Abstract:
In South Africa, writing and publishing scientific articles is an important
activity of academic life. It not only enhances the academic status and
profile of the author and his or her institution, but also contributes towards
the subsidy transfers of the Department of Higher Education and Training
to universities. Furthermore, academic promotion is increasingly subject
to a strong track record of research publications. Most importantly,
academic publishing is the primary vehicle for the advancement of
scientific knowledge required to enhance the quality of life of the
society and also to strengthen the economy. Therefore, the government
introduced the Policy and Procedures for the Measurement of Research
Output of Public Higher Education Institutions, 2003, as a tool to sustain
and encourage research productivity in order to increase research output.
However, despite the compelling advantages of academic publishing,
research outputs of South African universities are very low and are largely
contributed by a small number of academics. Therefore, it is clear that
the policy faces the serious challenge of failing to achieve the intended outcomes. One of the main causes of this challenge is attributed to
the inability of higher education institutions to effectively carry out the
implementation process. The article evaluates the implementation of the Policy and Procedures for the Measurement of Research Output of Public
Higher Education Institutions, 2003, however paying specific attention to
the University of Pretoria and the University of Venda. In conclusion, the
implementation challenges faced by these institutions are examined and
solutions provided.
