6 - Middle-level Academic Leadership in Tanzania’s Private Universities: Challenges in Developing Quality Academic Programmes
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 21 No. 1 (2023): Journal of Higher Education in Africa
Abstract
Quality middle-level academic leadership in universities is a sine qua non for building strong institutions with quality, competitive academic programmes and elevated levels of research productivity. This article is based on a critical documentary analysis of academic staff rank and qualifications at the oldest and largest private university in Tanzania. The article argues that emerging private universities and colleges in Tanzania lack the quality middle-level academic leadership required to make them strong, with an associated high quality of academic and research productivity. This is one of the major constraints to their institutional growth. The article recommends internal promotion of academic staff to middle-level academic positions if they meet institutional criteria or employing external ready-made senior academic staff and appointing them to middle-level academic leadership positions.
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- Askerc, K., 2016, Teaching Excellence and Qualifications of Academic Staff in the Context of Quality in Higher Education, Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 141–161.
- Ayee, J. A., 2014, Academic Leadership in Africa, in Jallow, B. G., ed., Leadership in Postcolonial Africa, Springer Studies in African Leadership, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 237–267.
- Black, S. A., 2015, Qualities of Effective Leadership in Higher Education, Open Journal of Leadership, Vol. 4, pp. 54–66 (http//dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojl.2015.42006).
- Buela-Casal, G., Gutiérrez-Martínez, O., Bermúdez Sánchez, M. P., and Vadil-lo-Muñoz, O., 2007, Comparative Study of International Academic Rankings of Universities, Scientometrics, Vol. 71, pp. 349–365 (DOI: 10.1007/s11192-007-1653-8).
- Bunting, I., Cloete, N., and Van Schalkwyk, F., 2014, An Overview of Eight Flagship Universities in Africa. 2001–2011, Cape Town: Centre for Higher Education Transformation (CHET) and HERANA (Higher Education Research Network and Advocacy in Africa).
- Cloete, N., Maassen, P., and Bailey, T., eds, 2015, Knowledge Production and Con-tradictory Function in African Higher Education, Stellenbosch: African Minds.
- Damonse, B. A., 2011, Leadership through the Lens of Research Productivity, PhD thesis University of Pretoria, Department of Educational Management and Policy Studies, Faculty of Education.
- Goodall, A. H., McDowell, J. M., and Singell, L. D., 2014, Leadership and the Re-search Productivity of University Departments, IZA Discussion Paper No. 7903, Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Ishengoma, J. M., 2007a, The Debate on Quality and the Private Surge: A Status Review of Private Universities and Colleges in Tanzania, Journal of Higher Ed-ucation in Africa/Revue de l’Enseignement Supérieur en Afrique, Vol. 5, No. 2–3, pp. 85–109.
- Ishengoma, J. M., 2007b, Internal Brain Drain and Its Impact on Higher Education Institutions’ Capacity Building and Human Resource Development in Sub Saharan Africa: The Case of Tanzania, in The African Brain Drain – Managing the Drain: Working with the Diaspora, Association of African Universities (AAU), pp. 37-49, presented at the Conference of Rectors, Vice Chancellors and Presi-dents of African Universities (COREVIP), Tripoli, 21–25 October.
- Levy, D. C., 2004, The New Institutionalism: Mismatch with Private Higher Edu-cation’s Global Growth, Working Paper No. 3, PROPHE Working Paper Series.
- Luwavi, E. O., 2019, The Impact of Academic Staff Qualifications on Graduate Teacher Preparation in Tanzania Higher Education, European Journal of Alternative Education Studies, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 72–88.
- Mgaiwa, S., and Ishengoma, J. M., 2017, Institutional Constraints Affecting Quality Assurance Processes in Tanzania’s Private Universities, Journal of Higher Education in Africa/Revue de l’Enseignement Supérieur en Afrique, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 57–68.
- Michelsen, H., and Hartwich, F., 2004, University-Based Agricultural Research: A Comparative Study in Sub-Saharan Africa, International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Research Report 26, The Hague: ISNAR.
- Mushemeza, E. D., 2016, Opportunities and Challenges of Academic Staff in Higher Education in Africa, International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 236–246.
- Okendo, O. E., 2018, Constraints of Research Productivity in Universities in Tanzania: A Case of Mwenge Catholic University, Tanzania, International Journal of Education and Research, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 201–210.
- Salmi, J., 2009, The Challenge of World Class Universities, Washington, DC: The World Bank.
- Shibru, S., Bibiso, M., and Ousman, K., 2017, Middle-Level Managers: Quality of Leadership and Good Governance and Organizational Performance of Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia, Journal of Education and Practice, Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 55–62.
- St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus** 2011–2012, Mwanza: SAUT.
- St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus 2012–2013, Mwanza: SAUT.
- St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus 2013–2014, Mwanza: SAUT.
- St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), 2014, Five-Year Rolling Strategic Plan 2014/2015-2019/2020, Mwanza: SAUT.
- St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus 2018-2019, Mwanza: SAUT.
- Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), 2015, Statistical Data for Teaching Staff in Higher Education, Dar es Salaam: TCU.
- Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), 2018, Directory of University Institu-tions in Tanzania July 2018, Dar es Salaam: TCU.
- Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), 2019, List of Approved University Institutions in Tanzania as of 4th February, 2019, Dar es Salaam: TCU.
- Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Trade Union (THTU), 2017, The Lecturers Crisis in Tanzania’s Institutions of Higher Learning. A Report. Dar es Salaam: THTU.
- The Citizen, 2020, TCU deregisters four higher education institutions over quality compliance, 21 January (https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/tcu-dereg-isters-four-higher-learning-institutions-over-quality-compliance--2701820). Accessed 30 January 2020.
- The Citizen, 2020, New Conditions for Varsities Ranking in Tanzania, 29 February (https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/new-conditions-for-varsities-rank-ing-in-tanzania-2704402). Accessed 8 April 2020.
- United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 1999, National Higher Education Policy, Dar es Salaam: Ministry of Education and Culture.
- Yielder, J., and Codling, A., 2004, Characteristics of Leadership in the Contem-porary University, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 315–328.
References
Askerc, K., 2016, Teaching Excellence and Qualifications of Academic Staff in the Context of Quality in Higher Education, Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 141–161.
Ayee, J. A., 2014, Academic Leadership in Africa, in Jallow, B. G., ed., Leadership in Postcolonial Africa, Springer Studies in African Leadership, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 237–267.
Black, S. A., 2015, Qualities of Effective Leadership in Higher Education, Open Journal of Leadership, Vol. 4, pp. 54–66 (http//dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojl.2015.42006).
Buela-Casal, G., Gutiérrez-Martínez, O., Bermúdez Sánchez, M. P., and Vadil-lo-Muñoz, O., 2007, Comparative Study of International Academic Rankings of Universities, Scientometrics, Vol. 71, pp. 349–365 (DOI: 10.1007/s11192-007-1653-8).
Bunting, I., Cloete, N., and Van Schalkwyk, F., 2014, An Overview of Eight Flagship Universities in Africa. 2001–2011, Cape Town: Centre for Higher Education Transformation (CHET) and HERANA (Higher Education Research Network and Advocacy in Africa).
Cloete, N., Maassen, P., and Bailey, T., eds, 2015, Knowledge Production and Con-tradictory Function in African Higher Education, Stellenbosch: African Minds.
Damonse, B. A., 2011, Leadership through the Lens of Research Productivity, PhD thesis University of Pretoria, Department of Educational Management and Policy Studies, Faculty of Education.
Goodall, A. H., McDowell, J. M., and Singell, L. D., 2014, Leadership and the Re-search Productivity of University Departments, IZA Discussion Paper No. 7903, Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
Ishengoma, J. M., 2007a, The Debate on Quality and the Private Surge: A Status Review of Private Universities and Colleges in Tanzania, Journal of Higher Ed-ucation in Africa/Revue de l’Enseignement Supérieur en Afrique, Vol. 5, No. 2–3, pp. 85–109.
Ishengoma, J. M., 2007b, Internal Brain Drain and Its Impact on Higher Education Institutions’ Capacity Building and Human Resource Development in Sub Saharan Africa: The Case of Tanzania, in The African Brain Drain – Managing the Drain: Working with the Diaspora, Association of African Universities (AAU), pp. 37-49, presented at the Conference of Rectors, Vice Chancellors and Presi-dents of African Universities (COREVIP), Tripoli, 21–25 October.
Levy, D. C., 2004, The New Institutionalism: Mismatch with Private Higher Edu-cation’s Global Growth, Working Paper No. 3, PROPHE Working Paper Series.
Luwavi, E. O., 2019, The Impact of Academic Staff Qualifications on Graduate Teacher Preparation in Tanzania Higher Education, European Journal of Alternative Education Studies, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 72–88.
Mgaiwa, S., and Ishengoma, J. M., 2017, Institutional Constraints Affecting Quality Assurance Processes in Tanzania’s Private Universities, Journal of Higher Education in Africa/Revue de l’Enseignement Supérieur en Afrique, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 57–68.
Michelsen, H., and Hartwich, F., 2004, University-Based Agricultural Research: A Comparative Study in Sub-Saharan Africa, International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Research Report 26, The Hague: ISNAR.
Mushemeza, E. D., 2016, Opportunities and Challenges of Academic Staff in Higher Education in Africa, International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 236–246.
Okendo, O. E., 2018, Constraints of Research Productivity in Universities in Tanzania: A Case of Mwenge Catholic University, Tanzania, International Journal of Education and Research, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 201–210.
Salmi, J., 2009, The Challenge of World Class Universities, Washington, DC: The World Bank.
Shibru, S., Bibiso, M., and Ousman, K., 2017, Middle-Level Managers: Quality of Leadership and Good Governance and Organizational Performance of Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia, Journal of Education and Practice, Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 55–62.
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus** 2011–2012, Mwanza: SAUT.
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus 2012–2013, Mwanza: SAUT.
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus 2013–2014, Mwanza: SAUT.
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), 2014, Five-Year Rolling Strategic Plan 2014/2015-2019/2020, Mwanza: SAUT.
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Prospectus 2018-2019, Mwanza: SAUT.
Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), 2015, Statistical Data for Teaching Staff in Higher Education, Dar es Salaam: TCU.
Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), 2018, Directory of University Institu-tions in Tanzania July 2018, Dar es Salaam: TCU.
Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), 2019, List of Approved University Institutions in Tanzania as of 4th February, 2019, Dar es Salaam: TCU.
Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Trade Union (THTU), 2017, The Lecturers Crisis in Tanzania’s Institutions of Higher Learning. A Report. Dar es Salaam: THTU.
The Citizen, 2020, TCU deregisters four higher education institutions over quality compliance, 21 January (https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/tcu-dereg-isters-four-higher-learning-institutions-over-quality-compliance--2701820). Accessed 30 January 2020.
The Citizen, 2020, New Conditions for Varsities Ranking in Tanzania, 29 February (https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/new-conditions-for-varsities-rank-ing-in-tanzania-2704402). Accessed 8 April 2020.
United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 1999, National Higher Education Policy, Dar es Salaam: Ministry of Education and Culture.
Yielder, J., and Codling, A., 2004, Characteristics of Leadership in the Contem-porary University, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 315–328.