Evaluation of the Southern and Eastern Africa Regional Centre for ...

50There is clearly a major threat if funding arrangements alter. Scholarships, regionalteaching, top-up of SEARCWL salaries, and infrastructure maintenance would all bethreatened. Furthermore, the political and economic situation of Zimbabwecontinues to be uncertain in the run-up to elections in 2013. In effect, the fundinghas given the Centre a critical degree of autonomy, which makes them much lessdependent on the situation facing UoZ as a whole. That said, it is clear that fundingarrangements have precluded the need for exploring sustainability options. Based ona crude estimation, the SEARCWL Master’s degree is neither any more particularlyexpensive nor cheaper than ones funded by Norad’s Programme for Master’sStudies.In conclusion, the SEARWCL has created solid foundations and an excellentproduct. Predictable long term funding has contributed greatly to these foundations.However, conversely, the solidity now requires a more dynamic response to tacklingprogrammatic assumptions and several areas identified here that might be improved.Indeed, with a changing of the guard taking place at SEARCWL and one generationgiving way to the next, there are also encouraging signs of an emerging newgeneration of regional-based scholars. In spite of challenges to sustain funding thismay well prove to be an occasion for invigorating and exploring efforts for moreinnovatory means to establish the Centre as a genuine regional hub with a regionalvision.RecommendationsThe SEARCWL should strengthen its profile and potential for impact:Academic and regional sustainabilityStrategic planning− The SEARCWL prioritise plans for its strategic vision (including a missionstatement for its website) and more strategic focus outside of the course itself,and also one that includes options for financial sustainability (see also underfinancial sustainability). The possibilities for outreach should be part of thestrategic planning, albeit with the understanding of possible trade-offs oradditional resource needs this may incur. Nonetheless, there should be morestructured discussion of the pros and cons of and contingencies for outreach.Regional collaboration− To encourage greater regional ownership, there should be an enhanced role forregional academic partners to co-supervise students from their sendingcountries. Furthermore, steps should be taken to explore a flag ship regionalresearch programme (not necessarily course-related).− The governing structure as a whole should be reassessed. One suggestion isthat it may be beneficial for someone from outside the University sector,perhaps with experience of regional research, dissemination and/or advocacyat a regional level, to be invited on to the board.