Rhodes University Research Report 2005

[From Introduction] Rhodes University has once again had a very successful year in terms of research and I would like to congratulate and thank the staff and postgraduate students for their research efforts in 2005. Research outputs in the form of articles in accredited journals have once again increased. The audited but still to be awarded journal units for 2005 is 232.6 which is the highest submitted total for Rhodes University and will maintain Rhodes as one of the top research institutions in the country. While this is very encouraging, it is still somewhat disturbing that a large percentage of the journal publications are produced by a small number of staff as indicated in the Vice-Chancellor’s preface. A recent analysis indicates that over the past 4-5 years less than 35 academic and research staff (approximately 10% of the total staff) have been responsible for over 50% of the journal units produced. I would therefore like to encourage all staff to pay special attention to the publication of research findings, particularly in accredited journals where possible. As I’m sure most staff are aware, the subsidy value of a publication unit is now substantial and has become one of the major factors determining the value of the Government subsidy awarded to the University. Increasing the proportion of this component of the subsidy will clearly impact positively not only on the University as a whole but more specifically on our research activities. Another important component of our research output and again a significant one in the context of the new funding formula is the graduation of research Master’s and Doctoral students. While the final numbers are not available, 2005 appears to again have been a very successful one in terms of Master’s and PhD graduates and thanks must go not only to the students but their supervisors. Supervision is becoming an increasingly difficult and onerous task. It is a responsibility which is taken very seriously by Rhodes staff and is one which is done very well. I would also like to thank the Postgraduate Liaison Sub-Committee for their efforts in assisting postgraduates and representing their interests so effectively. This is a somewhat unique body in Higher Education Institutions in this country and has received high praise from a number of outside groups and organisations. The past year was also an important one for the University and for research at Rhodes as a result of the HEQC Quality Audit which took place in September. Special attention was paid to research during the audit since we consider Rhodes to be a research intensive institution. The audit report has recently been released and while the research section contains a number of recommendations, the University was generally commended for its research activities and quality of its postgraduate training. Many of the recommendations are of a strategic nature while most of the more specific ones are aspects which we had ourselves identified as issues for attention. A number of these have in fact already been dealt with. Finally, this is the last full year in which Dr Woods has served as our Vice-Chancellor and I would like to acknowledge the enormous contribution he has made to research at Rhodes in the past 10 years. He identified the need to establish a Research Office and to appoint a fulltime Dean of Research. As the first appointee to this post it has been my privilege to work very closely with Dr. Woods on all aspects of research. Not only has he always been very supportive and given constant encouragement but has been a source of sound advice and guidance. Rhodes research will be the poorer for his retirement and I would like to take this opportunity to wish Dr and Mrs Woods a very happy and successful retirement in Cape Town