Drivers of change for researcher development in Tanzania

ABSTRACT

The research landscape in higher education is changing rapidly, with new challenges and opportunities emerging that require researchers to be adaptable and willing to learn new skills. The study reported in this article explored how Tanzanian universities can support the development of researchers. The study was guided by Linda Evans’ conceptual model of researcher development. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with national higher education leaders, senior university leaders, academic staff members and postgraduate students drawn from four universities and the National Directorate for Higher Education. The study found that researcher development in Tanzania can be supported by strengthening individual and institutional research capacity, establishing a research mentoring programme, introducing research incentives, streamlining research funding and optimising research time and space. Our findings suggest that a holistic approach to researcher development, encompassing both individual and institutional dimensions, can have a positive impact on research culture. In this respect, the identified strategies serve as drivers of change for universities and individual academics to develop programmes and initiatives that support the development of researchers at all stages of their careers.

KEYWORDS:

• Researcher development
• researcher identity
• research capacity strengthening
• mentoring
• academic development
• research culture

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).