Academics’ Enthusiasm for Scholarly Research Engagement: Perspectives on Selected Universities in Uganda

Abstract

The paper focused on both the positive as well as negative factors that influenced academics’ enthusiasm to engage in research and scholarly endeavors. A qualitative strategy was chosen, and review summaries were used to support it in three higher education institutions (HEIs). In-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis were done. Factors responsible for academics’ research enthusiasm, included; international, national, institutional and personal factors. Majorly, national and institutional factors such as; distorted benchmarking, the “triad and multi-faceted” academics roles and workload rationalization. Personal factors that negatively influenced academic enthusiasm included; procrastination, perfectionism and self-pity, while, positive influencers included; intellectual curiosity, drive for career growth, inquiry acumen and self-fulfillment, which inevitably attracts a dual reward arrangement, leading to two sides of the coin. While those who had published were recognized and/or promoted, the ones who had not go demoralized, a feeling of humiliation, emotional resignation, and sometimes, complete refusal to even try, as they considered themselves losers. Hence, aside from the institutional factors that affected every academic, self-determination and intellectual curiosity were majorly responsible for academics’ research enthusiasm. Therefore, in order to enhance every academic’ research enthusiasm, institutions should establish mentorship programs in research and scholarly writing, set up rotational leadership rules in research clusters to give each member a chance to be the “first author,” and launch more series of journals as viable avenues for academics to publish.