The problem with most commissioned studies is that they are generally anchored on research protocols, guidelines and theoretical underpinnings imposed by research grant makers or the external Principal Investigator's (PI) own research design preferences. Furthermore, the problem is that researchers who are recruited during various phases of…

The front pages of the nation's newspapers and nightly television news segments continue to share stories about United States Black colleges and universities that struggle to survive or have been forced to close, despite their remarkable legacy. With a downward spiral-taking place for several of these institutions, there is inarguably a need for a…

Some historically black schools manage to do quite well despite their circumstances, such as dire poverty. We aim at explicating some of the causal factors regarding the effectiveness of three schools in deep rural Mpumalanga, South Africa by tapping the perceptions of their learners. Data were collected from learner samples (four girls and four…

This article is based on an exploratory case study of an institution that is currently undergoing merger under the directive of the Minister of Education in South Africa. The findings reported here illuminate perspectives of senior administrators at Settlers University, an historically White university (or historically advantaged university),…

Issues facing historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa are examined, focusing on their impact on the cognitive development of students. It is concluded that students' cognitive development is a strategic matter, requiring the coherent effort of a whole institution rather than being the exclusive province of any specialized units.…