Discussion on universities’ societal engagement is predominantly western centric, meaning that little attention has been paid to how universities in many developing countries (mainly in Africa) develop their societal engagement activities to benefit academia, industry and government, including factors that contribute to reciprocal benefits. Nigusse Weldemariam Reda addressed these concerns using Ethiopian higher education as an example. The research showed that universities’ societal engagement benefits universities and their collaborating actors. However, much of these benefits are channelled to universities rather than the other actors.
The benefits that a university, industrial and government generate from the societal engagement activities of universities depend on a range of factors related to the societal engagement of researchers, the organisational units and the type of universities’ societal engagement projects.
However, of these factors, the amount of funds allocated to the societal engagement projects had a higher impact on the reciprocal benefits that the university, industrial and government generate from the societal engagement projects.
“The research further disclosed that universities’ societal engagement in Ethiopia lacks sustainability. Thus, the development of clear exit strategies, creating long-lasting partnerships and maintaining task rigor enhance the sustainability of universities’ societal engagement in the country,” Nigusse says.
The research has implications to practice and on-going discussions on the topic of universities’ societal engagement, third mission, regional engagement and community services.
Public defence on Friday 30 August
M.Phil. Nigusse Weldemariam Reda’s doctoral dissertation in the field of Administrative Sciences titled Understanding the Benefits of Universities’ Societal Engagement in Ethiopia will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Management and Business at Tampere University at 12 o’clock on 30 August 2024. The venue is auditorium 1096 of the Pinni B Building, (address: Kanslerinrinne 1, Tampere). The opponent will be Professor Juha Tuunainen from the University of Oulu, Finland. The custos will be Senior Lecturer, Adjunct Professor Yuzhuo Cai, Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland.