Influence of a seed-funded community of practice on the development of academic staff research at a comprehensive University in South Africa

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the influence of a seed-funded project on the research development, professional growth, and collaboration of academic staff. It employed a qualitative reflective inquiry design to elicit the views of participants in the Domain of Emerging Researcher Excellence (DERE). The DERE has a total of 13 members, but for this study, seven participants were selected as a purposive diverse sample representing various disciplines, career stages, and levels of engagement within the Community of Practice (CoP). The findings revealed two main sources of knowledge platforms that helped participants shape their individual research developments. Participants also highlighted the collaborative activities and knowledge-sharing practices prevalent in the DERE. The interdisciplinary project was considered a gateway for professional growth and career trajectories, facilitating mentorship development activities among academics involved in the project. The study concludes that providing seed funding for CoPs can enhance the growth of academic staff research within universities in emerging economies. This initiative has significant implications for fostering a vibrant research culture within institutions, enhancing research capacity among staff, and promoting collaborative engagement across disciplines. Additionally, institutional policies should outline strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of CoPs beyond seed funding. The study acknowledges the complexity of promoting research capacity for early-career researchers; however, to ensure sustainability, seed-funded projects that influence individual professional growth and emerging researcher career trajectories should be given opportunities to develop their own funding mechanisms so that they do not become extinct once the seed-funding period elapses.

Keywords

• academic staff
• community of practice
• research development
• seed-funded, university