Eric Douglas Kalanda – School of Education, Kyambogo University

Berna Lutaaya – School of Education, Kampala International University

Email: dkalanda@kyu.ac.ug

Abstract: Female lecturers in in public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) experience slow academic career progression. This qualitative study therefore explored the institutional and individual support that facilitates their advancement. Guided by the objective of examining how such support enables career progression, the study was anchored in Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and informed by liberal feminist philosophy. A multiple case study design was adopted, with the two universities purposively selected. Participants were drawn from different academic disciplines categorized using Becher and Biglan’s typology, with two female lecturers selected from each category, making a total of 16 participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and complemented by document analysis, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that Institutional and individual support were found to help female lecturers set realistic career goals, make informed career decisions, and reduce work-related stress, thereby enhancing their academic progression. The study recommends that university support systems should be bottom-up, gender-responsive, and context-specific. It also emphasizes the importance of early mentoring by senior faculty, the formation of peer support groups among female academics, and the strengthening and effective implementation of existing institutional support mechanisms.

Abstract: The study examined the influence of Power Relations of Parties (PRP) on the collective bargaining process (CBP) and the moderating effect of participatory management in public universities in Kenya. Anchored on Dunlop’s Systems Theory of Industrial Relations, it adopted a pragmatic paradigm, mixed methods approach, and sequential explanatory research design. The target population comprised 1,462 Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) members from Moi University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, with a sample of 314 respondents determined using Yamane’s formula. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were gathered via interviews with eight key informants. Data analysis utilized descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and hierarchical regression. Findings revealed that PRP positively and significantly influences CBP (β=0.228, p<0.05), while participatory management negatively and insignificantly moderates this relationship (β=-0.205, p>0.05). PRP and participatory management accounted for 58.5% of the variation in CBP. The study concludes that PRP enhances CBP, but participatory management does not significantly moderate this effect. The study recommends promotion of cooperation between unions and management and integrating participatory management practices in CBP. Future studies should consider additional factors such as technology, economic conditions, and market context to provide further understandings into CBP in Kenya and beyond.

Abstract: The outbreak of -COVID19 on Mother Earth prompted for reactions, adjustments and novelties on all aspects of life, including the education sector. In universities world-wide, modes of lesson delivery were compelled to change from the usual face-to-face to online teaching strategies. Researchers of this qualitative study explored the impact of COVID-19 on the public university students’ learning in Zimbabwe. Data was collected through interviewing students online and observations. Thematic approach was used for data analysis. Findings showed that university students’ shift from face-toface to online learning brought a plethora of challenges which include: lack of e-learning hardware, limited technical knowhow, expensive data bundles, network challenges, frequent power-cuts, home-learning disturbances and low-teacher online response. There were also some advantages, for instance, technological development on the part of the students, lecturers and universities towards world standards. The study recommended for universities and national intervention especially on: engaging mobile network operators to subside data costs and e-learning gadgets funding. There is also need for lecturers and students’ online instructional enhancement and electronic gadget operation workshops to make the involved parties prepared for this new-normal at hand.