CHALLENGES AFFECTING FACULTY IN RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION WORKS: A CASE OF THE ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

This study was aimed at establishing the hindrances that faculty in universities meet in an attempt to bring about research and scholarly works. The study was survey concerned with the lecturers` perceptions of the factors affecting their attempts to research and publish. A questionnaire was used to solicit data from a sample of 20 lecturers drawn from two participating regions of the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU). Results of the study show that there is little or no support from the university on research and scholarship work in terms of resources as evidenced by the number of recipients of research conference funding. Lecturers were not staff developed fully enough and the majority lacked the ability to carry out research work. Internet access and use among the lecturers is still a problem area and lecturers are not aware of the e-libraries available for research and scholarship work. It was therefore, recommended that the university should seek means of funding research work if lecturers are to undertake research and scholarship work seriously. The university should also come up with clear funding policies that will motivate the lecturers to carry out research and scholarship work. Where possible lecturers could seek for funding from academic institutions and the private sector for whom the research could be of benefit. Academic staff needs to be trained in Internet usage as an aid to research and scholarship work.