Research capacity development: A case study at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2003–2006

Abstract

The merger of institutions of higher education in South Africa which has taken place in the last decade has presented several challenges to academic staff in Faculties of Education. The present article reviews the process of transformation in a particular school within Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Colleagues from institutions where there was little obligation to publish research found that at UKZN there was a strong research emphasis. The obligation to correct imbalances in race and gender representation amongst the staff coexisted with this emphasis and had to be reconciled
with it.
A system of incentives, research seminars and mentoring was devised and operated within a particular school for five years. Details of this system and the degree of its success are offered in this article.