The relationship between university research and the surrounding communities in developing countries : a case study of the University of Venda for Science and Technology

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Institutions of higher learning have always had relationships with their surroundingcommunities. The current study focuses on the research relationship that the Universityof Venda has with its surrounding community. The literature shows that although thenature of the relationship takes different forms, each university has a certain kind of arelationship with the surrounding community. In this study, I used the qualitativeapproach and I conducted one focus group and four individual interviews. I exploredthe research needs of the communities surrounding the University of Venda and theways in which they think the university could address those needs. The findings of thisstudy revealed that the communities are not at all happy with the services that arerendered by the university. They show that instead of benefiting from its existencewithin their communities, they are even more disadvantaged by its presence.The respondents also identified certain schools and departments at the University ofVenda that they felt could be of assistance to the surrounding communities if theyredirected their research projects into applied research.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University