterparts. It comes as no surprise that the focus has been on teaching, and that past administrations had not heeded the need for research. Like other HWU-A’s established during that period, UPE was less collegial and more oriented towards the corporate model (see Bolsmann & Uys, 2001, p. 174).

Recent changes on the global and local fronts have brought about increased managerialism as the university responds to neoliberal fiscal policies. This financial austerity has placed additional pressures on researchers, whose teaching loads have swelled in response to increased student enrolment, allowing little time for their research activities. Democratization in the form of new governance structures and equity policies are in place. However, there are problems in their implementation at the departmental level. Black academics in particular find that these policies exist in name only. The shift to Mode 2 type research, referred to as “socially relevant” research by the participants, has been welcomed widely. Of note is the contention among some researchers that the funding policies of the NRF were steering them towards socially relevant research.

Whereas the researchers have good access to infrastructure, IT and facilities, their access to library holdings was severely limited. Journal holdings have decreased significantly. Librarians lay the blame squarely on management and their inability to appreciate the role of the library in research. The Internet has made significant contributions to the work of researchers that extend beyond access to scholarly journals and incorporate access to scholarly networks, online discussion forums, teaching and other forms of practice such as online testing for psychology. Access to African journals and literature was virtually non- existent, leaving some academics to contend that UPE was still Eurocentric in its focus and that literature from developing countries may be more relevant in some fields such as law. Aside from the lack of resources, participants found that there was no staff orientation or mentoring programmes in place and students found the information literacy programmes inadequate for their needs.

Networking internally, locally and internationally appeared to be limited although there have been new developments in this area as a result of the NRF programmes such as THRIP. There were no significant linkages with neighbouring universities such as those featured in this study, except through the regional library consortia discussed in chapter eight. Negative perceptions of HBU like Fort Hare abide, despite Fort Hare’s reversal over the past three years.

There is an apparent lack of knowledge of or interest in the merger process, which may lead to problems as the process unfolds over the next few years, especially since all three institutions will be affected, and at all levels. UPE management may have to make concerted efforts to ensure that staff remains informed and engaged so that the process flows as smoothly as possible, and to avoid any unnecessary upheaval that such processes of change could easily invite.

The participants saw their roles and visions for the future as being closely linked to their research. For many, especially the younger white female academics like Celine, Annelise and Beryl, their sense of identity as researchers was linked to a sense of social responsibility, which augurs well for the potential contribution that UPE can make to the Eastern Cape through its knowledge producing processes.

CHAPTER FIVE

“IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT!”³¹ –

RHODES UNIVERSITY

5.1 INTRODUCTION

Rhodes University, a historically white English university (HWU-E), was established in 1904 and is the oldest of the three universities in my case study. Its residential campus consists of historic stone buildings, designed by renowned architect, Herbert Baker, and is spread across the rural town of Grahamstown (population: 64,300). The campus boasts beautiful gardens and is well maintained.

On the global front, this small university (7,425 students in 2003) has made great strides in positioning itself as an internationally recognized university (Annual Review, 2003). It boasts a healthy research culture despite having had to contend with cuts to spending in response to global and national economic trends. Surveys conducted since 1998 show that Rhodes has had the highest per capita research output in South Africa over a four-year period, ahead of the larger universities like UCT, Wits and Pretoria who produce most of the research in South Africa (Research Chronicle, 2001; RU Annual Research Report, 2003). Rhodes’ success, according to the participants in this study, is due to its history, strong leadership and highly efficient administration systems, and, more recently, the adoption of the marketisation model (I: Dianna; DoR; Greg).³²

As noted earlier, universities are by their very nature, international institutions. Due to historical and cultural factors, Rhodes University has developed along the lines of a traditional collegial British university. Through discussions with senior managers, academics, students and the perusal of various policies, notably the university’s values, objectives, vision and mission, it is clear that the emphasis is on international recognition for its teaching and research excellence, which makes it much like universities in other parts of the Western world.³³ Not surprisingly, Rhodes sees itself as part of a larger academic community of international Western universities and has an ethos which may be described as English, referred to by some participants as a Eurocentric ethos (I: Asante; Dianna; Greg; Kabiru; Ngoma).

Notwithstanding its international orientation, the vision and mission statements make reference to Rhodes’ “African identity” and its commitment to contribute to “the development of international scholarship and the advancement of the Eastern Cape and Southern Africa” (Rhodes University Vision and Mission Statement). Hence, these policy documents espouse Rhodes’ awareness of the need to balance its global aspirations with its need to make local contributions. As a local higher education institution, Rhodes enjoys the reputation of a successful university with sound management and administrative systems (I: Andrew; Audrey; Greg; Annual Review 2003).

According to senior managers/ academics, Andrew and Greg, there are numerous factors that illustrate Rhodes’ success as an institution. Despite financial constraints globally and nationally, Rhodes has managed to maintain its own financial stability through strong administration, financial policies and well-established systems (I: Audrey; DoR; Annual Reviews 2000-2003). Research resources are readily available, for example, good access to IT and library holdings. An example of Rhodes being proactive and optimizing strategic opportunities has been the campaign to raise 100 million rands as part of the Centenary Celebration planned for 2004. Between late 2001 and 2003, Rhodes exceeded its target by six million rands (Annual Review, 2003). This fund includes a grant of over eight million rands set aside for the support of female and black academic development.

As noted, Rhodes has a good research record boasting the highest per capita research output in the country and generates funds from research activities. According to the Dean of Research and other participants, high caliber staff is attracted to Rhodes and only those with good research track records is appointed (see also Asante; Dianna; Greg). Staff promotions are linked to research output and sabbatical leave is no longer automatic but linked to research output instead (I: Greg; Martha). Academic, Donna, explained that her conditions of appointment stipulate the need for research output (I: Donna).

The Dean of Research pointed out that students are attracted to Rhodes because its graduates are sought after in the job market. “Rhodes builds leadership”, he said, and students prefer the safe environment and unique campus life Rhodes has to offer.³⁴ In his Annual Review, the Vice Chancellor cited correspondence received from an honours graduate, among many others, who attested that he was tutoring masters students at London University and was of the opinion that he was better prepared for the programme than his British counterparts were. The Vice Chancellor claims in the report that “our graduates do very well at top overseas institutions… Rhodes graduates are highly employable and sought after” (Annual Review, 2003). Drawing on a national statistical report, the Vice Chancellor asserted that Rhodes had the highest undergraduate success rate among universities in 2001(Annual Review, 2003).³⁵ The average for Rhodes was 87 % compared with the national average of 74 % (op cit). In the sections below I present the findings related to research culture, change, access to research resources, such as infrastructure, equipment and finance, IT and library holdings and services, Mode 2 and networking and linkages.