Records management procedures and service delivery in private universities a case study of the Islamic University in Uganda

Abstract

The effectiveness of delivery of services in universities lies in their ability to develop and adopt records management procedures to assist staff in managing records. This study utilised life cycle model to discuss records management procedures and service delivery in universities, with particular emphasis on the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), a private university. The objectives were to find what types of records were being generated and their formats, establish who is responsible for managing the records, and eventually, make suggestions for improvement. The purposive sampling approach was used to select top managers and heads of departments in the university while simple random sampling was used to select administrative assistants. Data was collected using a questionnaire, interviews, observation and document analysis. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data was analysed using interpretative analysis. The findings revealed that although IUIU maintained both manual and electronic records, it lacked adequate records management procedures and records were managed on an ad hoc basis. There was also a shortage of trained records management personnel, leading to challenges with the creation, distribution, use, maintenance and disposal of records, which affected service delivery. The study recommended that IUIU should develop and adopt records management procedures to ensure that there is a standard approach to managing records.