The Role of Research in Promoting the Quality of Education in PHEIs

Abstract

The primary aims or missions of higher education institutions whether they are public or private, are teaching and conducting research. In the context of higher education these aims are inseparable. These aims are often stated in university and college catalogues and departmental programme brochures. However, the mission of conducting research is too often set aside, as faculty become preoccupied with teaching and administrative matters, and remain merely as a statement in the catalogue and never takes off the ground. This can be regarded as a serious problem that can severely affect the quality of education in institutions of higher learning. This is because one of the indicators of the quality of education in higher education institutions is a thriving research culture. The main objective of this paper was to look into the state of research in private higher education institutions (PHEIs) with particular focus on those found in Addis Ababa. The paper is by and large descriptive and analytic. Data were collected from four PHEIs through interviews and surveys. Documents like the Higher Education Proclamation were examined. Moreover, a check list of the manifestations of a thriving research culture (Sunderland 1998) was used to assess the current state of research culture in PHEIs. Preliminary findings indicate that the output of research in PHEIs at present is quite scanty.