Perceptions of academics on academic freedom at the University of Zambia

Abstract

This study was based on perceptions about academic freedom at the University of Zambia. Its primary purpose was to critically study the state of academic freedom at UNZA by analysing the academics' and academic leaders' perceptions of how academic freedom was understood and practiced. "How do academics and academic leaders at UNZA perceive academic freedom?" was the study's main research question. The answer to this question was critical in achieving the study's stated purpose. I was able to answer the question by combining phenomenological research design with other qualitative methodologies. I chose this design due to the nature of the research problem, which required information regarding the thoughts and perceptions of the 30 purposively selected participants (15 academics and 15 academic leaders). To gather data, I conducted semi-structured interviews and used documentation analysis to analyse documents. UNZA policy documents and Zambia National Policy documents were thoroughly examined. The following significant findings resulted from the study: (1) Academics and academic leaders had varying perceptions of what academic freedom was and had a fair understanding of the concept; (2) academic freedom matters because it safeguards members of the academic community from internal and external constraints; (3) two realities of how academic freedom was practised at UNZA were uncovered: the first suggesting that academic freedom was practised in teaching and research at UNZA, and the second, suggesting that academics and academic leaders did not know how academic freedom was practised at the institution; (4) financial resources had a direct positive and negative effect on academic freedom at UNZA; (5) academics and academic leaders experienced various challenges in exercising academic freedom causing UNZA not to ultimately realise its mission of creating knowledge through scholarship and research; (6) various strategies were highlighted that could be put in place to facilitate academic freedom at UNZA. The study's main conclusion was that academic freedom was perceived to be necessary. UNZA needs to uphold and safeguard academic freedom to provide academics with positive motivation to fulfil the university's mission. However, as important as academic freedom was perceived by the participants, it was revealed that academics at UNZA did not fully enjoy academic freedom. Ultimately the study has filled a population gap in the knowledge by adding the voices and perceptions of Zambian academic and academic leaders to the literature on academic freedom.