An Assessment of The Research Capacity in one of Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions: University of Gondar
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study attempted to assess the research capacity in Ethiopian HEIs with particular
reference to University of Gondar. To carry out this research, 'Mixed Methods Research
Design was employed to comprehend the general picture of the incident. Qualitative data
were obtained through in-depth interviews with six key participants from University
academic staff and HESC. Questionnaire was used to gather data from 93 respondents and
seconded for triangulation. These respondents were University instructors of UoG.
Qualitative descriptions were done to analyze data from in-depth interviews. Descriptive and
inferential statistics were processed to analyze quantitative data obtained through the
questionnaire. Thoroughly, it was discovered that the majority of university instructors have
good perception and conviction toward the importance of research in HEIs. As a principle,
conducting and collocating research and teaching work together was critically learnt as one
of the major goals of the institution. And most of them have high research confidence. But
the quantity of the research projects conducted and published in the university was judged as
less. So in-service research training was considered as an unavoidable in put factor to
enhance the proportion of the projects as well as instructors' current research skills, practice
and participation. Nevertheless, since the university does not have its own sufficient potential
research method trainers, its rate plus the proportion of instructors who have ever taken inservice
research training so far was not considerably good. It was also examined that the
university does not have organized internal quality research audit body /system, and strict
selection criteria used to select quality research projects at the university level. Some how
good book publication experiences being seen in the university could signal the research
competence of the institution. Yet, the status of the University in disseminating the research
findings to the surrounding community looked low. For that matter, the RCS office of the
University was identified as a responsible body in encouraging, managing, disseminating and
utilizing the research projects. Consequently, considering some of the discovered good
research deeds being shown, the research capacity of the university could be judged and
concluded as some how moderate. To end with, the study recommends that the University
has to organize and perform permanent in-service research training to its academic staff as
compulsory task of the institution. To do so, it has to rear and possess its own potential
research trainers, increase the number of instructors in second and third degrees by designing
research focused post graduate curriculum. Finally, the government has to give due emphasis
to research and design technology led national research policy so that all sorts of research
works in higher education could be practiced in
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Education