THE IMPACT OF MERGERS: THE CASE FOR MERGING AND CONSOLIDATING RESEARCH AT TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Live your life. Create your destiny. Dr Prins

THE IMPACT OF MERGERS: THE CASE FOR MERGING AND

CONSOLIDATING RESEARCH AT TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF

TECHNOLOGY

Live your life. Create your destiny.

Dr Prins Nevhutalu Dr K Dyason, Prof K KokTshwane University of Technology

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the outcome of the mergers of Pretoria Technikon, North West Technikon and Northern Gauteng Technikon with specific reference to research development and research output.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Partnerships

MERGER TRIGGERS

Deputy Vise-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Partnerships

• Financial survival

• Creation of Internationally competitive institution

• Mergers driven by governments

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MERGER CONTEXT

POLITICALTRANSFORMATIONFINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.


THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY


Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) was established from the merger of Pretoria Technikon (a historically white Afrikaans institution) Northern Gauteng Technikon and Northwest Technikon (both historically black institutions). HOLLOW DESIGNATIONS


THE CASE FOR RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AT TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

RESEARCH PRE-MERGER

It is important to note that research development in any university is based on the following critical elements:

• The number of active researchers• The number of postgraduate students• Commitment of the institution to research

development• Necessary research infrastructure


Research Output

At the time of the merger in 2003, the subsidised research outputs of the three independent institutions were as follows:

Technikon

Accredited Journals

Conference Proceedings

Total Subsidised Research output

Pretoria 42.65 1.83 44.48 Northern Gauteng

4.0 0.17 4.17

Northwest 7.33 0.64 7.97 TOTAL 53.98 2.64 56.62


Postgraduate students

Before the merger in 2002, the total student enrollment of the three independent institutions was 53 634 distributed between undergraduate and postgraduate (masters and doctoral students) as follows

Technikon Undergraduate Postgraduate TOTAL Pretoria Technikon

35681 1370 37501

Northern Gauteng

10939 117 11056

Northwest 5075 2 5077


Staff Qualification

Postgraduate qualification (masters and doctoral) degree were not a requirement to be employed as a teaching staff at the technikons. However, since 1994, the technikon staff qualification has improved. Towards the merger of the three technikons in 2002, their staff qualification profile was as follows:

Technikon

% Staff with Masters

qualification

% Staff with Doctoral

qualification

Total % of staff with Research qualification

Pretoria 31 13 44 Northern Gauteng

23 2.5 25.5

Northwest 10 2 10


RESEARCH POST- MERGER

In order to track the development of research at TUT during the merger phase, the paper will profile research indicators from the year of the merger until 2008. This is intended to show progress or lack thereof of the improvement of research in the new institution.


Research Output

YEAR

Accredited Journal

Articles in Units

Accredited Conference Proceedings

Units

Accredited Books and Chapters in Units

TOTAL

2004 50.58 7.30 0 57.79 2005 58.28 1.46 0 59.74 2006 61.4 18.12 0 79.52 2007 69.9 17.61 0 87.51 2008 82 22.9 1.51 106.41


Staff qualification

YEAR

No of Staff with Masters qualifications

No of staff with Doctoral qualifications

TOTAL

2004 250 102 262 2005 302 101 403 2006 314 101 415 2007 294 105 399 2008 301 122 422


Rated Researchers

YEAR

NUMBER OR RATED

RESEARCHERS 2004 15 2005 18 2006 20 2007 24 2008 28

Postgraduate student enrolment and graduations


YEAR

M

D

TOTAL

Enrolment

M

D

TOTAL

Graduations

2004 2777 103 2880 105 4 109

2005 2008 117 2125 89 12 101

2006 1696 129 1825 145 19 164

2007 1384 137 1521 143 12 155

2008 1163 143 1396 123 13 136


WHAT ARE THE UNIQUE INNOVATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESSES

• Research Strategy• Post-Doctoral Fellowship • Research Funding • Research Publication as a requirement for fulfillment of doctoral qualification • University investment in Research• Ongoing Engagements with Researchers

• Challenges


?CHALLENGES

PROMOTION EXPECTATIONSRECRUITMENT: WANTED. PHDS

RESEARCH SPACE AND EQUIPMENTPOACHING (STAFF MOVEMENT)

STUDENT ACCOMMODATIONRESEARCH MANAGEMENT CAPACITY

RESEARCH FUNDING (NRF)

Research at TUT is on the upward trajectory. However, the potential is yet to be realised. Continued focus on staff development, funding for research, post-doctoral funding and other subtle interventions appears to be working. The next level of intervention is to recruit more full time students at both masters and doctoral levels. This can be attained through the offering of Bachelor of Technology on a full time basis. The author wishes to thank the Directorate for Research and Innovation and Partnership for their hard work and commitment in supporting the impressive research achievements of TUT


Conclusion

Documents

THE IMPACT OF MERGERS: THE CASE FOR MERGING AND CONSOLIDATING RESEARCH AT TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Live your life. Create your destiny. Dr Prins