BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF COLLABORATION IN THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN EAST-CENTRAL AFRICA DIVISION

Abstract

Collaboration among institutions of higher learning is a current trend. Universities and colleges in various parts

of the world are encouraged to cooperate in research, teaching, human resource development, technological

innovations, development of academic programmes, and financial resources. The purpose of this study was to

identify benefits and challenges of collaboration in institutions of higher learning that are run by the Seventh

day Adventist church in East-Central Africa Division. Six out of seven institutions of higher learning operated

by the Church within the East-Central Africa Division participated in the study. Data were collected using a

survey questionnaire from School Deans, Heads of Departments, Directors of Affiliations, and lecturers in

volved in collaboration in the six institutions, and some lecturers who were directly involved in collaborative

partnership.. Thirty (30) respondents were given research instruments to respond to and 53.33% of them re

turned the duly filled-in questionnaires.

Data collected were coded and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows

version 11.5, which generated descriptive statistics on variables including frequencies, means, and standard

deviations. Findings indicated that collaborating institutions did not benefit much out of the partnership, but

respondents agreed that collaboration impacted them in human resource development, introduction of new pro

grammes, and improving the already existing programmes. This means that collaborations did not develop new

human resources but developed the already existing ones. The study further found out that the most challenging

aspect in collaboration was budget implications and communication procedures on collaborative procedures.

This means that institutions found it hard to keep up with the collaborations because of budgetary allocation

constraints to the aspect of partnership and unclear procedures in the collaborative procedures and practices.

Interpretations and implications for education practices are discussed.