1 / 77

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA RESEARCH ORIENTATION WORKSHOP Professor Stephanie Burton February 2013

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA RESEARCH ORIENTATION WORKSHOP Professor Stephanie Burton February 2013. UP 2025 strategic plan Research and Postgraduate Education. OVERVIEW —. Strategic Plan, UP 2025 

titus
Download Presentation

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA RESEARCH ORIENTATION WORKSHOP Professor Stephanie Burton February 2013

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA RESEARCH ORIENTATION WORKSHOP Professor Stephanie Burton February 2013

  2. UP 2025 strategic planResearch and Postgraduate Education

  3. OVERVIEW — Strategic Plan, UP 2025  To be a leading research-intensive university in Africa, recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact, and also for developing people, creating knowledge and making a difference locally and globally. Two strategic goals are most directly related to our research productivity: • To be a leading research-intensive university • To strengthen the University’s international profile And also, through research and postgraduate education, : • To strengthen the University’s impact on economic and social development.

  4. In Overview First two goals of the UP Strategic Plan—2025: • To be a leading research-intensive University • To strengthen the University’s international profile Research Strategy for UP Framework for postgraduate education 5-Year implementation plan 1-year action plans

  5. Characteristics of a research-intensive university: A strong, recognisable University research culture: - understanding of intellectual and academic quality - advanced, scholarly research as the goal - internationally benchmarked - buy-in, ownership and pride A University-wide academic and postgraduate research community - cross-faculty research contributing to developing capacity - inclusion of leading and developing researchers, postgraduates, undergraduates, support staff Research that is creative and innovative, contributing to diversity and sustainability - Interaction with community and industry partners - Looking ahead in preparation for new research directions -Not losing sight of opportunities for innovation.

  6. Strategic goals for research • Increase research productivity by setting minimum performance targets for all disciplines • Increase the capacity for postgraduate training by ensuring that all departments are research active • Foster research with national relevance and international impact • Grow existing areas of research expertise • Expand the University’s contribution to human capital development and innovation

  7. Strategic goals for research • Increase research productivity by setting minimum performance targets for all disciplines • Increase the capacity for postgraduate training by ensuring that all departments are research active • Foster research with national relevance and international impact • Grow existing areas of research expertise • Expand the University’s contribution to human capital development and innovation WHAT WE MONITOR AND MEASURE • Publications in accredited high impact journals • PhD graduates and postdoctoral fellows • International recognition and international collaborations • Ratings • And more…

  8. The platforms for growing research intensity • Institutional Research Themes, Faculty Research Themes • Institutes, Centres and Units • Research Chairs • Postgraduate enrolment in priority areas • Strategically positioned PhDs and postdoctoral fellows • Strategic resources • Research opportunities * VCs POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME • The challenge: To build and maintain momentum and impact

  9. Research plans “RESEARCH INTENSIVE” TARGETS Setting of agreed and explicit targets (per department) for levels of research achievement • Research output targets • Targets for postgraduate graduations • Mentoring and career planning for developing researchers • Opportunities for study leave to complete higher degrees • Funding for completion of higher degrees • UP ACADEMIC STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Research output counting and monitoring • Research output management system • Efficient data gathering requires cooperation

  10. Researchers at UP Attracting, developing and retaining an excellent, diverse body of scholars • Staff completion of higher degrees • Strategic appointment of leading researchers • Support for rating applications • Appointment of mentors for new academic staff • Succession plans in research groupings • Interaction with leading international researchers • CENTRE FOR THE ADVANCE MENT OF SCHOLARSHIP • VISITING PROFESSOR PROGRAMME • EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS PROGRAMME

  11. The Framework for Postgraduate Education Situated within the broader research activity of the University, and linked to research strengths: Strengthened supervisory capacity • attract and support increasing numbers of top-performing and promising postgraduate students Effective recruitment and advocacy strategies • linked into the University’s areas of research excellence Focus on quality • appropriate forms of support and skills development Postgraduates recognised as new researchers and professionals • part of the academic community of scholars • fostering intellectual development.

  12. KEY PRINCIPLES • Research productivity makes a major contribution to the University’s reputation and rankings • Postgraduate education is an embedded component of research-intensity • Our capacity to increase research productivity depends on our capacity to supervise postgraduates and increase graduation rates.

  13. Actions in the Implementation Plan for postgraduate education: • Increasing postgraduate output • Linking of postgraduate enrolment to strategic areas of research and professional training • Enrolment planning, deliberate selection and recruitment • Provision of comprehensive and accessible information • Strengthening of supervisory capacity

  14. Progress related to postgraduates Increasing the capacity for supervision ** GUIDELINES FOR SUPERVISION ** SUPERVISION WORKSHOPS • Targets for postgraduate numbers based on academic staff • Academic staff completion of PhDs Faculties focusing on doctoral and research postgraduates • Postgraduate Framework implementation • Planned recruiting into active and priority research areas • Strategic appointment of postdoctoral fellows Academic research support for postgraduates • Coordination of information flow between stakeholders • UP Library role through Research Commons and Information specialists.

  15. Faculty-based academic relationships Postgraduate work is predicated by the relationship between the supervisor and the student Executive (VP) Administration CSC ISD Dean RESEARCH SUPPORT HoD LIBRARY AND IT Postgraduate + Supervisor Department Faculty

  16. Support for the postgraduate academic enterprise • Smooth and effective processes for application and admission • Effective administration and quality assurance of higher degree processes • Opportunities for interaction with leading researchers and international academic leaders • Funding to offer attractive bursary programmes to assist talented and promising students * GRADUATE SUPPORT HUB * POSTGRADUATE FORUM * POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATION

  17. Postdoctoral fellows • Double the number in 2014 [53 in 2010, 120 in 2012, more coming] • Identify the most suitable research groups / departments for placement • Research activity • Research potential • Support for researchers • Tutoring and supervising • Recruit nationally and internationally, including USA

  18. Internationalisation • Focus on the purpose of internationalisation • Strengthening research productivity and impact • Achievement of recognition • Access to international funding • A meeting place for scholars from Africa • Research directed to address Africa’s challenges • A postgraduate destination in Africa • Attracting good students • Assisting them in getting here and living here • Assisting them in settling and making progress • Providing excellent facilities and opportunities.

  19. University of PretoriaResearch and Postgraduate Education – Status report Stephanie BurtonSenate Conference, 30 January 2013 Overview: Where we want to be Where we are — 2011/ 2012 Priorities for 2013: Broadening and growing the University’s research base Improving research output and impact Creating an enabling scholarly environment

  20. OVERVIEW — where we are at present Performance Indicators — Goal 1: • % of NRF-rated researchers • Publication units per C1 FTE staff • % of ISI publications to total accredited publications • Weighted research output per C1 FTE staff • % C1 staff with D-level degrees (joint appointments excluded) 1Based mainly on 2011 audited data and confirmed 2012 data

  21. Core performance indicators and targets

  22. Goal 1, Performance Indicator 1: % NRF-rated researchers 2012 figures as on 15 January – resignations, new appointments not included. 9 results still outstanding.

  23. Number of Rated Researchers 2010-2012 2012 figure as at 15 January – 9 outstanding results to be added

  24. Goal 1, Performance Indicator 2: Publication units per C1 FTE staff UP Research Output Units (2008 -2011)

  25. Publication units produced by staff and students

  26. Goal 1, Performance Indicator 3: % ISI-listed publications to total produced in listed journals

  27. Goal 1, Performance Indicator 3: % ISI-listed publications to total produced in accredited journals

  28. Comparison: Publication Units (2011) Source: DHET, October 2012

  29. Goal1, Performance Indicator 4: Weighted postgraduate output per ‘C1’ staff

  30. Total number of journal articles audited per faculty (2009 -2011)

  31. Total research article units for 2011

  32. Comparison of weighted research outputs (2011)

  33. Goal 1, Performance Indicator 5: C1 Staff with D-level degrees

  34. Goal 1, Performance Indicator 5: C1 Staff with D-level degrees

  35. OVERVIEW — where we are at present (2) Performance Indicators — Goal 2: • % of PG international students • Number of international postdoctoral fellows • % international academic staff • % ISI publications co-authored with non-SA academics

  36. Goal 2, Performance Indicator 1 : International postdoctoral fellows * Registered postdoctoral fellows Dec 2012

  37. Goal 2, Performance Indicator 1 : Total postdoctoral fellows per faculty

  38. Goal 2, Performance Indicator 4: Co-authorship with international researchers

  39. 2. Research development – Goals 3 and 5 Broadening and growing UP’s research base • Enrolment growth in postgraduate students • Completion times and efficiency • Increase in doctoral graduations • Staff qualifications

  40. Postgraduate Enrolment Growth Targets

  41. M and D graduate output, 2009—2011 Goals 3 and 5, Postgraduate graduations Note: 2012 data on C1 FTE staff available end February 2013, and on graduate outputs end April 2013.

  42. Average Graduation times, 2009 – 2011

  43. Comparison: Number of PhD graduates of South African research- intensive universities, 2007—2011

  44. Position of South African Universities on ESI database, based on papers count 3. Research visibility and impact Source: Thomson Reuters ESI; data covers a rolling 10-year period with bimonthly updates in current year (accessed 17 January 2013)

  45. Comparison of citations of publications 2007—2012 Thomson Reuters ISI, database (accessed 17 January 2013)

  46. UP Cited Researchers - ESI list • Prof Marthan Bester (Zoology) • Prof Teresa Coutinho (FABI/Microbiology and Plant Pathology • Prof Don Cowan (Genomics IRT/Genetics) • Dr Gyebi Duoudu (Food Science) • Prof Andries Engelbrecht (Computer Science) • Prof Bob Millar (Mammal Research Institute, Zoology) • Prof Bernard Slippers (FABI/Genetics) • Prof John Taylor (Food Science) • Prof Brenda Wingfield (FABI/Genetics) • Prof Mike Wingfield (FABI) • Thomson Reuters ESI presents the top 1% of research output globally in 22 subject areas in science and social sciences.

  47. 4. Strategic support for research Creating an enabling scholarly environment • Strategic support interventions • Support services and communication • Infrastructure • Data management • Research and postgraduate funding

  48. Vice Chancellor’s Academic Development Grants

More Related