Unisa 2008 Research Report - University of South Africa

Implementing
the Institutional
Research Plan
PROF. RITA MARÉ
VICE-PRInCIPAl: ACADEMIC AnD RESEARCH
In ITS STRATEGIC PlAn, Unisa 2015: An
Agenda for Transformation, Unisa lists as one
of its strategic objectives the promotion of
research aligned with national priorities for
knowledge development and increased capacity
and productivity. As a step in the implementation
of this strategic objective, an Institutional
Research Plan was adopted late in 2007 and
2008 saw the commencement of the implementation
of the plan.
The Institutional Research Plan confirms that
Unisa’s research is based on excellence underpinned
by ethical principles in research and
knowledge production. Excellence in research is
obtained through, amongst others, extensive
training and capacity development of staff, support
for researchers, and rigorous internal and
external peer review of all research outputs submitted
for accreditation to the Department of
Education. Ethical principles in research are now
managed through Unisa’s new Research Ethics
Policy, also implemented in 2008.
The Institutional Research Plan lists a number of
Unisa’s research focus areas, all aligned to Unisa
2015: An Agenda for Transformation, as well as
to national priorities. These focus areas include,
amongst others, open distance learning (ODl),
poverty and development studies, the social,
economical and legal impact of HIV and AIDS,
South African market and fiscal research,
management and leadership development, law
and human rights, science, engineering and
technology, environmental issues, agriculture,
culture and language and teacher training, as
well as science education.
Much has been achieved during 2008 in
implementing the Institutional Research Plan.
Research in ODl received particular attention
through the inter-college ODl research task
team, led by Prof. Dele Braimoh, Director of the
Institute of Open Distance learning. Although
academics are coming on board with ODl and
reflexive research activities, the bulk of the
research outputs in this field still come from the
Professional and Administrative Research Group
(PARG), with most contributions from staff of
the Institute for Curriculum and learning Development
(IClD). HIV and AIDS received much
attention from researchers across disciplines,
and it is envisaged that the Research Directorate’s
audit of this research with a web-based
site of information on Unisa’s research in HIV
and AIDS will enhance and promote further
multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary research in
the field.
Many highlights are evident from the annual
reports of Colleges. To name a few: The College
of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
hosted the second memorial lecture for the late
Prof. Godfrey Humphrey, previous Executive
Dean of the College, on The impact of global
warming on food security, human, environmental
health and safety, presented by Prof. JO Okonkwo
of the Tshwane University of Technology. The
College of law maintained its excellent research
output of more than one output per academic
staff member by targeting support to nRF-rated
researchers as well as developing researchers.
The College also received the good news late
in 2008 that their application to appoint Prof.
J Strauss as a DST Innovation Fund Chair in
Intellectual Property Management had been
approved. In the College of Human Sciences,
another stronghold of research at Unisa, the
focus in 2008 was mainly on the development
of young scholars and forging links with African
scholars. The College hosted numerous seminars
and colloquia, mainly through its School of
Graduate Studies and often in collaboration with
the Research Directorate. The colloquia on
Africanisation of the curriculum and on Xenophobia
should be highlighted as making poignant
contributions towards the understanding of
these phenomena. The re-establishment of a
research culture in the College of Science,
Engineering and Technology is evident from
the spectacular growth in research output,
seminars and visiting scholars in the College.
This College still own the only internal Research
Centre of Excellence, as well as nRF niche area
funding. The College of Economic and Management
Sciences has a large number of research
projects aligned to five of the focus areas in the
Institutional Research Plan and established an
Academic Research Support Unit in the College
to promote and support research.
2008 was a very good year for research. The
preliminary indications are that Unisa’s accredited
research output numbers will grow over
the 2006 and 2007 figures. Unisa can indeed be
proud of the dedication and commitment of all
its researchers.
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