Strategic Faculty Management Plan for Teaching and Research at the Faculty of Business Administration and Management – Uganda Martyrs University, Uganda

Abstract

The Ugandan higher education system is built on the one which was promoted by the colonial government from about 1920s. The system has been remodelled under the ‘higher education reforms’ implemented during 1980s and 2000s. The reforms, among others, allowed government to shift the bulk of the education budget from higher education (universities and other tertiary institutions) to the lower level, especially at primary. It also introduced private students’ enrolment for university education and privately paying for their education. It further allowed private investment in university education and other tertiary institutions by entrepreneurs. This led to an increase in the number of universities, tertiary institutions, and privately sponsored students. This thus required additional staff (part-time) to teach the big number of students, who sometimes study during evening and weekend. The big number of part-time staff created a challenge in faculty management, since most of them report to university only to teach and thereafter leave immediately to attend to other engagements. Many of the part-time staff lack teaching and research skills thereby affecting the quality of teaching and learning, and research and scholarship in the higher education system. At Uganda Martyrs University, the Faculty of Business Administration and Management (BAM) in particular lacked formal strategic planning which included a lack of clear strategic direction, uncoordinated teaching and learning, the absence of a faculty research agenda, difficulties in managing staff work load, failure to track