Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
School of Engineering
Institute for Technological Innovation (ITI)
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
Globally, the classification and ratings of universities are based mainly on an institution’s research productivity. Over the last decade in particular, South Africa has experienced an increasing skills shortage, making the need for new and appropriately qualified graduates a priority for the nation. In 1991, Prof Anastassios Pouris examined the trends in the output of science and arts graduates at South African universities between 1984 and 1988. His conclusion was that South Africa had no ‘technological’ or ‘general’ universities. In 2008, the study was repeated, following the same methods used in the original study, but covering the period from 2000 to 2006. The conclusions of the repeat study were very similar to those of the 1991 study, even though the South African government had adopted a policy aimed at producing more graduates in the sciences. The researchers examined the policy implications of the current funding formula for universities and proposed that government revises its funding formulae and introduces weightings that give preferential support to the disciplines to be prioritised. This can be done by adopting a two-pronged approach if government wants to exert a more constructive influence and increase the numbers of students in different scientific disciplines graduating from South African universities. The first prong is to negotiate with selected institutions that are prepared to meet specified graduate targets in the priority disciplines (such as engineering). Additional resources should be provided to these institutions after deciding on mutually agreed upon targets. The second prong is to introduce coefficients that support the priority disciplines in all aspects of the funding formula (for example, as they affect institutional factors and research outputs). Such a policy will send a clear message to universities that government is interested in encouraging graduates in particular disciplines. It will impact on a larger component of the formula and will influence all aspects of the university system. For example, differential subsidies for research publications according to topic could facilitate the establishment of research posts in particular disciplines
Contact person: Prof A Pouris.
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