6 - Leadership in Kenyan Public Universities and the Challenges of Autonomy and Academic Freedom: An Overview of Trends Since Independence
Corresponding Author(s) : Daniel N. Sifuna
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 10 No. 1 (2012): Journal of Higher Education in Africa
Abstract
It is the contention of this article that leadership, governance and manage- ment are key components in addressing the major challenges that face Afri- can universities in general and Kenyan universities in particular. Such chal- lenges range from the function of the university, underfunding, infrastruc- ture, globalisation trends, etc.These issues would be adequately addressed through committed and expert leadership that operates in an environment that guarantees autonomy and academic freedom of the institution, to pro- vide for the delivery of quality service and accountability. However, on the basis of examples from Kenyan public universities,this article demonstrates a complete lack of these key ingredients and, hence, continued poor perfor- mance of the institutions. To address the many challenges being faced by higher education, an innovative organizational and leadership approach is required which taps into the individual and collective stakeholder creative- ness and competencies in pursuit of core university functions. Increased democratisation and participatory decision-making based on mutual gains among the university system components will need to be researched and utilized.
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- Ajayi, K.,1990, ‘Academic Freedom and University Autonomy in Relation to Human Liberty: Nigeria as a Case Study’, in B.D. Kaba and L.C.A. Rayapen, eds., Relevant Education for Africa Younde:Professor World Peace Academy.
- Albornoz, O.,1991, ‘Autonomy and Accountability in Higher Education’, Prospects, Quarterly Review of Education Vol. XXI, No. 2.
- Altbach, P.G., 1991, ‘Patterns in Higher Education Development: Towards the Year 2000’,Prospects, Quarterly Review of Education Vol. XXI, No. 2, pp.189-203.
- Amare, G., 1977, ‘The Threat to Academic Freedom in African Universities’, Education in East Africa, Vol. 7, No. 1.
- Bargh, C., Scott, P. and Smith, D., 1996, Governing Universities: Changing the Culture,Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.
- Berdahl, R.,1990, ‘Academic Freedom and Accountability in British Universities’, Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 15, No.2, pp.169-180.
- Coombe, T., 1991, A Consultation on Higher Education in Africa: A Report of the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, London, Institute of Education, University of London.
- Eurydice, 2008, Higher Education Governance in Europe: Policies, Structures, Fund- ing and Academic Staff, http://www.eurydice.org
- Furley, O.W. and Watson, T., 1978, A History of Education in East Africa, New York: NOK Publishers.
- Gilbert, J., 1972, ‘The Indian Academic Profession: The Origins of a Tradition of Subordination’, Minerva, No. 10.
- Gitahi, L., 2010, ‘Varsity Recruitment Marred by Ethnicity’, Daily Nation, 16 June, 2010, p.12.
- Goleman, D., 1998, Working with Emotional Intelligence,New York: Bantam Books. Gudo, C.O., Oanda I.O. and Olel, M.A., 2011, Role of Institutional Managers in Quality Assurance: Reflections on Kenya’s University Education’, Australian Journal of Business and Management Research,Vol.1, No. 2.
- K’Okul, F., 2010, ‘Perception of Students on the Status of Guidance and Counseling in Selected Universities in Kenya for Minimizing Student Riots’, Unpublished PhD thesis, Kenyatta University.
- Kenyatta, J., 1970, ‘The Challenge of Uhuru Nairobi’, cited in O.W. Furley and T. Watson, A History of Education in East Africa,New York: NOK Publishers, 1978.
- Lee, M.N.N.,1997, ‘Reforms in Higher Education in Malaysia’, in K. Watson, C. Modgil and S. Modgil, eds., Education Dilemmas: Debate and Diversity Vol. 2, London: Cassell.
- Maina, R.K., 2011, ‘Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intentions among Kenyan Col- lege Students’, KCA Journal of Business Management, Vol. 3, No 1.
- Millett, J.D., 1985, ‘Governance of Higher Education’, in Torsten Husen and T. Neville Postlethwaite, eds., The International Encyclopaedia of Education, Oxford: Pergamon Press.
- Murunga, G.R., 2012, ‘We Need a Judiciary-type Vetting System to Save Kenya’s Dying Universitiee,’ East African,28 April 2012.
- .Mwiria, K., 1992, University Governance: Problems and Prospects in Anglophone Africa, Washington D.C.: The World Bank.
- Ndegwa, R.M., 2007, ‘A Comparative Study of Factors Influencing Equal Employment Opportunities Practices in Public Universities: A Case of Non-Teaching Staff in UON, KU and JKUAT’, Unpublished MBA thesis, Kenyatta University.
- Nkinyangi, J.A., 1983, ‘Who Conducts Research in Kenya?’ in S. Shaeffer and J.A. Nkinyangi, eds.,Educational Research Environments in the Developing Coun- tries, Ottawa: International Development Research Centre.
- Nyaigotti-Chacha, C., 2001, ‘Issues of Leadership and Management of Innova- tions’, A presentation during the Ford Foundation Conference on ‘Innovations on African Higher Education’, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Olayo, J.O., 2005, ‘The Impact of Employee Empowerment on Work Performance: Case Study of Selected Universities in Kenya’, Unpublished MBA thesis, Kenyatta University.
- Perkins, J.A. 1978, ‘Autonomy’ in The International Encyclopaedia of Higher Educa- tion, Vol. 2A, San Francisco: Jossey Bass, pp 578-83.
- Republic of Kenya, 2006, Transformation of Higher Education in Kenya to Secure Kenya’s Development in the Knowledge Economy, Report of the Public Universities Inspection Board, Nairobi.
- Sarua, 2009, Leadership Challenges for Higher Education in Southern Africa, Southern Africa Regional Universities Association Leadership Dialogue Series, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2009.
- Sifuna, D.N., 2010, Some Reflections on the Expansion and Quality of Higher Education in Public Universities in Kenya, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Vol. 15, No. 4.
- Southall, R., 1974, Federalism and Higher Education in East Africa, Nairobi: East African Publishing House.
- Spendlove, M., 2007, Competencies for Effective Leadership in Higher Education, International Journal of Educational Management, Vol 21, No 5.
- Waswa, F. and Katana, G., 2008, Academic Staff Perspectives on Operating Beyond Industrial Actions for Sustainable Quality Assurance in Public Universities in Kenya, International Journal of Environment, Workplace and Employment, Vol. 4, No. 1.
References
Ajayi, K.,1990, ‘Academic Freedom and University Autonomy in Relation to Human Liberty: Nigeria as a Case Study’, in B.D. Kaba and L.C.A. Rayapen, eds., Relevant Education for Africa Younde:Professor World Peace Academy.
Albornoz, O.,1991, ‘Autonomy and Accountability in Higher Education’, Prospects, Quarterly Review of Education Vol. XXI, No. 2.
Altbach, P.G., 1991, ‘Patterns in Higher Education Development: Towards the Year 2000’,Prospects, Quarterly Review of Education Vol. XXI, No. 2, pp.189-203.
Amare, G., 1977, ‘The Threat to Academic Freedom in African Universities’, Education in East Africa, Vol. 7, No. 1.
Bargh, C., Scott, P. and Smith, D., 1996, Governing Universities: Changing the Culture,Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.
Berdahl, R.,1990, ‘Academic Freedom and Accountability in British Universities’, Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 15, No.2, pp.169-180.
Coombe, T., 1991, A Consultation on Higher Education in Africa: A Report of the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, London, Institute of Education, University of London.
Eurydice, 2008, Higher Education Governance in Europe: Policies, Structures, Fund- ing and Academic Staff, http://www.eurydice.org
Furley, O.W. and Watson, T., 1978, A History of Education in East Africa, New York: NOK Publishers.
Gilbert, J., 1972, ‘The Indian Academic Profession: The Origins of a Tradition of Subordination’, Minerva, No. 10.
Gitahi, L., 2010, ‘Varsity Recruitment Marred by Ethnicity’, Daily Nation, 16 June, 2010, p.12.
Goleman, D., 1998, Working with Emotional Intelligence,New York: Bantam Books. Gudo, C.O., Oanda I.O. and Olel, M.A., 2011, Role of Institutional Managers in Quality Assurance: Reflections on Kenya’s University Education’, Australian Journal of Business and Management Research,Vol.1, No. 2.
K’Okul, F., 2010, ‘Perception of Students on the Status of Guidance and Counseling in Selected Universities in Kenya for Minimizing Student Riots’, Unpublished PhD thesis, Kenyatta University.
Kenyatta, J., 1970, ‘The Challenge of Uhuru Nairobi’, cited in O.W. Furley and T. Watson, A History of Education in East Africa,New York: NOK Publishers, 1978.
Lee, M.N.N.,1997, ‘Reforms in Higher Education in Malaysia’, in K. Watson, C. Modgil and S. Modgil, eds., Education Dilemmas: Debate and Diversity Vol. 2, London: Cassell.
Maina, R.K., 2011, ‘Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intentions among Kenyan Col- lege Students’, KCA Journal of Business Management, Vol. 3, No 1.
Millett, J.D., 1985, ‘Governance of Higher Education’, in Torsten Husen and T. Neville Postlethwaite, eds., The International Encyclopaedia of Education, Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Murunga, G.R., 2012, ‘We Need a Judiciary-type Vetting System to Save Kenya’s Dying Universitiee,’ East African,28 April 2012.
.Mwiria, K., 1992, University Governance: Problems and Prospects in Anglophone Africa, Washington D.C.: The World Bank.
Ndegwa, R.M., 2007, ‘A Comparative Study of Factors Influencing Equal Employment Opportunities Practices in Public Universities: A Case of Non-Teaching Staff in UON, KU and JKUAT’, Unpublished MBA thesis, Kenyatta University.
Nkinyangi, J.A., 1983, ‘Who Conducts Research in Kenya?’ in S. Shaeffer and J.A. Nkinyangi, eds.,Educational Research Environments in the Developing Coun- tries, Ottawa: International Development Research Centre.
Nyaigotti-Chacha, C., 2001, ‘Issues of Leadership and Management of Innova- tions’, A presentation during the Ford Foundation Conference on ‘Innovations on African Higher Education’, Nairobi, Kenya.
Olayo, J.O., 2005, ‘The Impact of Employee Empowerment on Work Performance: Case Study of Selected Universities in Kenya’, Unpublished MBA thesis, Kenyatta University.
Perkins, J.A. 1978, ‘Autonomy’ in The International Encyclopaedia of Higher Educa- tion, Vol. 2A, San Francisco: Jossey Bass, pp 578-83.
Republic of Kenya, 2006, Transformation of Higher Education in Kenya to Secure Kenya’s Development in the Knowledge Economy, Report of the Public Universities Inspection Board, Nairobi.
Sarua, 2009, Leadership Challenges for Higher Education in Southern Africa, Southern Africa Regional Universities Association Leadership Dialogue Series, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2009.
Sifuna, D.N., 2010, Some Reflections on the Expansion and Quality of Higher Education in Public Universities in Kenya, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Vol. 15, No. 4.
Southall, R., 1974, Federalism and Higher Education in East Africa, Nairobi: East African Publishing House.
Spendlove, M., 2007, Competencies for Effective Leadership in Higher Education, International Journal of Educational Management, Vol 21, No 5.
Waswa, F. and Katana, G., 2008, Academic Staff Perspectives on Operating Beyond Industrial Actions for Sustainable Quality Assurance in Public Universities in Kenya, International Journal of Environment, Workplace and Employment, Vol. 4, No. 1.