Abstracts

Researchers’ experiences on collaborative research: The case of the University of Namibia and Namibia Commission on Research, Science and Technology

by Joel C. Sapwe

The study explored the experiences of the academic researchers at the University of Namibia (UNAM) and Namibia Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST) on collaborative research projects. A total sample size of 15 researchers from UNAM and NCRST participated in this research project. Purposive sampling was applied in the selection of institutions and in the selection of key target participants. The study adopted qualitative methodology following a case study research design. Interviews were used to collect data, thematic analysis method was adopted, facilitated with Atlas.ti software to identify themes. The study adopted dependency theory and world-systems theory as guiding theoretical frameworks, in that both theories provide the understanding of researchers in the peripheral space(s) like the case of UNAM and NCRST where research funding, technological and scientific undertaking are relied on North partners. The results of this research on factors that influence the establishment of research collaborations showed that the most prominent factors lead to collaborative researches were need for funding, exchange of knowledge, strategic partnerships and projects that needed experts and experience in various fields of study. The results of the study further showed that external funders (mainly from the North) set the agenda. Agenda setting varies from one research project to another. The majority of participants revealed that they had good experience working in collaborative research projects and perceived it as expensive, involving, creates opportunities and capacity building for lecturers, platform for development and share knowledge, meaningful and rewarding, beneficial to the society and communities and also inform policy in the country. Challenges faced were classified as individual and institutional. These challenges included; misunderstandings, lack of fund, caliber of researchers, internal politics and bottlenecks, absence of policies to regulate how data sets and how data is owned and absence of national data base to curb scattered data in iii Namibia. Therefore, the study recommended among other things, that research collaboration be encouraged on equal partnership between North-South. Furthermore, government of Namibia to increase research funding allocation on the GDP from the current 1% for research to something higher. The study also recommends that collaborative research be on 50/50 research funding to give southern researchers impetus in agenda setting. Lastly, this study recommends that, NCRST should embark on upskilling information, communication and technology (ICT) to curb scattered data to achieve data ownership in Namibia.